The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School [Hardcover]

Laurie Halse Anderson (Author), Ard Hoyt (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 23, 2009 | Age Level: 6 and up

Zoe Fleefenbacher has one blue eye and one green eye and bright red hair that goes on . . . forever. Her hair has always been unruly, but now she is in first grade and according to her teacher, Ms. Trisk, “first grade has rules.” It takes countless barrettes and scrunchies to finally hold Zoe’s hair. But when it can help with an uncooperative science lesson, will Ms. Trisk let Zoe’s hair free? Acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson and vibrant illustrator Ard Hoyt style a hair-raising story that is sure to be a ‘do!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2—Zoe has a glorious bright red mane. In fact, her "wild and beautiful" hair seems to have a mind of its own, performing various tasks (it can "turn on the TV, pour a glass of juice, pet the cat, and play the computer—all at the same time") and even allowing her to fly. While this isn't a problem in kindergarten, things change in first grade. Ms. Trisk bluntly states, "School has rules…. No wild hair in my class!" She tries to rein in Zoe's unruly tresses with disciplinary measures, a stretchy hat, and even a meeting with the principal. Finally, Zoe's locks are contained with scrunchies, barrettes, bobby pins, and duct tape, an arrangement that also weighs down the girl's spirits. However, when Zoe's locks break free to lend a hand with a demonstration about orbiting planets, it's Ms. Trisk who learns a lesson. Anderson's narrative sparkles with exuberant language and exaggerated humor. Hoyt's buoyant cartoons, done in pen and ink and watercolors, are filled with flowing lines and comical touches. While the plot specifics are a bit far-fetched, the tale touches upon pertinent themes, such as the challenges of transitioning between kindergarten and first grade, the importance of looking for solutions to problems, and the fact that teachers often learn from their students. An imaginative and appealing back-to-school choice.—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal
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From Booklist

This one instantly grabs you—the opening two-page spread overflows with Zoe’s wild red hair, with its many tendrils that brush her teeth, grab her clothes, and pack her lunch. Then Anderson takes a step back for a history lesson: Zoe’s hair learned to open the cookie jar at age two and could fly by age four. Her kindergarten class loved it for furry snuggling at nap time . . . but then came first grade and Ms. Trisk. “School has rules,” she snaps as she disciplines Zoe, who frowns in despair as her hair continues to misbehave, even transforming into a hair-dragon to chase the teacher away. Hoyt’s wacky depiction of the hair’s every Seussian undulation is flecked with jokey details (there’s an ongoing visual gag about some hamsters that have apparently taken up residence inside). The ending, in which Zoe’s hair proves itself worthy of helping Ms. Trisk with school lessons, is a tad awkward, but this should find fans with anyone who’s ever threatened their mop with a barrette or scrunchie. Grades K-2. --Daniel Kraus

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (June 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689858094
• ISBN-13: 978-0689858093
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #524,676 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Laurie Halse (rhymes with "waltz") Anderson pretended she was a polar bear when she walked to school through the snow of Syracuse, New York. As a little girl, she would pound away at her father's old typewriter for hours, writing newspaper columns, stories, and letters. She loved watching her father write poetry and reading the funnies on the floor of his office. Laurie fell in love with words when her second-grade teacher taught her how to write haiku. Her favorite book is the dictionary, which is a good thing because she is a terrible speller. She tried to read every book in her school library, a heavenly place. She loves librarians! One of her favorite books was Heidi. This led to curiosity about foreign cultures. As a senior in high school, she was an American Field Service exchange student to Denmark, where she lived on a pig farm. She skipped both her prom and graduation ceremonies and had a great time there. She can still speak Danish.

Laurie Halse Anderson never intended to be an author. At Georgetown University, she majored in foreign languages and linguistics. She hit the real world with no idea of what kind of work she wanted to do. She tried everything, including cleaning banks, milking cows and working as a stockbroker. She hated all of it. Working as a reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer was a slight improvement, but she eventually quit to write books. After eight long, rejection-filled years, she has finally qualified as an overnight success.

Laurie's books for children and teenagers have attracted a lot of attention. Her first novel, Speak, was a National Book Award Finalist, a Michael L. Printz Honor book, a New York Times bestseller, and an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults. Publisher's Weekly, called Speak "a stunning first novel," in which Ms. Anderson "uses keen observations and vivid imagery to pull readers into the head of an isolated teenager." Speak has been translated into sixteen foreign languages, including Chinese and Catalan. In 2005, the movie version was released. In addition to novels, Laurie writes chapter books for elementary age children and picture books for the pre-school set. She received the Margaret A. Edwards Award, given by the American Library Association for significant and lasting achievement in young adult literature, in 2009.

Laurie lives in Northern New York with her husband, Scot, and their dog, Kezzie. Scot designed and built a writing cottage for Laurie, where she writes daily. Along with writing, she enjoys gardening, running and hanging with her family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lively Book on Compromise, July 23, 2009

By 

Gypsi Phillips Bates "bilbiophile" (Tennessee) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

In The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School , we meet Zoe and her lovely, wild, untamed red locks. Her hair is so voluminous that, as a baby, she needed two strollers; one for herself and one for her hair.

