More than anything else, Bintou would like to have beautiful braids in her hair, as do all the older girls and women in her West African village. Even after her grandmother tells her a story that explains the tradition, Bintou still wishes to be 16, so she can have long braids with gold coins dangling on the ends. The small girl’s deeply felt wish is beautifully evoked through the French/Senegalese author’s lyrical narrative and the American artist’s stylized oil paintings. (Ages 4–8)

Bintou wants braids. Long, pretty braids, woven with gold coins and seashells, just like her older sister and the other women in her family. But she is too young for braids. Instead, all she has are four little tufts of hair; all she ever gets are cornrows. However, when Bintou saves the lives of her two young cousins and is offered a reward of her choosing, Bintou discovers that true beauty comes in many different forms. Rich, earthy illustrations and a heartwarming story capture the spirit of a West African village in this wise tale about a girl who learns she's perfect just the way she is.