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Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
“One of the best reads for young black boys in years, it should be in every library, media center, and, yes, barbershop.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother’s hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices.
A fresh cut makes boys fly.
This rhythmic, read-aloud title is an unbridled celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel when they leave the barber’s chair—a tradition that places on their heads a figurative crown, beaming with jewels, that confirms their brilliance and worth and helps them not only love and accept themselves but also take a giant step toward caring how they present themselves to the world. The fresh cuts. That’s where it all begins.
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the beautiful, raw, assured humanity of black boys and how they see themselves when they approve of their reflections in the mirror.
The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother’s hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices.
A fresh cut makes boys fly.
This rhythmic, read-aloud title is an unbridled celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel when they leave the barber’s chair—a tradition that places on their heads a figurative crown, beaming with jewels, that confirms their brilliance and worth and helps them not only love and accept themselves but also take a giant step toward caring how they present themselves to the world. The fresh cuts. That’s where it all begins.
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the beautiful, raw, assured humanity of black boys and how they see themselves when they approve of their reflections in the mirror.
34 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 10, 2017
25 people are currently reading
2473 people want to read
About the author
Derrick Barnes
28 books251 followersWhere I come from, no one dreams of becoming an author.
I didn’t know any famous African American male authors. I didn’t actually meet one until I attended college. I wanted to be a football player, the next Sean Combs, or a rapper; anything that would instantly provide me with the riches I would need to “move my mama off of the block”. I was raised in a single parent household by my mother, the lovely Miss Catherine Barnes, along with my big brother, Anthony, in Kansas City, MO.
My first attempt at writing a real story was in the fifth grade. I think it was about a group of stray dogs trekking across the country to find a magic bone or something. I can’t remember. But I do remember what it felt like when I finished and read it. It felt powerful to create characters, places, and stories that began and ended the way I wanted them to. After that I wrote songs, poems, plays, and short stories. I also read like crazy. I remember tying a shoestring around a flashlight, hanging it on the bar in my closet, and sitting in there reading encyclopedias. My brother thought I was the weirdest kid ever, but that was my way of traveling, of flying, and dreaming.
When I graduated from high school, I worked a couple of part time jobs and attended a local community college. I received an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration. I went on to Jackson State University, a historically black college in Jackson, Mississippi, where I obtained Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing. It was there that I experienced life altering events and met people that changed me forever. I met my then college sweetheart and now beautiful wife, Dr. Tinka Barnes. I met life long friends (big up to my brothers JG, Killa Don, and Noir). I also became a campus newspaper advice columnist. All three of those occurrences and acquaintances changed my life vividly, but the column, entitled Brown Sugar, gave me the confidence to write with purpose. I also felt like, for the first time, that I had something to say and that people would listen. Who wouldn't listen to a guy with the pen name "Hershey Brown"?
Upon graduation, I moved back to Kansas City with no intentions of using my brand new, shiny Marketing degree in a drab, corporate environment. With the urging of my wife, I sent a writing portfolio to Hallmark Cards, and was hired as the first African-American man in the history of the company as a staff copywriter in 1999. I worked there for three years. I learned so much about crafting my words, about editing, and about constructive criticism. While at Hallmark, I met so many talented artists and was introduced to my now literary agent, Ms. Regina Brooks of Serendipity Literary Agency. Within a month, we had a two-book deal signed with Scholastic. My wife and I also welcomed our first son into the world, Ezra.
My family and I moved to New Orleans, LA so that my wife could complete her medical residency in 2003. While there we had our second son, Solomon, and I landed a deal with Simon Pulse for my first novel, “The Making of Dr. Truelove”. We lived there for two and a half years until we were chased back to Kansas City by the most disastrous force of nature in US history, Hurricane Katrina.
We returned to KC safe and sound. My wife officially finished medical residency and became a full fledged doctor. We had our third son, Silas, and I landed a four-book deal with Scholastic for the ultra popular hit series, “Ruby and the Booker Boys”.
Some days, when I read to my sons or go to schools and read to kids, I can still see that little boy reading encyclopedias by flashlight. Hopefully, a child will meet me and say to themselves, “You know what, it’s possible. I can become an author! I’ve met, and have seen with my very own eyes, a living, breathing author. It’s definitely possible for me.”
It most certainly is.
