Oshún and Me: A Story of Love Braids

In this warm, joyful debut picture book, a little girl learns about her Afro Latin heritage as her mom braids her hair with cowrie shells. Tenderly illustrated by Alleanna Harris, Adiba Nelson's debut picture book Oshún and Me is a heartwarming ode to family, identity, and the beauty of braided hair. It’s Sunday, and that means it’s Hair Day! As Mami weaves gold and cowrie shells into Yadira’s hair, she tells her the story of the goddess Oshún, showing Yadi how her Afro Latin heritage is lovingly tucked into each braid and shell. The next day, Yadi arrives for her first day at a new school. She's nervous about making friends, but with her beautiful braids, the click-clack of the cowrie shells, and a little guidance from Oshún, she finds she has everything she needs to be her best, most authentic self. A letter from the author and visual examples of different kinds of braided hairstyles are included in the back of the book.