Wash Day Diaries

(Paperback)

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Description

From writer Jamila Rowser and artist Robyn Smith comes a captivating graphic novel about the daily lives of four best friends in the Bronx, told through five interlocking short stories. Wash Day follows Kim through the quiet self-care rituals of her wash daythe universal experience shared by Black women of setting aside all plans and responsibilities for a full day of hair care. Group Chat sees Tanisha filling her many hours at the salon by texting her friends all her latest gossip. Bright Side is a quiet portrait of Davene missing a hair appointment as she struggles with her mental health and gets well-meaning, but misguided support from Cookie. In La Bendicin, Cookie receives an unexpected request from her estranged abuela and heals a family rift during a tender moment of hair care. Ride or Die takes place on Saturday night, when the girls have each others backs as they head triumphantly to the club for Kims big show. Inspired by her own wash day ritual and a desire to see more comics for and by women of color, Jamila Rowser collaborated with Robyn Smith to create the critically acclaimed mini comic, WASH DAY. In expanding the story of Kim and her friends, the authors pay tribute to Black sisterhood through portraits of shared, yet deeply personal experiences of Black hair care. Smith brings these stories to life in her art through thoughtful color choices, expressive storytelling, and deeply real characters. Full of tender, relatable, and laugh out loud funny moments, the stories of WASH DAY DIARIES pay a loving tribute to the beauty and resilience of Black womens hair and friendships.

Reviews

"A graphic novel love letter to Black women's friendships and hair...each story features a unique color palette to reflect the protagonist and mood."

-Autostraddle

"Jamila Rowser and artist Robyn Smith's beautiful graphic novel is a heartwarming celebration and tribute to life, friendships, and Black hair."

- Apartment Therapy

"Wash Day Diaries is the kind of thoughtful and engaging slice of life comic we rarely get in US publishing, and it feels even more vital and unique for that reason. Rowser and Smith are an unbelievable creative force and this book proves that they're one to be reckoned with."

- Nerdist

"With a gorgeous illustration style, memorable characters, and a seamless blend of humor and heart, it feels like a warm hug in graphic novel form."

-HeroMag

"At its core, this graphic novel is a story about four beautiful, strong black women and their friendship. Within the framework of hair wash day, we see each character dealing with her own issues, from work and relationships to mental health struggles."

-Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune

Starred Review "The motif of wash day- as the women wash their own hair and others', go to the salon, and get braids-invites the reader into the rhythm of their lives, with welcome inclusivity of queer romance, as well as non romantic story lines. This subtle but heartwarming homage to friendship, feminism, and reconciliation sings."

-Publishers Weekly

"Wash Day Diaries uses interwoven short stories on each character's hair routines as analogies to their daily life, showing how the process of caring for their hair sparks joy."

-The Week

"A loving tribute to Black women and their community with a humorous day in the life graphic novel."

- Cultured Vultures

"Smith's charming and inviting art invites comic book readers old and new to lose themself in this joyful and touching celebration of Black joy and sisterhood that cements the duo of Rowser and Smith as one of comics most powerful creative teams."

-Polygon

"I love when a graphic novel uses colours as a statement, and this one certainly does. Great artwork alongside a great storyline."

--BookRiot

"Wash Day Diaries is both whimsical and incredibly real. It is as refreshing and restorative a narrative for the soul as a wash day is to your hair. One of my favorite reads of the last year - I think this team is unstoppable, and the new voice of slice of life comics."

-Vita Ayala (New Mutants, The Wilds)

Author Bio

Jamila Rowser is a Black, Puerto Rican, and Dominican award-winning writer who enjoys creating comics for Black women. She also publishes comics by and for women of color and non-binary people of color through Black Josei Press. Jamila was featured, along with Robyn Smith, in Adweek's 2021 Creative 100 as a creator to follow. Jamila lives in Miami but reps the Bronx. You can find her detangling her hair, reading manga, and doting on her two cats Sage and Sapphire. Robyn Smith is a Jamaican cartoonist known for illustrating DC Comics' Nubia: Real One (written by L.L. McKinney) and her mini-comic The Saddest Angriest Black Girl in Town . She has an MFA from the Center for Cartoon Studies and has worked on comics for College Humor and The Nib. She loves cake and cats and holds onto dreams of returning home to the ocean.