Braided Roots: The Interweaving of History, Family, and a Father's Love

Recipient of the American Indian Youth Literature Award Picture Book Honor

A stunning, poetic debut picture book from Pasha Westbrook about honoring one’s roots and the unbreakable bond of familial love, brought to life with enchanting illustrations by acclaimed illustrator Madelyn Goodnight.

Father braids my hair, just like his,

scented of coconut oil, the familiar tug of fingers on my scalp,

love in every twist...

As a young girl’s father lovingly yet painstakingly braids her hair, he weaves a story about the strength and resilience of their ancestors, Freedmen who walked the Trail of Tears from Mississippi to Oklahoma.

In this enchanting picture book, past and present come together in a tale about endurance, history, and love. With beautiful, sweeping illustrations by Madelyn Goodnight and debut author Pasha Westbrook's lyrical writing, Braided Roots tenderly explores the unwavering love between a father and daughter.

Pasha Westbrook, a multiracial writer and a Chickasaw and Choctaw Freedmen descendant, lives among the Arizona cacti with her husband and three beautiful boys. When she’s not voraciously reading, you’ll find her penning poetry, nourishing her plant babies, concocting herbal remedies, and reveling in nature as often as possible.

Madelyn Goodnight is the award-winning illustrator of many children’s books, including Can You Hear the Plants Speak? by Nicolas Hummingbird and Julia Wasson; Powwow Day by Tracy Sorell, an ALA Notable Children’s Book; and Rock Your Mocs! by Laurel Goodluck, an American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book. Madie’s work greatly reflects her love of childhood and all the wonder and imagination that she still associates with it. She is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and endeavors to use a wide range of media and outlets for her art so that her art is as diverse, energetic, and playful as the children who are seeing it.