A mom writes the book on the redhead experience

Being a redhead is sometimes like being a minor celebrity: people want to touch the hair, talk about the hair, marvel at the hair.

But being a redhead is sometimes like being that kid with the "kick me" sign on his back; other kids tease: carrot top, ketchup head; kids kick and shove; kids ostracize.

The second major wave of immigration from Ireland to the U.S. took place in the 1840s. Today, Ireland's most unique contribution to the U.S. gene pool still draws attention. This is one of the facts that prompted Nicole Giladi, mother of a "copper-headed son," to write and self-publish "Little Redheads Across America." Giladi knew "the world would look at my son differently."

"Through the book I could show him and teach him how special and unique his red hair is," she says.

The original idea was to write a small picture book. That idea blossomed into an 88-page visual celebration and exploration of redheaded identity. It strikes a positive and educational tone, countering myths and bias with facts. The book includes kid-friendly discussions of the various shades of red, the origins of red hair, sunburns and skin care, freckles. Sprinkled throughout are "redhead facts," including a list of famous redheads. Among them: Nicole Kidman, Thomas Jefferson, J.K. Rowling and Elmo on "Sesame Street."

The book also contains 400 photographs of smiling, happy children from every state in the country. They narrate the redhead experience:

"I like my red hair because God made it that way," says 6-year-old David, of Sherman Oaks, Calif.

"Blondes are OK, brunettes are good, but redheads rock," says 10-year-old Sari, of Longwood, Fla.

"Sometimes I feel like the only redhead on Earth," says 5-year-old Molly, of Maynard, Mass.

There are more redheads in the U.S. than any other place in the world, an estimated 2 percent to 6 percent of the population, yet larger numbers do not equate to greater knowledge or familiarity.

All things redhead

When they were younger, walking through the world with her redheaded twin daughters was like "wearing a siren everywhere you go," says Laurie Smithwick, of Charlotte.

"They have had to learn how to respond to people saying, 'Oh my gosh! I love your hair,'" Smithwick says. Smithwick, who runs LEAP Design with her husband, Bob, thought being in the book would make the girls feel proud - and she was right.

Lucy and Zoe, now 7, have read the book again and again. They have taken it to school to show friends and digested the information.

"They know all kinds of details about redheads," Smithwick says. "If ever Shakespeare comes up they never fail to point out that he was a redhead."

Since giving birth to Sammy and embarking on the book, Giladi has become a resource for all things redhead. Her journey began in the delivery room in 2004 when she spotted the "orange fuzz" on the head of her newborn boy. She could not stop asking "He has red hair?" Giladi, her husband and Sammy's twin sister, who arrived 20 minutes later, are all brunettes.

Giladi learned that the gene is recessive; both she and her husband are carriers. She learned that red hair is often accompanied by freckles, fair skin that is prone to sunburn, and a need for more anesthesia than non-redheads. But she also learned of the great need for accurate information - even among parents.

A child who is the only redhead in the family may easily feel isolated and different. Parents may unknowingly exacerbate these feelings by attributing red hair to a great uncle or grandparents, someone outside the nuclear family.

"What I thought was absolutely imperative is that a little redhead understand that... this red hair came from your mommy and your daddy," Giladi says. "If a child understands mommy and daddy gave it to them, the child will feel more secure and more important in the family unit."

Standing out

Lee Ringer, a weatherman for Time Warner's News 14 Carolina, had a typical experience growing up as a redhead. The names and the teasing bothered him back then, but now his red hair is a mark of distinction. Parents introduce their redheaded children to him. Women tell him they wish they could dye their hair the same color as his. And lots of the public want to know: "Is your hair really red?"

These days Ringer is known more as "that red-haired weather man from News 14 than I am as Lee Ringer - which is fine," he says. "I have no problem with that."

"I think most red-haired children think it's a bad experience," he says. "At some point I think you get older and you can't worry about having red hair or teasing. Most kids get teased about something. Red hair is a part of who you are... and makes you stand out, which is good."

And there is an added benefit for the die-hard N.C. State fan: "I don't have to wear the red wig," he says.

A way of life

Though conceived as a book for children, Giladi's book is purchased as often for adults, Giladi says. And each month through her Web site www.littleredheadsacross america.com Giladi receives scores of often moving letters from readers sharing their redhead experiences.

"It's a way of life for people," she says. "You go through life with this brilliant hair. It shapes and molds the person you become."