When MacKenzie is teased at school for having messy hair, she takes refuge at her neighbor’s home. She’s always been drawn to Miss Tillie, whose Black hair and dark brown skin are just like hers. Admiring Miss Tillie’s beautiful hair, she asks for help her with her own, admitting that her mother isn’t sure how to care for it. Miss Tillie begins by helping MacKenzie shampoo. Worried her hair will never grow to be as long as Miss Tillie’s, MacKenzie is encouraged after Miss Tillie takes her into the garden and talks about the patience and care needed to cultivate it over many years. The two admire Miss Tillie’s tall Japanese maple and her tiny, bright succulents—different from one another, but both beautiful—and MacKenzie sees that her hair is like a garden, needing daily care so that it can flourish. Instructions for caring for Black hair, along with two recipes for haircare products, follow this tender story of knowledge lovingly passed down from one woman to her young friend. (Ages 5–9)

After a day of being taunted by classmates about her unruly hair, Mackenzie can’t take any more. On her way home from school, she seeks the guidance of her wise and comforting neighbor, Miss Tillie. Using the beautiful garden in her backyard as a metaphor, Miss Tillie shows Mackenzie that maintaining healthy hair is not a chore nor is it something to fear. But most importantly, Mackenzie learns that natural black hair is beautiful.