I didn’t know any famous African American male authors. I didn’t actually meet one until I attended college. I wanted to be a football player, the next Sean Combs, or a rapper; anything that would instantly provide me with the riches I would need to “move my mama off of the block”. I was raised in a single parent household by my mother, the lovely Miss Catherine Barnes, along with my big brother, Anthony, in Kansas City, MO.
My first attempt at writing a real story was in the fifth grade. I think it was about a group of stray dogs trekking across the country to find a magic bone or something. I can’t remember. But I do remember what it felt like when I finished and read it. It felt powerful to create characters, places, and stories that began and ended the way I wanted them to. After that I wrote songs, poems, plays, and short stories. I also read like crazy. I remember tying a shoestring around a flashlight, hanging it on the bar in my closet, and sitting in there reading encyclopedias. My brother thought I was the weirdest kid ever, but that was my way of traveling, of flying, and dreaming.
When I graduated from high school, I worked a couple of part time jobs and attended a local community college. I received an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration. I went on to Jackson State University, a historically black college in Jackson, Mississippi, where I obtained Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing. It was there that I experienced life altering events and met people that changed me forever. I met my then college sweetheart and now beautiful wife, Dr. Tinka Barnes. I met life long friends (big up to my brothers JG, Killa Don, and Noir). I also became a campus newspaper advice columnist. All three of those occurrences and acquaintances changed my life vividly, but the column, entitled Brown Sugar, gave me the confidence to write with purpose. I also felt like, for the first time, that I had something to say and that people would listen. Who wouldn't listen to a guy with the pen name "Hershey Brown"?
Upon graduation, I moved back to Kansas City with no intentions of using my brand new, shiny Marketing degree in a drab, corporate environment. With the urging of my wife, I sent a writing portfolio to Hallmark Cards, and was hired as the first African-American man in the history of the company as a staff copywriter in 1999. I worked there for three years. I learned so much about crafting my words, about editing, and about constructive criticism. While at Hallmark, I met so many talented artists and was introduced to my now literary agent, Ms. Regina Brooks of Serendipity Literary Agency. Within a month, we had a two-book deal signed with Scholastic. My wife and I also welcomed our first son into the world, Ezra.
My family and I moved to New Orleans, LA so that my wife could complete her medical residency in 2003. While there we had our second son, Solomon, and I landed a deal with Simon Pulse for my first novel, “The Making of Dr. Truelove”. We lived there for two and a half years until we were chased back to Kansas City by the most disastrous force of nature in US history, Hurricane Katrina.
We returned to KC safe and sound. My wife officially finished medical residency and became a full fledged doctor. We had our third son, Silas, and I landed a four-book deal with Scholastic for the ultra popular hit series, “Ruby and the Booker Boys”.
Some days, when I read to my sons or go to schools and read to kids, I can still see that little boy reading encyclopedias by flashlight. Hopefully, a child will meet me and say to themselves, “You know what, it’s possible. I can become an author! I’ve met, and have seen with my very own eyes, a living, breathing author. It’s definitely possible for me.”
It most certainly is.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,158 reviews
September 29, 2017
You ever wonder if a book is too good to be true? Publishers are sneaky little devils. They know just how to lure in an unsuspecting reader. Here’s an example: Let’s say you have a picture book on your hands that’s mediocre in some way. At the same time, you know how many people purchase books based on book covers alone. So really, all you have to do is to take the most interesting image in your book and put it on the cover. Problem solved! In fact, so many publishers do this (or turn the image into a poster/bookmark/tote bag) that the people that work regularly in the field of children’s literature get a little jaded. Now sure, the cover of Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut looked awesome, but this wasn’t my first time at the rodeo. I was trepidatious. I knew that there was a good chance that I’d open the book and find so-so art, good intentions, and underwhelming writing. So I opened that darn book and instead what I got was this electric jolt of vitality, pride, strut, and joie de vivre. This isn’t a book for kids. This is a friggin’ pamphlet on how to seize onto what makes you feel good about yourself and use it to guide your life. I didn’t initially know who author Derrick Barnes or illustrator Gordon C. James were, but if this is the kind of firepower they’re capable of then they better have a lot more ammo in their arsenal. This is a book that desperately needs to be on every library and bookstore shelf in the country.
