Laxmi's Mooch

 

A joyful, body-positive picture book about a young Indian American girl's journey to accept her body hair and celebrate her heritage after being teased about her mustache.

Laxmi never paid much attention to the tiny hairs above her lip. But one day while playing farm animals at recess, her friends point out that her whiskers would make her the perfect cat. She starts to notice body hair all over--on her arms, legs, and even between her eyebrows.

With her parents' help, Laxmi learns that hair isn't just for heads, but that it grows everywhere, regardless of gender. Featuring affirming text by Shelly Anand and exuberant, endearing illustrations by Nabi H. Ali, Laxmi's Mooch is a celebration of our bodies and our body hair, in whichever way they grow.


My Review

This is a cute book. Laxmi is so sweet. I loved how her mom gave her some good examples of women that have mooches...Mughai empresses, rani, her nana, cousin, and mom. Laxmi asked about her eyebrows having hair between them to almost look like a caterpillar.  To which, her mom replies that Frida Kahlo has eyebrows like Laxmi.

Laxmi learns to embrace her mooch, eyebrows, and other body hair. So do her friends. They pretend to be lions and tigers. Soon, everyone wants a mooch like Laxmi; so she draws one on all her classmates and they have fun together. Laxmi's Mooch does teach about body appearance acceptance in a lovely way. This book does a good job as well of culturally representing this population. 

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