A shared Sunday ritual proves a key ingredient in this intergenerational family story. Young Meenu Kaur knows Sunday as "Magic Hair Day," when Mommy mixes up her "magic potion" of oils in a bowl: "Then, Meenu would nestle into Mommy's lap as she gently massaged her potion onto Meenu's scalp." And after her hair absorbs the oils throughout the day, a special shampoo at bath time leaves her wavy locks "bouncy and sparkly." Best of all, though, she loved "the fuzzy, magical feeling she got when the oil was massaged into her hair. It was like little floating stars twinkling around her heart!" Determined to prove that she is old enough to do it herself, the child tries to mix the oils--fenugreek, rosemary, castor, and coconut--with disastrous results, and learns from Biji and Mommy both that the magic "is in the ritual that has been passed down for generations." Chouhan's warm-hued digital art adds richness to this tale of one South Asian family's weekly custom--and the way a centuries-old cultural practice is handed down through the generations. An author's note and Meenu's Magic Hair Day tips conclude. Ages 3--6. (Feb.)

Every Sunday, Meenu's mother massages a mixture of sweet-smelling oils into Meenu's hair. It is a cozy, intimate routine, with Meenu sitting in her mother's lap, relaxed and calm. Her mother's hands and the hair oil create a tingly feeling of happiness. The oil is allowed a few hours to work its magic while Meenu plays and helps around the house. At bath time, the oil is washed out, leaving Meenu's hair silky and shiny. One day, to prove that she is grown up, Meenu decides to create the tingly magic feeling for herself, but her attempt results in a sad mishap, and Meenu learns that the magic is not in the oil but rather the connection between her and her mother. This sweet, charmingly illustrated tale will resonate with readers and their caregivers who share the hair-oiling ritual and will create points of connection with readers from other cultures in which women care for each other's hair through similar intergenerational traditions. Back matter adds a personal note from the author and tips on oiling hair.

A young South Asian girl revels in her family's ritual of hair oiling. Meenu always looks forward to Sundays, when her mother gently massages sweet-smelling oils into her hair. To Meenu, this feels like "floating stars twinkling around her heart!" and washing the oil leaves her hair shiny and soft. One Sunday, Meenu decides to mix up the magic oils all by herself but struggles to re-create the magic of her mother's concoction. When her slippery hands lead to a mishap, a disappointed Meenu cries in frustration. As her mother gently washes her hair--without the oils--the magical feeling returns, to Meenu's surprise. Biji, her grandmother, explains that the magic lies in her mother's love and in passing down this shared ritual. Mommy explains that her mother used to oil her hair, as did her mother's mother, stretching back many generations. A happier Meenu basks in the warmth and love of her family and treats her mother to her own Magic Hair Day. This is a sweet, deeply relatable story centered on a common South Asian ritual. Cartoonish illustrations depict large-eyed characters and swirls of color--appropriate, given the theme of magic. Cultural markers--the kara, a stainless-steel bracelet worn by the women, and framed pictures of a turbaned man and the Golden Temple--cue the family as Sikh. A tender celebration of the simple traditions that bind families. (author's note, hair-oiling tips) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.