Customer Reviews

Why I Let My Hair Grow Out

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It starts yout with Morgan doing something drastic to change herself because she felt like she couldn't cope when her boyriend broke up with her. Her parents noticed a change in Morgan and think since it's summer, she needs a vacation. They sign her up on a bike tour in Ireland. At first Morgan is a bit pissed about it, but then she meets Conner, a hunky Irish lad who works for the bike tour. Things take a turn for the other worldly when she falls off her bike and finds herself in the land of fairies.

This book really wasn't anything like I expected it to be. It was a fun to read and I found myself relating to the main character Morgan very much.

Morgan is a bit too extreme for her parents. When faced with a breakup with her first boyfriend, she cuts her hair extremely short, and dyes it orange. She doesn't talk to any of her old friends, and is moping around the house. So her parents, meaning well, but perhaps a little misguided, book her a week long biking trip to Ireland, where Morgan meets Colin, one of the guides. Colin's unusual attitude appeals instantly to Morgan, but it's kinda hard to make any progress in the relationship department when you keep getting whisked away to Long-Ago, where you are evidently a half goddess and are expected to lift the kingdom of an evil enchantment....




Maryrose Wood's Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is an outrageously funny, quirky, and brilliant read. Each character is unique and vibrant, with their own distinct voice. Morgan is an endlessly witty main character who will appeal to the teen reader immensely. Her remarkable flair and zany attitude make this lively, fun froth of romance, mystery, and magic a MUST READ, with one kick-butt cover to boot.


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I grabbed this book because the title was very eye grabbing and so was the cover art (fantastic job!! to the designer). What I found inside was a very fun coming of age tale, Morgan fresh from her first serious relationship has been shipped off to Ireland by her parents. They've decided (especially after she cut off all her hair--mind you this was written before Britney Spears did it--though I read it that week so it was sort of surreal fo rme) that the only way for her to get out of the awful funk she is in is for her to have a bike tour of Ireland.

She goes because she has no choice really--and having abandonded all of her friends, previously during her relationship, she has nothing to fall back on at home. At first on the tour she is bratty and irritating, really letting the world know that she does not want to be there. But after an accident which leaves her with a minor head injury and the ability to randdomly go back in Ireland's past to a time when Cuchulain roamed about things start to change. Morgan starts to grow up and notice the people around her and how they might need her, not just how she doesn't need them.

Its told in a first person narration, and there is some mature language and themes, its probably on parr with Meg Cabot's 'All-American Girl' series--though a bit more serious. I wouldn't be surprised if this turned into a series also, very fun. Plus I just loved that she used those old Celtic myths!

Title: Why I Let My Hair Grow Out
Author: Maryrose Wood
Grade: A
Ideal Audience: Girls, 13-16

Summary: Morgan is your typical sarcastic, funny, bold, impulsive teenager. And she's not exactly thrilled at having to travel to Ireland to go on a biking trip with a bunch of annoying tourists. Consider it her punishment for shaving her head, and then dying the fuzz orange, an act brought on by her boyfriend dumping her.

When Morgan arrives in Ireland, the tourists are just as annoying, and the biking just as arduous, as she'd thought. The only thing that might make the trip halfway bearable is the presence of Colin, one of the group leaders. Then again, he may be too old for her.

This escapade sounds innocent enough, right? After Morgan is transported to ancient Ireland, a land full of magic and faeries and goddesses, the entire thing gets wacky. Morgan is traveling in between worlds, trying to secure Colin in one, and trying to break an ancient curse in the other.

My thoughts: Morgan is one of the funniest YA characters I've encountered. Her wit, sarcasm, and humor made the book entertaining from start to finish. The reader can relate to her wishes and thought processes, and can sympathize with her mistakes.

Enjoyable and clever, readers will be reluctant to put down Why I Let My Hair Grow Out. I'm looking forward to more from Maryrose Wood!

When Morgan is dumped by her boyfriend on the last day of school, she reacts in typical teen girl fashion- by shaving her head and fighting with her family. Her parents, upset with her new attitude, decide she needs a change of scenery. Before she realizes what is happened, Morgan is shipped off to Ireland for a two-week bike tour.

Morgan isn't thrilled to be in Ireland, though she does perk up a bit when she meets Colin, the very-easy-on-the-eyes tour guide. While she tries to come up with ways to hook-up with him she pushes her fellow tour riders away with her oh so pleasant attitude. However, a bump on the head suddenly transports her to a mythical dream world of faeries and Irish mythology.

Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is a fantastic and fun read that I can't wait to share with my students. I am constantly on the lookout for books that fit with our mythology unit and I think this series will be perfect (the sequel is already on my wishlist) for many of my students! The story is full of romance and humor, and the Irish mythology is awesome. I love the Irish mythology angle because it's a set of myths that most kids aren't familiar with. I absolutely recommend this book and can not wait to read the second and third book. (And take a look at the gorgeous cover!)

