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Inheritance: A Visual Poem
They tell me to "fix" my hair.
And by fix, they mean straighten, they mean whiten;
but how do you fix this shipwrecked
history of hair?
In her most famous spoken-word poem, author of the Pura Belpr-winning novel-in-verse The Poet X Elizabeth Acevedo embraces all the complexities of Black hair and Afro-Latinidad--the history, pain, pride, and powerful love of that inheritance.
Paired with full-color illustrations by artist Andrea Pippins in a format that will appeal to fans of Mahogany L. Browne's Black Girl Magic or Jason Reynolds's For Everyone, this poem can now be read in a vibrant package, making it the ideal gift, treasure, or inspiration for readers of any age.
And by fix, they mean straighten, they mean whiten;
but how do you fix this shipwrecked
history of hair?
In her most famous spoken-word poem, author of the Pura Belpr-winning novel-in-verse The Poet X Elizabeth Acevedo embraces all the complexities of Black hair and Afro-Latinidad--the history, pain, pride, and powerful love of that inheritance.
Paired with full-color illustrations by artist Andrea Pippins in a format that will appeal to fans of Mahogany L. Browne's Black Girl Magic or Jason Reynolds's For Everyone, this poem can now be read in a vibrant package, making it the ideal gift, treasure, or inspiration for readers of any age.
46 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2022
18 people are currently reading
8632 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Acevedo
25 books17.8k followersELIZABETH ACEVEDO is a New York Times bestselling author of The Poet X, With the Fire on High, and Clap When You Land. Her critically-acclaimed debut novel, The Poet X, won the 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. She is also the recipient of the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Fiction, the CILIP Carnegie Medal, and the Boston Globe-Hornbook Award. Additionally, she was honored with the 2019 Pure Belpré Author Award for celebrating, affirming, and portraying Latinx culture and experience.
Her books include, Beastgirl & Other Origin Myths (YesYes 2016), The Poet X (HarperCollins, 2018), & With The Fire On High (HarperCollins, 2019), and Clap When You Land (HarperCollins, 2020).
She holds a BA in Performing Arts from The George Washington University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. Acevedo has been a fellow of Cave Canem, Cantomundo, and a participant in the Callaloo Writer’s Workshops. She is a National Poetry Slam Champion, and resides in Washington, DC with her love.
Her books include, Beastgirl & Other Origin Myths (YesYes 2016), The Poet X (HarperCollins, 2018), & With The Fire On High (HarperCollins, 2019), and Clap When You Land (HarperCollins, 2020).
She holds a BA in Performing Arts from The George Washington University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. Acevedo has been a fellow of Cave Canem, Cantomundo, and a participant in the Callaloo Writer’s Workshops. She is a National Poetry Slam Champion, and resides in Washington, DC with her love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 647 reviews
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October 21, 2021Every book that Elizabeth Acevedo writes, I’m going to buy it! I already read all of her books and I’m sooo looking forward for this one! ❤️❤️
December 7, 2023
My home girl Elizabeth Acevedo can do no wrong! Inheritance is a gorgeously made little book that contains (a slightly altered version of) one of her most famous poems from 2014 – "Hair". The poem made its rounds on YouTube and Tumblr back in the day – the video of her spoken word performance is still up on YT today and has garnered almost 400,000 views in the last nine years – so it was only a matter of time before we would see it in print. Personally, I don't understand why Acevedo has never published a selection (or even better the entirety) of her spoken word work (I would totally buy the shit out of that) but for now we have to contend ourselves with this one poem!
Nevertheless, Acevedo's words are powerful. I'm so happy that (Black & Brown) girls today are able to grow up with her books and her wisdom. The representation she brings to the table is much-needed and heals my inner child. She will forever be a favorite writer of mine and I will snatch up anything she ever publishes. She has truly never disappointed me. <3 The Poet X, Family Lore and Clap When You Land are among my favorite books of all time!
Personally, I don't understand why certain changes were made to the text, e.g. she changed the original opening line "My mother tells me to fix my hair" to "Some people tell me to fix my hair". I actually think that lessens the impact of the poem. The new version conjures up images of white people making that racist remark, something which is often explored in Black poetry and fiction. The original line plays more into the issues of respectability politics, colorism and internalised racism. I find these topics a lot richer and just as important – they need to be called out and discussed as well. Sometimes it hurts even more when racist and hurtful remarks come from within the community, from the people you hold the most dear. I don't understand why Acevedo opted for the safer/less controversial "Some people..." in the new version.
