Crazy Hair

I have been a huge Neil Gaiman since I was about 14, some twenty years ago now. Neverwhere left me completely spellbound, and I subsequently consumed everything the man wrote before and have followed his writing ever since.How wonderful to find that Gaiman's captivating imagination and ability to create environments which are simultaneously other-worldly and yet somehow familiar translates so effectively to his writing for children.I enjoy reading this book to my five year old son just as much as he delights in hearing it. It's not patronizing, it certainly doesn't end as you would expect a children's book to end. Perhaps some might even be a tiny bit scared by the fate of the little girl (although don't let that put you off, this is half the fun and wonder of the book).I thoroughly recommend Crazy Hair, and the review would not be complete without mentioning the unique illustration of Dave McKean, which plays a huge part in elevating the book head and shoulders above your average bedtime reading fare. Check out the other Gaiman kid's books too, they are all great.

Okay so I am a huge Gaiman fan. I know Gaiman has released a couple books for children, but I don't have any of them. When I saw "Crazy Hair" was coming out I actually pre-ordered it. All my expectations were met; it is a great kid's book and I also enjoy it as an adult.I read through it first by myself to make sure it wasn't too scary. Personally the fact that the main character has all of this crazy stuff living in his hair creeped me out a little. Then the girl gets sucked into his hair; which I thought might be scary to my 2 1/2 year old son. Still once the girl is in his hair she has a really good time. The pictures (in true Dave McKean style) are very abstract and a little creepy. There is one picture in particular with a pirate ship swooping through huge hair folicles that is a bit odd. So all-in-all the normal mix of wildly creative, creepy, strange that I have come to expect from the Gaiman/McKean team. The book itself is a good length for a toddler; long enough to be a good story but short enough to keep their attention.So, how did my son like it?He absolutely loves this book. We read it over and over. He loves that every stanza ends with "crazy hair!" and screams that closing statement at the top of his lungs. He thinks it is really neat that all of this stuff lives in this guy's hair. When the girl gets sucked into the guy's hair he thinks it is hilarious and he has memorized all of the neat things she does "dancing in his crazy hair!"He also finds the abstract artwork fascinating and will spend (well not hours) but minutes at a time (that's a lot for a toddler) just staring at them and pointing out the things he sees.In summary I was very pleased with this book and so was my 2 1/2 year old son. We read it every night. It is a great story with wonderful artwork. It made me anxious to get some of Gaiman and McKean's other children's books. This is a book that I will keep forever; it definitely gets a spot on my keeper shelf. I would strongly recommend this book for all ages.

This is everything I expected from Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. They are a brilliant duo and they never let me down. This is a surreal story about a girl who is curious about a man's very "crazy hair." She is taken on all sorts of adventures inside his crazy hair. The concept is original and refreshing, imaginative and deep.I highly recommend this book to anyone who really appreciates the art of typography, design in general and to anyone who just wants to be taken on a wacky adventure.I don't however, believe that it is suitable for all children as the facial designs tend to be a little bit on the creepy side. I LOVE CREEPY, but I'm not so sure my 2-yr old niece would. I could be completely wrong, but I urge you to look at the pictures of the people and character designs prior to purchasing it for a child who is a little bit on the sensitive, shy side.just my opinion. thanks for reading. :)

It’s a fun story! It is also quirky, so be prepared for that! I mean, the author IS Neil Gaiman and, whether he’s writing graphic novels, reimagining fairy stories, or penning children’s books, they are always from a unique point of view!

My daughter (who has some crazy hair) really loves this story. The illustrations are great and the story is fun.

I have a three year old that I am reading to every night. Until now I had little to no idea how stuiped most picture books are. This book changes everything. With imaginative illustrations and Neil's wonderful words that are pleasurable to say, you won't loath reading to your little one anymore.Buy this book

Gaiman and McKean are a match made in heaven and this is my favorite of their collaborations so far. Taken from a poem that Gaiman wrote in response to his daughter's comment about his "crazy hair's" behavior in humidity, he has applied his trademark ear for delightful, offbeat descriptions and, in this case, unusual rhyme. McKean's art is dark, lovely, and fantastical and enhances the text. I highly recommend this.

Great book! So glad we were able to find it on here!

I love Neil Gaiman, so I might be biased, but I liked it. It was short, witty and a bit scary, if you’re a five year old, like my son. My ex didn’t like it, claiming it’s stupid, so I will definitely read it to my kid as often as possible.

I like that the illustrations introduce her to something other than "kiddie-art", I like that there is a twist at the end, and I like that I can introduce Neil Gaiman to her world.

Neil Gaiman.. 😝

Awesome book from two amazing creators, Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. Love the artwork in particular but Gaiman is always a class act

I was drawn to this book because growing up my father very much had crazy hair and was constantly told to get a haircut. It definitely lived up to my expectations. This book embraces crazy hair despite other people's need to try and tame it. The ks1 class I teach also loved this story and were not put off by the unusual illustrations. A must for anyone with crazy hair or who feels the need to broaden other people's minds about unique hair.