“You come in as a lump of clay, a blank canvas, a slab of marble. But when my man is done with you, they’ll want to post you up in a museum! That my word.” But not the only word on the matter. From the minute a young black kid enters the barbershop by himself he finds himself given the full treatment. The cape, the cool shaving cream on the forehead, and the flawless line that “frames your swagger.” The kid imagines everything that’ll happen to him with this haircut. Tests aced. Girls noticing him. All the people in the shop applauding him when it’s done. Sitting next to men getting their own hair done, he imagines who they are in their own lives. He imagines who he’ll be in his own life. And when all is said and done and the barber has been tipped, he steps outside feeling “Magnificent. Flawless. Like royalty. Hello, world . . .”
Imagine if Muhammad Ali were to write a picture book but instead of using his verbal linguistics on his own magnificence he turned those words towards the child reader. I mean, I don’t even know who to really compare author Derrick Barnes to with this book. Lin-Manuel Miranda couldn’t do it better. Barnes isn’t new to this game. You might be familiar with his Ruby and the Booker Boys series or his middle school book We Could Be Brothers. I’m a little ashamed to admit that the man’s work is entirely new to me. I know this because no human being could read the words on this pages and not feel how they pop off the page like little spitting fireworks. This guy is memorable. Listen to the care and attention he pours into describing the other fellows at the barbershop getting their hair done. “There’s a dude to the left of you with a faux-hawk, deep part, skin fade. He looks presidential. Maybe he’s the CEO of a tech company that manufactures cool. He’s a boss. That’s how important he looks. Dude to the right of you looks majestic. There are thousands of black angels waiting to guide and protect him as soon as he steps a foot out that door. That’s how important he looks.” I have rarely had the experience of feeling like I wasn’t cool enough to read a picture book aloud, but this book gets me close, man. It gets me close.
But it’s not just how it says what it says but what it says. In his highly necessary Author’s Note in the back (seriously, if you read this book and skip the “Note From the Author” then you’ve just done yourself a terrible disservice) Mr. Barnes gives a little credit to his own childhood barber, working in a reference to Big Daddy Kane while he’s there. But the meat of the matter comes when he talks about what he hopes to do with this book. As he says of getting your hair cut, “It’s how we develop swagger, and when we begin to care about how we present ourselves to the world It’s also the time when most of us become privy to the conversations and company of hardworking black men from all walks of life.” Then, later, key, he writes, “And really, other than the church, the experience of getting a haircut is pretty much the only place in the black community where a black boy is ‘tended to’ – treated like royalty.” The hammer hits the nail hard with that line. I’ve written a bit about how, for all that we demand more diverse books for kids, middle grade novels starring black boys are still shockingly low (in 2017 we’re up to twelve, a number that lingers somewhere between sad and shameful). Picture books do slightly better but if you’re looking for something to bump up a boy’s self-esteem, good luck with all that. They’re out there, but they’re usually along the lines of The Adventures of Sparrowboy or something equally fantastical. The difference here is that Mr. Barnes is not afraid to plant himself in front of you and give you the 411 on exactly how awesome a boy feels after a fresh cut. This book is bold as brass and makes no bones about its intent. There’s something incredibly alluring about that. I mean, look at that kid on the cover. Have you ever seen a boy like him feeling that good about himself on a picture book cover before? You. Have. Not.
Of course we wouldn’t even have that cover without Gordon C. James. A fine artist by trade, it looks as if he might have illustrated one or two of Patricia McKissack’s Scraps of Time books about a decade ago. Now a picture book artist can illustrate a book so well that it renders mediocre text invisible, but such books tend to fade from memories quickly. In Crown Mr. James has words worthy of pairing with his skill. Thick paints adorn each page. You see those little crowns on the cover? Raise your hands if you thought of Basquiat when you saw those. Not that Mr. James is emulating Basquiat’s style or anything. Instead, he’s doing about thirty things all at once. His hero, the boy getting the haircut, needs to show his strutting self in a variety of different ways. James can’t just have him replicate the same cool-eyed look, and that’s a tricky challenge for any illustrator. Due to his style, he works with reality. There’s nothing cartoonish about what he’s doing here, but because the words demand a kind of ultra-excellence he also can’t make his art static and staid. So you’ll get a floating head in the cosmos or a starburst behind two award ribbons, even as the book makes it incredibly clear that you seeing all this through the filter of the boy’s imagination. You aren’t just getting his pride from the words but from how he sees himself and others. Be sure you notice that last two-page spread where you have to tip the book horizontally. The artist has made it clear that the last picture in this book shouldn't merely be an illustration, but a portrait. A very fitting choice. A good picture book is like a conversation between the author and the artist. This book isn’t just a mere conversation though. It’s more like jazz. What Barnes drops, James picks up, and the interchange between the art and the words lights the very pages on fire.