Not only is her hair plentiful and beautiful, it is also talented. Her hair can turn on the tv, pet the cat, pour juice AND play on the computer--all at the same time. . . while Zoe sleeps!

When Zoe started school, her Kindergarten teacher loved Zoe and her tresses, giving chores to the hair while the students napped. Unfortunately, one Zoe's first day of First Grade, her new teacher lets her differing views be known immediately. "School has rules," says Ms. Trisk, "no wild hair in my class." Naturally, this stirs up the rebel in Zoe's hair, and to Zoe's embarrassment, her hair does all sorts of naughty things to annoy Ms. Trisk.

Will Zoe, her hair and Ms. Trisk find a happy medium?

I'll go ahead and tell you: Yes! This book is about compromise and individuality, how both parties can give and take with a satisfying outcome. Though Ms. Trisk is in the wrong, there is never a question about Zoe, or her parents, following Ms. Trisk's instructions. I liked this, in that it isn't showing a rebellion against a teacher, rather a willingness to compromise.

The illustrations are lovely. Zoe's amazing hair is not a vivid, overpowering red, but rather a true to form orangey red that one sees on people daily. His illustrations are also light and engaging, adding more depth to the story.

I think this is a delightful book and could certainly give across a message of cooperation, especially if discussed afterward. For younger children, who might not understand such a message, the amusing story and lively illustrations will make a pleasure to read.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 3-1/2 stars from an 8 year old avid reader, July 24, 2009

By 

Stanley Cup "Hockey Mom" (Holly Springs, NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School (Hardcover)

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I loved the title of the book and the illustration on the front cover, so I decided to request this book for review on the Vine program. I read the story to my 8 year old (who has some unruly hair himself), so the comments in this review reflect an 8 year old's point of view, as well as an adult.

My son gave the illustrations 3 stars and the story 4 stars. He thought the pictures were imaginative (as did I), but he did not care for the overall feel of the pictures and thought the colors were too boring (except for the fabulous red hair). He noticed that the author comments about the little girl having one blue eye and one green eye, yet in some of the pictures, they look like they are the same color, and in others, they are so small, they just look gray or black, and that bothered him. He thinks the pictures in books are just as important as the story, so that is how he came up with a 3-1/2 star rating.

The idea of the story appealed to me, and I love that the main character in the book is not your typical first grader. Any child with wild and unruly hair can relate to having hair that will not cooperate, and the author does a great job showing just what kind of crazy things can happen when wild hair is left to its own devices. What threw me in reading the story is that the first part of the book focuses on all the fun and creative things Zoe's hair can do, and it was so much fun to read. Then we meet a very mean and inflexible teacher that tried to tame the hair and all of its shenanigans. What I never really figured out was why the parents allowed a nasty teacher and gloomy principal to place such restrictions on their daughter's hair without even giving so much as a peep of dissent over the "school has rules" philosophy. Her parents did not back her individuality and that bothered me a little bit. They just went along with the program and had their daughter's hair duct taped to keep it under control. Even my eight year old asked out loud why they let the school duct tape her hair. If the author wanted to write a book about being an individual in the age of cookie cutter everything, I think the concept could have been presented in a more positive light. The first grade teacher is just mean, and I have yet to meet any elementary school teacher who would treat a child like that teacher treated Zoe. While the teacher learns her lesson at the end of the story, and sees what a benefit Zoe's hair can be, I just can't imagine any teacher acting the way she did earlier in the story. Maybe I have just been blessed to be around really great teachers, but this stereotype will not do any wonders for a child getting ready to go to first grade. I loved the concept of the book, it just did not play out as I had hoped. I think children will enjoy the story and marvel at Zoe's magical, wonderful hair, but I am not sure this will be a favorite book that is requested all that often.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, September 19, 2009

By 

Collin S. Garbarino (Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School (Hardcover)

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I can't say enough good about this book. The story is interesting, the illustrations are phenomenal, and the message is spot on.

First, the story. Zoe is a cute little first grader with very special hair. Her wild red hair can do things for Zoe, like brush her teeth and take out the trash. Zoe's new teacher doesn't know how to cope with such special hair, and things get, ummm, hairy. The story is great. The author has created a very likable character, introduced some conflict, and resolved it in a way that makes the reader say, "Yes!"

Secondly, the illustrations. Ard Hoyt knows how to draw hair. I found myself mesmerized by Zoe's undulating locks. Every time I read the book to my daughters, I would see something new in the illustrations. Every now and then I find myself picking it up just for a quick flip through on my own. Zoe's hair has a mind of its own, and the pictures reveal that fact perfectly.

Thirdly, the message. I really appreciated this book's message and I think it's one kids need to hear over and over again. We're not all the same, and we don't have to pretend that we are or can all do the same things. The moral of Zoe's hair is very similar to the message in The Incredibles (Two-Disc Collector's Edition). Some people have special gifts, and society only harms itself when it tries to minimize those gifts in the spirit of equality.

Give this book a try. Delightful.