let girls go running free

I honestly don't see why this book is controversial...it wasn't even that interesting. In fact, it was a little boring. It's pretty much just an illustrated, hand-written poem about little Black girls and the beauty of their hair. What's wrong with that? And it was written by Bell Hooks who has, at times, been credited with writing one of the most influential books of the 20th century, Ain't I a Woman? Hooks (real name: Gloria Jean Watkins) is a very accomplished writer, educator, activist, and feminist. Much of her work deals with class, gender, a race in art, education, and society. She's been a professor at some of the most prestigious universities in the country. I suspect the controversy has something to do with the title. 'Nappy' getting tossed into the fray often gets people up in arms. But she's not reckless with her words. And she's certainly not reckless in Happy to Be Nappy. The title is probably the most controversial thing about this book. I'm pretty sure she picked these words because they rhyme and they're simple. It's for children after all. The most interesting thing about this book, besides the author's accomplishments, is the illustrator. Chris Raschka. I just find them to be a funny pair. Chris Raschka has written his own award-winning books and I'd heard of him but not Hooks. Yo! Yes? by Raschka is one of my favorite books to read with kids because you can do so much with it. He chose to use "color washes with bold strokes" for Happy to Be Nappy. They're definitely a little abstract. I liked how he also depicted girls of different shades of brown which I feel like I don't see a lot. The hair is where the bold strokes come in. It shows a real thickness. The paper the book is on is a little coarse too, matted, unfinished. Subtly anyone?
But I have to say, I'm still not sure what a "girlpie" is. Must just be a term of endearment Hooks is fond of using.
Edit: it occurs to me after thinking about it again that this book is perhaps not appropriate for classroom use unless you teach at a predominantly Black school or can somehow communicate to your children the history of the word "nappy". At the same time, though, I'm torn because nappy hair is a reality. Sure, it's maybe not the most PC term but I've used it all my life and I think it's good for children to be exposed to something outside of what they know. I just imagine the little girl(s) in a school that is predominantly different from them being self-conscious about the way they look and it seems silly to keep a book that might offer some relief away from them. I guess this brings up the age-old question of where to draw the line.