Review of The Princess Who Lost Her Hair by Tololwa M. Mollel✊🏿
by Tololwa Mollel
The Princesss Who Lost Her Hair is an Akamba legend that is retold by Tololwa M. Mollel. The Akamba people live in East Africa near Nairboi, Kenya close to the equator. They are known for their wood carving especially gourds. I love reading African fables as I always seem to learn something. This story has several lessons including: never underestimate anyone based on size, having lots of money doesn’t make you a classy person, and relying on vanity is wrong. The story opens up with a beatutiful princess who is vain about her thick, beautiful, black hair. She was so vain that she wouldn’t even spare a few strands to help out little bird. Through twists and turns the Princess loses the thing that she admired so much and comes to learn the importance lesson of being a good person.
Muoma is a poor young boy with a beatuiful heart and through his trials he is able to help the Princess. When being ruthless is often praised it is wonderful to read a story about someone who cares for others. According to the book the Akamba people admire heroes who recognize the importance of even small creatures.
Tololwa Mollel was born in Tanzania and has brought to life several African fables as part of the oral tradition. He has written fiftenn childrens’ book including Big Boy for which he won the Writers Guild of Alberta’s R. Ross Annett Children’s Prize. He works with libraries and schools presenting his work and sharing his knowledge of African folklore. To learn more about Totolwa please visit https://www.fitzhenry.ca/tololwa-mollel or find him on Twitter @tolmollel
Candace Waller is the author of, What Goes Around Comes Around the sequel Good Things Comes, and the upcoming book Lessons I Learned From Loving You, A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Healing.