Nigerian children’s book author Ugo Anidi is set to publish a new title I Do Not Like Saturdays where a young Nigerian girl wants to be a princess with long hair and does not like isi owu, an Igbo hair style. The children’s picture book will be published by Beaming Books in spring 2025.

Illustrated by French-Senegalese artist Moka Celess, the book is bound to be a hit with parents and children alike as many can relate to the struggle of not seeing African hairstyles represented on the media. We love to see the growing collection of children’s books celebrating African hair these days!

In Anidi’s book, the main character Muna wants to be a princess with beautiful hair and a ball gown—not a girl with isi owu on her head. But when she’s asked to be the flower girl at her aunt’s wedding, she realizes that being a princess is not what she thought.

Anidi announced the news on Instagram:

 

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A post shared by Ugo Anidi Ph.D (@ugoanidi)

In her caption, she said she was inspired to write this story based on her own childhood and love/hate relationship with isi owu:

Excited to announce the first of many!!!

Muna’s funny yet sweet story celebrates the bane of my existence as an 8-year-old growing up in Enugu in the 90s: Isi Owu

I hated it for the longest time, but like Muna, one day, I fell in love with it!!

Dedicated to my Munas (Big and Small)!

Ugo Anidi’s writing career began in primary school where she wrote and illustrated chapter books and sold them to her classmates. She holds an MFA in Writing for Chidlren & Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her published books include Half Hour Hara and the Case of the Broken Eggs and The Missing Chicken.

Besides writing, she teaches Law at the University of Nigeria (as Dr. Ugochinyelu Anidi) and serves as the Regional Advisor of the Nigerian Chapter of the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators).

Congrats to Anidi on this stunning children’s book!