It's strang how in a matter of a second everything can change. One minute Morgan's life was seemingly right. She was dating the self-assured soon-to-be-senior stud Raph, getting to shed her quiet nobody image, and she's even taken to hanging with the cool kids - even if they are his friends and barely notice her. Raph may have been a lot of things but above all he was her boyfriend.

So what if he was more cocky than self-assured? That's what she loved about him. So what if he made plans that never included her friends? So what if he wanted to change her image? Change is a good thing afterall, isn't it?
But when that change suddenly doesn't involve her anymore, Morgan finds her self being dumped in front of the vending machines. Okay, so maybe things did need to change, but they didn't have to end up like this. In a rash state of mind Morgan chopped her once strawberry blonde hair off. Piece by piece her dyed locks fell to the ground, and with them Morgan's relationship.

Seeing this as a desperate cry for help her parents ship her off to a bike tour across Ireland. Ok, so Ireland isn't the worst place to be shipped off to - there's the beautiful scenery, and the beautiful boy Morgan hopes will soon be her rebound boyfriend. But when Morgan flips over the handle bars of her bike, she doesn't just land in a ditch. She finds she's landed herself in a whole other time period, in a whole other world filled with fairyfolk, evil curses, and the strangest yet: she's been sent to save the land!

Why I let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood is the kind of book that will transport its readers into the heart of the action. Adventurous and quirky, readers will definitely love and sympathize with Morgan from the get - go. She's a witty, unique, and often cynicle character that truly represents the teen angst mindset.

Playful and well written, Wood does a great job at providing just enough detail, but still manages to leave us wanting more. It's a good thing this is the first in a trilogy! Quick paced and action packed readers will have a hard time walking away.
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is genre-bending book fueled by reality and a heavy dose of fantasy. Wood seamlessly weaves two worlds into one, and not surprisingly, it works effortlessly.

I read the reviews on this book and decided to buy it because everyone said it was good.

This book is more for the younger genre. The main character Morgan is very verbal and witty(has to be the only good thing in this book). The plot was a little laking and a all over the place. There was just something missing in the story.. The ending could have been a litte better. Over all it was ok but not as good as everyone reviewed it to be.

I loved this book. The main character was a bit selfish, but she grudgingly admitted it by the end of the book. The story was fun, the characters were interesting, and it leaves room (but not a desperate need for) a sequel. All in all, a perfect summer read: short, fun, and sassy.

Morgan's sophomore year of high school ends with her boyfriend dumping her. Always being a bit dramatic Morgan chops off all her hair and dyes it orange. Along with this she mopes around at the beginning of the summer and seems disconnected. Hoping to brighten Morgan's spirits her parents book her on a week long bike tour in Ireland. While they think this is a great idea, Morgan is not very pleased. Morgan's spirits pick up a little bit when she meets Colin, the guy who drives the luggage van behind the bikers. The thing is all Morgan wants to do is wallow in her own self pity and can't really shake off her sorrowful feelings - until she gets into a bike accident. When she gets thrown, head first, off her bike she finds herself in an alternate world. A world filled with old wee-Irish folk, magic, and a curse. It is up to her to save this enchanting world from the curse that has been plaguing them for so long. Can she save them and maybe find some luck and love along the way?

This was a fabulous book. It was the perfect mix of magic, romance, and reality. The book seemed to have an irresistible charm to it and I found myself not being able to put it down. Morgan's character was completely unique and absolutely hilarious. She made all these snarky comments that made me fall on the floor laughing. It was also really nice to see her grow up and learn to get over the guy. The situations that Morgan found herself in were even funnier. From being in the magical world of fairies and folklore to being back on the bike trip Morgan seemed to always get herself into sticky situations. Another great thing about this book is its originality. I can honestly say I've never read a book that was quite like Why I Let My Hair Grow Out, which is so unusual as I read so much. And the cover ... is it not amazing?? All in all I think this was a great novel and I can't wait to read more about Morgan's next adventure in, How I Found the Perfect Dress

Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is a great book. Morgan (a girl with a boys name) had a controlling boyfriend before she chopped her hair super short. Her parents get worried about her and send her of on a bicycle tour of Ireland. There she meets Colin one of the tour guides. On one of the rides she falls of her bike and bumps her head. She ends up having a very vivid dreams about another magical land. When she comes to Colin is there and tells her she landed on a Fairy bump. Another night she gets drunk and travels back into this other land. She finds out it is a place from long ago and that she is a fairy person and she is destined to help them restore order to their land. This was a delectable out of the ordinary read. I recommend it to anyone who reads for pleasure.