Camilla's New Hairdo [Hardcover]

Tricia Tusa (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1991 | Age Level: 5 and up

Camilla has a great talent--she can make her hair do anything she wants it to. But no one will ever discover her abilities, because Camilla is so shy she lives in a tower which has no door. Hilarious ilustrations will have readers wishing they could visit Camilla for one of her fantastic hairdos. Full color throughout.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This esoteric tale of an unusual friendship combines the world of haute coiffure with experiments in aviation. In a tower with no doors lives Camilla, with little to entertain her save the elaborate hairdos that she fashions for herself. Gathering inspiration solely from her limited view of the world--through her windows--this eccentric lady has her food delivered (windows again), "and everything else I order from catalogues." Mozelle, a girl learning to fly, makes a "crash landing" one day on Camilla's floor, and the two embark on a series of new "dos." One particularly ingenious creation allows the new friends to leap from the tower into the outside world and the start of a highly successful salon. Though Tusa's ( Sherman and Pearl ; Maebelle's Suitcase ) quirky concoction has a certain wackiness that will appeal to children, many will remain uninvolved in her farfetched, disjointed narrative. With their vigorous, angular images, her imaginative watercolors complement the more bizarre aspects of this hair-raising story. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-- Camilla is an eccentric woman who dwells in a tower with no door. All the necessities of life are delivered through a window. She passes the time sculpting her hair, using bobby pins, a comb, a brush, and tons of hairspray to create upsweeps that duplicate bowls of fruit, waves, hilltops, and trees. All this changes on Camilla's birthday when a girl named Mozelle, who has been trying to fly with a breathtaking lack of success, lands on the balcony. Camilla restyles Mozelle's locks; Mozelle tells Camilla about the outside world. The result, after some humorous problems, is a parachute hairstyle with which Camilla can leave the tower and ride the winds. Later she cuts a door in her abode and opens a salon business. Children will enjoy the tongue-in-cheek story, Mozelle's intelligence, and Camilla's wild hairdos. However, the narrative is marred by an extremely abrupt ending. Tusa's watercolor illustrations are engaging, having the humor of David Small's drawings and the sense of line and movement present in Julie Vivas's work. The bright colors and excellent use of white space make this a good book for sharing, especially for units or story times highlighting individuality or creativity. --Ann Welton, Thomas Academy, Kent, WA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover
• Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux (J); 1st edition (September 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374310211
• ISBN-13: 978-0374310219
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,163,395 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breaking out of our shell is good for us, April 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Camilla's New Hairdo (Hardcover)

An eccentric woman with a talent for fantastic hair designs learns to leave her small existence for a larger world with the help of a little girl filled with curiosity. Great illustrations.