11/07/2025
BRAIDED ROOTS‼ This new picture book by Pasha Westbrook, a Chickasaw and Choctaw Freedmen descendant is about honoring one’s roots and the unbreakable bond of familial love. Perfect for Native American Heritage Month, this story reminds us that identity can be beautifully layered — and that our histories, like our families, are strongest when they’re braided together.
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"Father braids my hair, just like his,
scented of coconut oil, the familiar tug of fingers on my scalp,
love in every twist..."
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Here's the publisher's description: As a young girl’s father lovingly yet painstakingly braids her hair, he weaves a story about the strength and resilience of their ancestors, Freedmen who walked the Trail of Tears from Mississippi to Oklahoma.
In this enchanting picture book, past and present come together in a tale about endurance, history, and love. With beautiful, sweeping illustrations by Madelyn Goodnight and debut author Pasha Westbrook's lyrical writing, Braided Roots tenderly explores the unwavering love between a father and daughter.
Find Braided Roots: The interweaving of history, family, and a father's love in our bookshop here: https://bookshop.org/a/6778/9781339015385