But the poem still contains its strong message and together with Pippins' gorgeous illustrations of different Black and Brown women I know how much it would've meant to me as a kid or teenager, heck, it still means a lot to me today. It's definitely a poem that can be used as a teaching tool and one that I will pass on to future generations in my life.
"Some people tell me to “fix” my hair.Acevedo's performance of the poem "Hair" takes 2 minutes, reading this book and marvelling at Andrea Pippins' beautiful illustrations takes maybe 5. And even though I loved every minute of it I think that this book is severly overpriced. 14,00€ for 46 pages is just too much, especially since this is not an original work, homegirl wrote it nine years ago. I opted for buying a used copy for half the price, not gonna lie.
And by fix, they mean straighten, they mean whiten;
but how do you fix this shipwrecked
history of hair?"
Nevertheless, Acevedo's words are powerful. I'm so happy that (Black & Brown) girls today are able to grow up with her books and her wisdom. The representation she brings to the table is much-needed and heals my inner child. She will forever be a favorite writer of mine and I will snatch up anything she ever publishes. She has truly never disappointed me. <3 The Poet X, Family Lore and Clap When You Land are among my favorite books of all time!
Personally, I don't understand why certain changes were made to the text, e.g. she changed the original opening line "My mother tells me to fix my hair" to "Some people tell me to fix my hair". I actually think that lessens the impact of the poem. The new version conjures up images of white people making that racist remark, something which is often explored in Black poetry and fiction. The original line plays more into the issues of respectability politics, colorism and internalised racism. I find these topics a lot richer and just as important – they need to be called out and discussed as well. Sometimes it hurts even more when racist and hurtful remarks come from within the community, from the people you hold the most dear. I don't understand why Acevedo opted for the safer/less controversial "Some people..." in the new version.
But the poem still contains its strong message and together with Pippins' gorgeous illustrations of different Black and Brown women I know how much it would've meant to me as a kid or teenager, heck, it still means a lot to me today. It's definitely a poem that can be used as a teaching tool and one that I will pass on to future generations in my life.
"Oh, how I will braidI could literally start sobbing right now. Tattoo this shit on my body!
PRIDE
down their backs,
and from the moment
they leave the womb
they will be born
IN LOVE WITH
THEMSELVES.
Some people tell me to fix my hair:
And so many words remain unspoken,
because all I can reply is,
YOU CAN'T FIX
WHAT WAS NEVER BROKEN."
May 9, 2022
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.
This was a beautifully illustrated and powerful poem!
Being a huge poetry lover, I surprisingly have not read any of Elizabeth Acevedo’s previous works. I’ve heard countless amazing things about her work, so I was excited to finally read something by her. I was not disappointed!
The poem was short yet so impactful. It beautifully highlighted the struggles of natural hair as well as the complexities of being Afro-Latinidad. It’s personal, real, and authentic, which are all qualities I look for when reading poetry.
Since it is a visual poem, I have to talk about the illustrations and the role they played. The illustrations were gorgeous. They were so colorful, bold, and vibrant. They complemented the poem and its message very well. I can tell a lot of thought went into the illustrations. For example, some of the words are written in cursive which mimics the curves and coils of curly hair.
Overall, I highly recommend this little book! Get it for yourself, or gift it to a friend who loves poetry and/or Elizabeth Acevedo (I cannot reiterate how stunning this book is. It would make a great gift).
This was a beautifully illustrated and powerful poem!
Being a huge poetry lover, I surprisingly have not read any of Elizabeth Acevedo’s previous works. I’ve heard countless amazing things about her work, so I was excited to finally read something by her. I was not disappointed!
The poem was short yet so impactful. It beautifully highlighted the struggles of natural hair as well as the complexities of being Afro-Latinidad. It’s personal, real, and authentic, which are all qualities I look for when reading poetry.
Since it is a visual poem, I have to talk about the illustrations and the role they played. The illustrations were gorgeous. They were so colorful, bold, and vibrant. They complemented the poem and its message very well. I can tell a lot of thought went into the illustrations. For example, some of the words are written in cursive which mimics the curves and coils of curly hair.
Overall, I highly recommend this little book! Get it for yourself, or gift it to a friend who loves poetry and/or Elizabeth Acevedo (I cannot reiterate how stunning this book is. It would make a great gift).
