Can I Touch Your Hair?: Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship

By Charles Waters, Irene Latham, Sean Qualls and Selina Alko

Two poets, one white and one black, explore race and childhood in this must-have collection tailored to provoke thought and conversation.
How can Irene and Charles work together on their fifth grade poetry project? They don't know each other . . . and they're not sure they want to. Irene Latham, who is white, and Charles Waters, who is black, use this fictional setup to delve into different experiences of race in a relatable way, exploring such topics as hair, hobbies, and family dinners. Accompanied by artwork from acclaimed illustrators Sean Qualls and Selina Alko (of The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage), this remarkable collaboration invites readers of all ages to join the dialogue by putting their own words to their experiences.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lerner Publishing
• Release date: Jan 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781512408881

Charles Waters

Charles Waters is a children's poet, actor, and co-author of Charlotte Huck Honor Book Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship. His novel in verse, Mascot (co-written with Traci Sorell) was recognized as a Charlotte Huck Honor Book and a 2024 American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book. His poems have appeared in various anthologies including One Minute Till Bedtime and The National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry. Charles performs his one-person show as well as conducts poetry performance and writing workshops for elementary and middle school audiences. He lives in Georgia.

Reviews for Can I Touch Your Hair?

[paula2childrenslib · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mixed race is not only the topic of this wonderful poetry book but the two authors and two illustrators also had different racial backgrounds.The book is written from two different perspectives. A white girl and a black boy are partnered together on a poetry project. They are not very enthusiastic about the partnership and the poems are about topics they both have in common but show different experiences; shoes, hair, and church are some examples. Over time they discover they have things in common and become friends. The Poems become more serious and tackle issues like slavery and police violence. The very last poem is written together by the main characters.The authors and illustrators explain on the last pages the book’s background and development.The typeface clearly shows the reader when it is Irene’s poem or Charles’. They are always placed side by side. The illustrations are made up of mixed media which is very appropriate.A great book that can be used for classroom discussions or language projects and should be in every library.Oral3rd - 5th gradeR

[thatonelibrarian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Can I Touch Your Hair' is the result of three incredible partnerships - two authors, two illustrators, and their work together. The reflection of these partnerships in the book is multifaceted. The illustrators are a husband and wife team; the authors friends and collaborators. In the book, a black boy and white girl are paired in a poetry writing assignment for school. Both are quite hesitant and have preconceived notions about their partner. As the book plays out - one poem per page in alternating perspectives - the pair learn that they have much more in common than divides them. This is a quick but deep read that would benefit young and old alike. A timely publication that deserves a spot on every shelf.

[lg503-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Book a poems that are write it in a conversation form. The story of a Caucasian girl and an African American boy. They are both in the same school. They have to be writing partners. the poems are about the races experiences in the school, the boy Charles, gets picked first for team basketball, until they other children see that the ball passed the basket board, or how in the classroom the children won't think that he will read good. The girl (Irene) wants to have afro hair instead of blonde straight. When she goes to the beach she likes to get tan instead of applying sunblock lotion. All poems are about Irene and Charles' experiences in regards of racism.

[librarianryan · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Normally this reader is bad at reading poetry. It was worse as an audiobook. Telling where one began and one ended was not easy. Plus i think listening to it as an audio book instead of reading it, left off the emotion and made it hard to tell what was actually happening.

[coffeefairy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This small book of poetry is big on feelings. It really reminds me of what it was like to be a young kid, meeting people who were of different backgrounds/upbringings, and feeling the loneliness and isolation that comes from being misunderstood by classmates.

This is a book I'd love to see be a part of curriculum -- middle school and high school -- especially in a poetry unit. Heck, even college, honestly. I also believe that adults will get a lot from this book too because it's poignant and addresses situations that people of all ages can identify with.

It's smart, thoughtful and emotional. My only critique is that I think it could have been longer, but if I were in middle/high school, it's a good length because the reader won't get bored by drawn-out poems or a drawn-out collection. The short poems in this book really say a great deal.

I was fortunate to receive the audio version of "Can I Touch Your Hair?" via Netgalley. These are my honest thoughts.

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is a tough one for young children. I am not sure if they would understand the concept. I think older primary and junior or intermediate students would understand the messages much better. This is not poetry that rhymes or follows patterns, it is free-style with a serious message. The poems depict situations that the authors have either been involved in or witnessed. It shows that there still are race issues in our society, but there is hope they can be overcome with listening to others, taking time to understand others' situations and feelings. A book that could be used to start the discussion about race issues in a middle grades or even intermediate classroom. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

[villemezbrown · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A decent tool to start a conversation with kids about race, diversity, microaggressions, etc. It's a cute concept, where the authors, a black man and a white woman, imagine how they might have developed a friendship if they had gone to school together as children. It says it's poetry, but don't let that scare you off, as it is free verse where sentences just seem to have random hard returns in the middle of them.