In high school I dyed my brown hair red—a lot. (I was trying to go for the Tori Amos / Dana Scully look.) (It was the 90s, which explains everything.) I've always been drawn to red hair; even in pop culture, and especially in books, redheads come across as smart, special, and fiery. Now, I'm thrilled when I see strands of auburn in my baby girl's hair!
Today is Redhead Day, a celebration of gingers started by two sisters (with—you guessed it—red hair) who wanted to start a movement of appreciation for their locks. So we started brainstorming our favorite redheaded literary characters. Turns out, there are lots!
- The Weasleys, of course! They're known for their ginger locks. As Draco Malfoy says upon first meeting Ron on the Hogwarts Express, "No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford." Now you can choose any hair color you want for the Weasleys in this new Harry Potter Coloring Book!
- Anne of Green Gables. Oh, Anne. I grew up reading and watching this classic series. Anne's long braid was a style inspiration for me long before I even knew what "style" meant! Here are 10 things you might not know about Anne of Green Gables.
- Ms. Frizzle! Everyone's favorite teacher uses her Magic School Bus to help her students learn in awesome, exciting ways. But her red hair isn't her only trademark: her wacky clothes also catch our eye! Follow The Magic School Bus on Facebook for the latest updates on the Friz.
Pippi Longstocking. Speaking of long red braids...Raise your hand if you ever dressed as Pippi for Halloween? *raises hand* Pippi is the beloved character who is one of Sweden's national treasures. I love this deep look at how Pippi has transformed girls' worlds.- Mallory Pike. Listen, we all know Mallory is one of the least-liked members of The Baby-sitters Club. But I object! Mallory is smart and sensitive and talented, and she can't help it if she's often overshadowed by her ballet-dancer best friend, Jessi, or her multiple younger siblings. Mal's hair is red and poufy and often hangs in front of her glasses, but the girl gets things done, which I respect. (Also, she hates gym, so I like her for that.)
There's one very important redhead I must include: Clifford the Big Red Dog! Twitter use @Mdroush suggested it, and he's totally correct. Clifford is the biggest, reddest redhead of them all! Fun fact: there are 126 million Clifford books in print.
For more redheaded fun, check out these 9 fun facts about redheads.