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May 23, 2022ELIZABETH NEVER MISSES
5⭐️
5⭐️
October 16, 2025
In a Nutshell: An illustrated version of the author's famous spoken-word poem. Didn't get much of the poetic merit (no surprises there, given my lack of fondness for poetry), but liked the powerful message and the vibrant illustrations. Might work differently for readers more impacted by this format of poetry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have wild hair. Though thinner now with age and hormonal upheavals, my hair still looks like I forgot to brush it after I woke up. Over the years, many friends have asked me to straighten my hair. They claim it's easier to manage. No one asks me whether I'm bothered by my messy waves or if I prefer straight hair to curls. They just assume that their straight hair IS better. (Fact: I think straight hair is boring. I love curly hair as it has a personality of its own! I am very jealous of women who have ringlet curls.)
Isn't that typical of human beings? Whatever is *ours* is better, whether it's physical attributes such as hair type and skin colour, social attributes such as gender and sexual preferences, or man-made attributes such as religion and nationality. There's hardly any attempt to see the other perspective, to accept that we are all equal in the eyes of the divine creator even with our differences, to understand that our differences are what make us unique.
This poem gently reminds us the value of accepting our 'inheritance'—what has been passed down to us from our ancestors through genes—and of being proud of it without judging or being judged. In a simple way, it highlights the systemic racism that is ingrained into our society without people even realising it. The text focusses mainly on Black/ AfroLatinidad hair, but the message is applicable to all. The last line is an absolute winner!
The poem is the print version of the author’s famous spoken-word poem of the same name, and takes barely two minutes to read. Too short and quick, unless you want to take a pause after every line and allow it to seep into your subconscious.
So I do vibe with the message. But the rest of it was not my cup of tea, partly due to my reading preferences and partly due to the presentation. I am not at all a fan of poems, and when I do read poems, I prefer them in the classical style, with a proper consistent meter and maybe even rhymes. Contemporary poetry styles, with the lack of rhyming or repetition or catchphrases or meter, just don’t work for me. My brain simply refuses to process such text as poetry. In other words, I read this book as text and don’t know how to evaluate it on its poetic merits.
Furthermore, I cannot gauge what age group this is aimed at. The message is powerful enough, but will the format work for all? Children might be too young to understand the value of the words, and they are usually happy with themselves anyway until adults interfere with their innocent acceptance of everything and kill their self-worth. Moreover, with lines about “dating a Black man” and “have you thought about your daughter’s hair”, it’s not really aiming at kids despite the picture book format. Young adult and adult readers might appreciate the message more, but how many would invest upwards of fifteen dollars on a picture book containing just one poem, no matter how relevant the message is? And it’s not even like the message is unique; many books in recent years have focussed on the importance of self-love and self-acceptance. The only mildly differentiating factor here is the Black/AfroLatinidad hair angle, but this has also been covered in several other picture books (such as Hair Story by NoNieqa Ramos, Hip Hop Hair by JFAM Johnson) and graphic novels (Wash Hair Diaries.)
Well, the illustrations might help tilt the scales somewhat. Andrea Pippin’s bright and bold artwork captures the gorgeous wildness of curls and the diversity of Black hair (and skin colour) beautifully. Every graphic goes well with the line on that page. The cursive typeface also meshes well with the curls.
Overall, I truly love the message of this visual poem, but it was too short to create a longlasting impression. I might have loved it better if it were in some prose format or were lengthier. This might not be applicable to those who enjoy poetry, so take my feedback with a pinch of salt.
2 stars, mainly for the last sentence and the illustrations.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have wild hair. Though thinner now with age and hormonal upheavals, my hair still looks like I forgot to brush it after I woke up. Over the years, many friends have asked me to straighten my hair. They claim it's easier to manage. No one asks me whether I'm bothered by my messy waves or if I prefer straight hair to curls. They just assume that their straight hair IS better. (Fact: I think straight hair is boring. I love curly hair as it has a personality of its own! I am very jealous of women who have ringlet curls.)
Isn't that typical of human beings? Whatever is *ours* is better, whether it's physical attributes such as hair type and skin colour, social attributes such as gender and sexual preferences, or man-made attributes such as religion and nationality. There's hardly any attempt to see the other perspective, to accept that we are all equal in the eyes of the divine creator even with our differences, to understand that our differences are what make us unique.
This poem gently reminds us the value of accepting our 'inheritance'—what has been passed down to us from our ancestors through genes—and of being proud of it without judging or being judged. In a simple way, it highlights the systemic racism that is ingrained into our society without people even realising it. The text focusses mainly on Black/ AfroLatinidad hair, but the message is applicable to all. The last line is an absolute winner!