Now I’m a white, female, 39-year-old librarian living in the Midwest. I have never been in a barbershop of any kind, so I’m taking a lot of stuff on faith here. These guys know what they’re talking about and I’m just following behind watching how they tell it. Some professional reviews have said that this is a great book for black boys to read and that’s dead right, but let’s not go thinking that kids of every stripe wouldn’t also find it amazing. They may not get all the references or understand everything that’s going on but when you read something this lyrical and visually splendid, the art trumps personal experience.
So. Here’s the plan. First off, we’re going to make everyone with eyeballs or ears read or hear this book. Next, we bring back in print (possibly with new art) Mr. Barnes’ other books for kids. I’m talking about books with titles like Stop, Drop and Chill and Low-Down Bad-Day Blues. Next, we hire Mr. James to illustrate everything. Nursery rhymes, nonfiction picture book biographies, graphic novels, easy books, you name it. The more work we give him, the better. Then we beg both of them to make a couple more books. You think you can get away with doing one book about a kid getting a haircut and leave it at that? There is a LOT more work out there to be done, and I’m pretty sure we just located the two guys that can do it. No pressure, fellas, but to be honest you kind of brought it on yourselves when you made this magnificent book. Best of all, it gets better every time you read it. A long overdue title we couldn’t have waited another minute for.
For ages 4 and up.
“You come in as a lump of clay, a blank canvas, a slab of marble. But when my man is done with you, they’ll want to post you up in a museum! That my word.” But not the only word on the matter. From the minute a young black kid enters the barbershop by himself he finds himself given the full treatment. The cape, the cool shaving cream on the forehead, and the flawless line that “frames your swagger.” The kid imagines everything that’ll happen to him with this haircut. Tests aced. Girls noticing him. All the people in the shop applauding him when it’s done. Sitting next to men getting their own hair done, he imagines who they are in their own lives. He imagines who he’ll be in his own life. And when all is said and done and the barber has been tipped, he steps outside feeling “Magnificent. Flawless. Like royalty. Hello, world . . .”
Imagine if Muhammad Ali were to write a picture book but instead of using his verbal linguistics on his own magnificence he turned those words towards the child reader. I mean, I don’t even know who to really compare author Derrick Barnes to with this book. Lin-Manuel Miranda couldn’t do it better. Barnes isn’t new to this game. You might be familiar with his Ruby and the Booker Boys series or his middle school book We Could Be Brothers. I’m a little ashamed to admit that the man’s work is entirely new to me. I know this because no human being could read the words on this pages and not feel how they pop off the page like little spitting fireworks. This guy is memorable. Listen to the care and attention he pours into describing the other fellows at the barbershop getting their hair done. “There’s a dude to the left of you with a faux-hawk, deep part, skin fade. He looks presidential. Maybe he’s the CEO of a tech company that manufactures cool. He’s a boss. That’s how important he looks. Dude to the right of you looks majestic. There are thousands of black angels waiting to guide and protect him as soon as he steps a foot out that door. That’s how important he looks.” I have rarely had the experience of feeling like I wasn’t cool enough to read a picture book aloud, but this book gets me close, man. It gets me close.
But it’s not just how it says what it says but what it says. In his highly necessary Author’s Note in the back (seriously, if you read this book and skip the “Note From the Author” then you’ve just done yourself a terrible disservice) Mr. Barnes gives a little credit to his own childhood barber, working in a reference to Big Daddy Kane while he’s there. But the meat of the matter comes when he talks about what he hopes to do with this book. As he says of getting your hair cut, “It’s how we develop swagger, and when we begin to care about how we present ourselves to the world It’s also the time when most of us become privy to the conversations and company of hardworking black men from all walks of life.” Then, later, key, he writes, “And really, other than the church, the experience of getting a haircut is pretty much the only place in the black community where a black boy is ‘tended to’ – treated like royalty.” The hammer hits the nail hard with that line. I’ve written a bit about how, for all that we demand more diverse books for kids, middle grade novels starring black boys are still shockingly low (in 2017 we’re up to twelve, a number that lingers somewhere between sad and shameful). Picture books do slightly better but if you’re looking for something to bump up a boy’s self-esteem, good luck with all that. They’re out there, but they’re usually along the lines of The Adventures of Sparrowboy or something equally fantastical. The difference here is that Mr. Barnes is not afraid to plant himself in front of you and give you the 411 on exactly how awesome a boy feels after a fresh cut. This book is bold as brass and makes no bones about its intent. There’s something incredibly alluring about that. I mean, look at that kid on the cover. Have you ever seen a boy like him feeling that good about himself on a picture book cover before? You. Have. Not.
