Anna, a biracial child, is unhappy with the color of her skin and the texture of her hair. Her father declares that she is beautiful and that he never liked his pale skin and boring straight hair. So they decide to switch. They color Anna's skin with flour and her father's skin with coffee grounds. Then Anna braids her father's hair, and they go to meet her mother. In the process, Anna discovers that very few people are happy just the way they are, but they are beautiful all the same. A simile comparing the family members' skin color to coffee, milk, and the delicious coffee with milk runs through the silly, reassuring story.