The poem is the print version of the author’s famous spoken-word poem of the same name, and takes barely two minutes to read. Too short and quick, unless you want to take a pause after every line and allow it to seep into your subconscious.
So I do vibe with the message. But the rest of it was not my cup of tea, partly due to my reading preferences and partly due to the presentation. I am not at all a fan of poems, and when I do read poems, I prefer them in the classical style, with a proper consistent meter and maybe even rhymes. Contemporary poetry styles, with the lack of rhyming or repetition or catchphrases or meter, just don’t work for me. My brain simply refuses to process such text as poetry. In other words, I read this book as text and don’t know how to evaluate it on its poetic merits.
Furthermore, I cannot gauge what age group this is aimed at. The message is powerful enough, but will the format work for all? Children might be too young to understand the value of the words, and they are usually happy with themselves anyway until adults interfere with their innocent acceptance of everything and kill their self-worth. Moreover, with lines about “dating a Black man” and “have you thought about your daughter’s hair”, it’s not really aiming at kids despite the picture book format. Young adult and adult readers might appreciate the message more, but how many would invest upwards of fifteen dollars on a picture book containing just one poem, no matter how relevant the message is? And it’s not even like the message is unique; many books in recent years have focussed on the importance of self-love and self-acceptance. The only mildly differentiating factor here is the Black/AfroLatinidad hair angle, but this has also been covered in several other picture books (such as Hair Story by NoNieqa Ramos, Hip Hop Hair by JFAM Johnson) and graphic novels (Wash Hair Diaries.)
Well, the illustrations might help tilt the scales somewhat. Andrea Pippin’s bright and bold artwork captures the gorgeous wildness of curls and the diversity of Black hair (and skin colour) beautifully. Every graphic goes well with the line on that page. The cursive typeface also meshes well with the curls.
Overall, I truly love the message of this visual poem, but it was too short to create a longlasting impression. I might have loved it better if it were in some prose format or were lengthier. This might not be applicable to those who enjoy poetry, so take my feedback with a pinch of salt.
2 stars, mainly for the last sentence and the illustrations.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
May 4, 2022
LOVED IT! This short visual poem under 50 pages brought me to tears so if that doesn’t tell you the power Elizabeth Acevedo has I don’t know what will. As a Black girl who recently decided to wear my natural hair everyday all day this was so touching. Definitely something I would gift to my little sister and even buy for myself as a little reminder of how beautiful Black hair is, every curl and coil.
November 2, 2022
“Some people tell me to ‘fix’ my hair
And by fix, they mean straighten;
They mean whiten”
A wonderful essay told in verse of the Afro-Latinidad experience, when even other Dominicans have “swallowed amnesia” because “it is easier” than living ”in this reality.” In this short work she addresses more than just hair; she tackles skin tone, slavery, relationships, immigration, prejudice, power and self-worth.
Andrea Pippin’s illustrations are wonderful – so colorful and detailed. They include eye-popping graphics and occasional focus on just one strand of curly hair.
“Some people tell me to fix my hair …
All I can reply is
You can’t fix what was never broken.”
And by fix, they mean straighten;
They mean whiten”
A wonderful essay told in verse of the Afro-Latinidad experience, when even other Dominicans have “swallowed amnesia” because “it is easier” than living ”in this reality.” In this short work she addresses more than just hair; she tackles skin tone, slavery, relationships, immigration, prejudice, power and self-worth.
Andrea Pippin’s illustrations are wonderful – so colorful and detailed. They include eye-popping graphics and occasional focus on just one strand of curly hair.
“Some people tell me to fix my hair …
All I can reply is
You can’t fix what was never broken.”
July 3, 2023
Elizabeth Acevedo has such a beautiful way with words. I love listening to her bring her own words to life in audio form. This was such a beautiful poem.
May 8, 2022
Once again, Elizabeth Acevedo has published another beautiful book honoring the experiences of Afro-Latin women and children. Alongside the gorgeous illustrations of Andrea Pippins, Acevedo takes the reader on a journey through the historical, present, and future connotations of Black hair. I’ve always admired Acevedo’s ability to say so much in so few words. In just 50 pages she spans through the many lessons of inheriting Black hair from your ancestors with brilliant ease; how erasing your Black features erases the history of your ancestors, how antiblackness can warp the ideals of beauty and desire in Black communities, and most importantly, how to teach our future children that their Black features are beautiful so they won’t have to suffer the way past generations did. I’m getting my copy of this book signed by Elizabeth Acevedo at a meet-and-greet next week and I’m so excited! Everything this author publishes holds a dear spot in my heart.