Of course we wouldn’t even have that cover without Gordon C. James. A fine artist by trade, it looks as if he might have illustrated one or two of Patricia McKissack’s Scraps of Time books about a decade ago. Now a picture book artist can illustrate a book so well that it renders mediocre text invisible, but such books tend to fade from memories quickly. In Crown Mr. James has words worthy of pairing with his skill. Thick paints adorn each page. You see those little crowns on the cover? Raise your hands if you thought of Basquiat when you saw those. Not that Mr. James is emulating Basquiat’s style or anything. Instead, he’s doing about thirty things all at once. His hero, the boy getting the haircut, needs to show his strutting self in a variety of different ways. James can’t just have him replicate the same cool-eyed look, and that’s a tricky challenge for any illustrator. Due to his style, he works with reality. There’s nothing cartoonish about what he’s doing here, but because the words demand a kind of ultra-excellence he also can’t make his art static and staid. So you’ll get a floating head in the cosmos or a starburst behind two award ribbons, even as the book makes it incredibly clear that you seeing all this through the filter of the boy’s imagination. You aren’t just getting his pride from the words but from how he sees himself and others. Be sure you notice that last two-page spread where you have to tip the book horizontally. The artist has made it clear that the last picture in this book shouldn't merely be an illustration, but a portrait. A very fitting choice. A good picture book is like a conversation between the author and the artist. This book isn’t just a mere conversation though. It’s more like jazz. What Barnes drops, James picks up, and the interchange between the art and the words lights the very pages on fire.
Now I’m a white, female, 39-year-old librarian living in the Midwest. I have never been in a barbershop of any kind, so I’m taking a lot of stuff on faith here. These guys know what they’re talking about and I’m just following behind watching how they tell it. Some professional reviews have said that this is a great book for black boys to read and that’s dead right, but let’s not go thinking that kids of every stripe wouldn’t also find it amazing. They may not get all the references or understand everything that’s going on but when you read something this lyrical and visually splendid, the art trumps personal experience.
So. Here’s the plan. First off, we’re going to make everyone with eyeballs or ears read or hear this book. Next, we bring back in print (possibly with new art) Mr. Barnes’ other books for kids. I’m talking about books with titles like Stop, Drop and Chill and Low-Down Bad-Day Blues. Next, we hire Mr. James to illustrate everything. Nursery rhymes, nonfiction picture book biographies, graphic novels, easy books, you name it. The more work we give him, the better. Then we beg both of them to make a couple more books. You think you can get away with doing one book about a kid getting a haircut and leave it at that? There is a LOT more work out there to be done, and I’m pretty sure we just located the two guys that can do it. No pressure, fellas, but to be honest you kind of brought it on yourselves when you made this magnificent book. Best of all, it gets better every time you read it. A long overdue title we couldn’t have waited another minute for.
For ages 4 and up.
February 11, 2019
I like that this is an ode to a haircut. This is about the culture of the barber shop. In big cities, a barber shop is a place to meet people, it looks like. It doesn’t seem to be the same in the salons. There is something about getting a fresh hair do that makes you feel like you shine.
I love the art and how it goes right along with that feeling of being a King, for the story, but women feel like queens after a do as well. The art really makes the kid shine and shows that glow being given off. I love the inner thought process of this kid and how he knows girls will think he’s cute. That was funny to me.
The kids could even relate to this one too. The nephew gave this 4 stars and the niece gave it 3 stars. They must relate to that feeling when you get a haircut that makes you feel good.
