Wikipedia

Wash Day Diaries

Wash Day Diaries is a young adult graphic novel written by Jamila Rowser and illustrated by Robyn Smith that follows four young Black women in New York. The book was published by Chronicle Books in 2022.

Wash Day Diaries
DateJuly 5, 2022
PublisherChronicle Books
Creative team
WriterJamila Rowser
ArtistRobyn Smith
Original publication
LanguageEnglish
ISBN9781732419001

Plot

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This book follows four young African-American women. The main characters are close friends, Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie. The graphic novel is in a five short story format. Each chapter of this book shares parts of each character's life and what is going on for them socially and mentally. One of the main characters is in a love triangle and during wash day they all discuss the challenge of trying to choose between two possible boys to date. The authors take care to acknowledge and portray the Black sisterhood between the four girls. The experiences told by the authors are deeply personal experiences with Black hair care. The main characters form a self-care regimen during multiple hours-long hair appointments.

Background

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The authors of Wash Day Diaries, Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith wanted to depict the importance of Black hair in African-American culture. They wanted a relatable age for a wide range of readers as well as a story that would be interesting to all readers.[1] The authors wanted to discuss aspects African-American hair culture, such as "wash day". Hair is a large part of African-American culture; washing hair and styling takes long amounts of time and is often a quality time in families and communities.

Authors

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Jamila Rowser writes comic books about embracing African-American culture. She wrote Wash Day Diaries [2] and Wobbledy 3000.[3] Rowser is a queer Black, Puerto Rican, and Dominican writer, editor, and publisher. She lives in Miami and has spent time living in the Bronx, New York.[4]

Robyn Smith has written and illustrated many graphic novels including, Wash Day Diaries,[2] Nubia: Real One, Chemical Process Design and Integration,[5] The Saddest Angriest Black Girl in Town,[6] Horse Life: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Riding Horses for Kids[7], and The Big Activity Book for Couples.[8] Smith is a Jamaican cartoonist and graphic novel artist from New York.[9]

Reception

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Wash Day Diaries received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.[10]

Accolades

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Publication

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References

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  1. ^ Shotwell, Alyssa (2022-08-29). "INTERVIEW: Jamila Rowser & Robyn Smith Talk Hair, Art, & Inspiration in 'Wash Day Diaries'". The Mary Sue. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  2. ^ a b "Wash Day Diaries". Chronicle Books. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  3. ^ "Wobbledy 3000! | Radiator Comics". www.radiatorcomics.com. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  4. ^ "Jamila Rowser". Jamila Rowser. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  5. ^ "Chemical Process Design and Integration, 2nd Edition | Wiley". Wiley.com. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  6. ^ "The Saddest Angriest Black Girl in Town - Print Comic". Black Josei Press. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  7. ^ Noble, Barnes &. "Horse Life: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Riding Horses for Kids|Paperback". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  8. ^ Noble, Barnes &. "The Big Activity Book For Couples|Paperback". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  9. ^ "About". Robyn Smith. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  10. ^ "Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser, Robyn Smith". www.publishersweekly.com. 2022. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  11. ^ "The New York Public Library: Best Books of 2022 | The New York Public Library". www.nypl.org. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  12. ^ Casey (2022-12-22). "92 of the Best Queer Books of 2022". Autostraddle. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  13. ^ SRAMIREZ (2023-01-30). "2023 Alex Awards". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  14. ^ "Los Angeles Times Book Prizes winners announced". Los Angeles Times. 2023-04-22. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
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