August 13, 2022
It may be hard to understand why I got a little emotional reading this book. Partly because I understand the struggle somewhat slightly with my own curly hair, but mostly because I see the real war my daughter has had with her own hair and being able to accept its natural beauty.
This a beautiful book visually and delivers a punch for anyone who has ever had to battle with accepting, dealing with, managing, and learning to love your hair.
This a beautiful book visually and delivers a punch for anyone who has ever had to battle with accepting, dealing with, managing, and learning to love your hair.
September 7, 2022
The artwork is stunning, and this book has great social commentary on what people REALLY mean when they say certain things, particularly when it comes to hair texture. Elizabeth Acevedo can simply do no wrong.
September 4, 2022
actual rating: 5/5 stars
literally fucking beautiful
literally fucking beautiful
June 14, 2022
a beautiful poem! her voice is like butter and the meaning was so powerful. i wish it was longer!!🤩 she’s easily an auto buy author.
April 1, 2022
Absolutely beautiful and flawless. The words go with the illustrations so perfectly. I hope this inspires and uplifts and empowers.
July 24, 2022
Elizabeth Acevedo is one of my favorites and this short, illustrated visual poem is not to be missed.
October 17, 2023
JUST YES. I love elizabeth acevedo.
July 21, 2022
Elizabeth Acevedo presents another masterpiece of loving one's self and attaining one's self-worth from that love.
Hair. Skin. Love.
All things in the melanated, particularly the African Diaspora, to hate.
This woman's the real deal.
"You can't fix what's not broken." Paraphrased, but the point's still there.
Pass this on to children, teens, young adults, and yes, even adults. It's a beautiful library addition.
5/5
Hair. Skin. Love.
All things in the melanated, particularly the African Diaspora, to hate.
This woman's the real deal.
"You can't fix what's not broken." Paraphrased, but the point's still there.
Pass this on to children, teens, young adults, and yes, even adults. It's a beautiful library addition.
5/5
May 25, 2022
“You can’t fix what was never broken.” This is definitely a book I will have in my future child’s library. I love that it empowers the reader to love and appreciate their curls and coils because they are indeed…beautiful.
April 5, 2023
4.5 stars
"Some people tell me to fix my hair. And so many words remain unspoken because all I can say is 'you can't fix what was never broken.'"Lovely artwork, beautiful message.
November 4, 2023
Just one poem by Acevedo made into more of a children's style novel. I loved the idea since it is something that would change each time you read it, and it would be a very special thing to share with the young ones in your life.
August 16, 2022
Read via audio (narrated by the author).
Disclaimer: I received a free audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer: I received a free audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 8, 2022
Not enough stars in the world.
May 9, 2022
Anytime Ms. Acevedo writes, I will read. Whenever & everytime I read something by her, it get a 5-star from me. I always fell in love
May 26, 2022
There's an incredible amount of reflection, history, and prejudice to unpack from just 48 pages. The illustrations are gorgeous and diverse.
June 6, 2022
This is a powerful book. It’s crazy how many negative comments I received when I let my hair go natural again and stopped coloring it. Coming across this book was perfect timing for me.
April 3, 2025
Beautiful book with gorgeous illustrations. And Beautiful audiobook. Felt like I was at a poetry slam!
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May 19, 2022I am not rating this due to the length (it's short! and to mirror that this review will be, too) and also because it's poetry and that's almost on par with non-fiction for me. Having said that I wanted to boost this onto the blog because the illustrations are gorgeous and I think a lot of readers will appreciate this. Also, love the pun with the title.
Definitely check it out if you can!
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Definitely check it out if you can!
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
March 8, 2023
I enjoyed this book of poetry and it’s message on having pride in our ancestry, particularly our hair. It’s a really fast and quick read. I wish it was longer, but it is poetry! The artwork is beautiful as well. I want to listen to it on audio next.
November 16, 2023
Just perfect!
December 16, 2022
2.5/5
This is a me-thing: I love lyrical writing and books written in verse, but generally struggle with fully connecting with and enjoying poems.
This is a me-thing: I love lyrical writing and books written in verse, but generally struggle with fully connecting with and enjoying poems.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 647 reviews