Cracking the Cover- Book Review of Only a Trenza Away

Only a Trenza Away is a tender tale of love and reassurance

Only a Trenza Away celebrates the tradition of braiding hair. In this book, it’s the girl’s father who is passing on the tradition. He learned to help braid his sisters’ hair as a child in Guatemala. He helped until his sisters could braid their hair on their own. He explains that someday, Xiomara won’t need his help anymore either.

Through his braiding, Papa is teaching Xiomara that though she’ll need to be brave, patient, focused, curious and ambitious when trying new things, she’ll never be alone. It’s a beautiful idea that plays out through thoughtful text and imaginative illustrations…