Sofia the Dreamer and her Magical Afro

Every Sunday, Sofia’s mother does her hair – maybe styling it into twists, or perhaps into a glorious afro or cane row braids. As she does this, Sofia finds herself drifting off to find herself somewhere else – an Caribbean island beside a brilliant sea, a Los Angeles street surrounded by skyscrapers, an Ethiopian field full of corn, to meet people who open the door to her history represented in these hair styles; they all mean something and should be worn with pride. Even more important, as Sofia realises, creating these styles is an act of love.

Tom Rawles’ bold, hyper-realistic images capture both the characters that people the pages and Sofia’s dreaming, as well bringing their backgrounds to vivid life. They are powerful images for a powerful message, full of colour, vibrant, positive, presenting real people. Jessica Wilson’s text is as positive as the images that accompany it. It does not shout, rather she leads her young readers on a journey. This journey gently, positively and imaginatively offers an insight into histories that they may not have heard but which should be recognised and celebrated, for ‘Knowing your history is important’ – it opens the door to respect, a sense of unity and confidence – and flowing through it a love that is a gift.

This is a welcome addition to any classroom in any school. Sofia is a very real, recognisable girl and her dreams could give rise to further exploration and discussion both within classrooms and homes. Here is an excellent introduction for all children to the rich culture of our world today.