Mary'S Hair
Little gems Series
What’s inside...
Mary despises her unruly, curly hair and decides to cut it off, much to her delight and her mother's dismay. Despite her mother's prohibition on cutting her own hair, Mary finds a loophole that leads to humorous consequences involving a dog. This lively tale by Irish Laureate Eoin Colfer combines the mischief of Horrid Henry with the humor of Mrs Doyle, featuring full-color artwork and presented in an easy-to-read format.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
5-7
Length
79 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do you think Mary felt when her hair kept changing, and why?
What would you do if you woke up with hair like Mary's?
Why is it important to accept and celebrate our unique qualities, like Mary eventually does with her hair?
Can you think of a time when something unexpected turned out to be great?
How did the reactions of others to Mary's hair change throughout the story, and what does that teach us?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings about the book by asking them to describe their favorite part and why they liked it.
Relate the story to your child’s own experiences with uniqueness or change, prompting them to draw parallels and personalize the story.
Discuss the importance of embracing differences by sharing personal stories where you or someone you know stood out and how it was addressed.
Use expressive reading to make the story’s emotions come to life, changing your tone of voice to match the mood and actions of the story.
After reading, ask your child to draw a picture of their own unique hairstyle and describe why it represents them, linking creativity with self-expression.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Self-acceptance and confidence
Explanation: Mary grapples with her unruly, curly hair and tries various humorous methods to tame it. Eventually, she learns to appreciate and embrace her unique hair.
Real-World Application: Children learn the importance of accepting their unique qualities and gaining confidence in themselves, which is crucial in building self-esteem and positive social interactions.
Example Lesson: Creativity and problem-solving
Explanation: Mary explores creative solutions to manage her hair, showing resilience and innovation throughout her journey.
Real-World Application: Encourages children to think creatively and persistently solve problems they encounter in their daily lives.
Example Lesson: Empathy and understanding
Explanation: Characters around Mary, such as her family and friends, try to help her in managing her hair, highlighting themes of empathy and support.
Real-World Application: Teaches children the value of empathy by supporting and understanding others' feelings and challenges, promoting cooperative and supportive behavior.
Example Lesson: Humor as a coping mechanism
Explanation: The book uses humor to address and cope with personal challenges, as seen in Mary's whimsical attempts to style her hair.
Real-World Application: Illustrates to children how humor can be an effective way to handle day-to-day frustrations and challenges, providing a light-hearted approach to problem-solving.