March 26, 2018
My father used to take me with him when he got his hair cut, and he supervised the cutting of my hair; shorter than I wanted, sure to call attention to me I school, in a bad way. “It’ll grow back,” my Mom would assure me through my tears. The barber would use various creams and oils on my neck and hair of which my Dad heartily approved. My father’s favorite hair cream was cheap, I recall, Brylcream, which he used daily to tame and flatten his curly hair, and with which he attempted to tame mine. When I was older, my Dad would take us to spend a couple or three hours at my barber uncle’s house. When not getting the cut, I watched tv or ran errands for my uncle as my Dad and he drank beer after beer.
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is about a very specific cultural/ethnic—African American--barber shop experience, memorialized in many films and books. There are also stories of African American women’s and girl’s hair experiences, such as the controversial Nappy Hair by Carolivia Herron and Joe Cepeda (though this issue isn’t limited to African Americans), but these are very different, of course, women not being men.
Crown, compared to my barber shop in tears experience, depicts a young man who gains confidence from the admiration he gets with a fresh cut, whether it is fade or faux hawk or bald or fro. I never felt that. But just yesterday, I took two young men, my sons to a barber shop, and saw them smiling as they emerged. I am fifteen months from my last haircut, with the longest hair I have ever had in my life, so it is almost ironic that I write today about the joys of the barber shop!
The art is thickly painted, though we can see subtle emotions of pride coming through.
I read this book because it was recently announced as a Caldecott Honor (runner-up) book for 2018. I find it was also a 2018 Newberry Honor book.
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is about a very specific cultural/ethnic—African American--barber shop experience, memorialized in many films and books. There are also stories of African American women’s and girl’s hair experiences, such as the controversial Nappy Hair by Carolivia Herron and Joe Cepeda (though this issue isn’t limited to African Americans), but these are very different, of course, women not being men.
Crown, compared to my barber shop in tears experience, depicts a young man who gains confidence from the admiration he gets with a fresh cut, whether it is fade or faux hawk or bald or fro. I never felt that. But just yesterday, I took two young men, my sons to a barber shop, and saw them smiling as they emerged. I am fifteen months from my last haircut, with the longest hair I have ever had in my life, so it is almost ironic that I write today about the joys of the barber shop!
The art is thickly painted, though we can see subtle emotions of pride coming through.
I read this book because it was recently announced as a Caldecott Honor (runner-up) book for 2018. I find it was also a 2018 Newberry Honor book.
October 8, 2017
Gorgeous, lush artwork with a powerful message about dignity and empowerment. Don't miss the author's note, which describes the importance of neighborhood barbershops for boys of color.
January 4, 2025
Honestly, while I can and do very much appreciate the textual and illustrative acumen and skill of both Derrick Barnes' poetry and Gordon C. James' accompanying artwork for their 2018 Newbery Honour winning picture book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, the fact that I have always and since early childhood at that been rather creeped out by both barbershops and hairdressers and do find going to get my hair cut, styled etc. majorly uncomfortable, therefore really not at all enjoyable and actually a rather problematic chore, this has certainly NOT made me all that much (if at all) like Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut as a book in and of itself, as a celebratory homage to the so-called fresh cut. However, I can also understand that Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut has been pretty justifiably popular and thus I equally find it TOTALLY AND UTTERLY REPREHENSIBLE that Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut has been repeatedly challenged and even banned by Fascists in the United States, by Social Conservatives and Donald Trump supporters who obviously consider anything that positively depicts African Americans and their culture as evil, as anathema and as somehow offensive to WASP sensibilities (sigh).
But yes indeed and entirely personally speaking, in Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut all of those images of hair and especially the pictures of barbers cutting hair, and even though I do find Gordon C. James' illustrations for Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut descriptively bright (as well as Derrick Barnes' printed words evocative and celebratory), sorry, but the combination of text and images in Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut has actually both aesthetically and narrationally made me cringe more than a bit simply because I have NEVER even remotely enjoyed either someone, anyone, cutting or styling my hair or indeed having to watch someone getting a hair cut or even a touch-up hairdo either. So therefore and considering that Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut has actually and truly rendered me personally quite uncomfortable to a point, I do think that my three star rating is indeed more than adequate and generous on my own part (and yes, I am giving Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut those three stars because I certainly do very well realise that my negative reaction to haircuts, hairdressers and barbers in general is my own issue and in no way the fault of either the author or the illustrator, but sadly and unfortunately, this has also not really allowed me to be able to all that much enjoy Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, even if I do indeed much appreciate the book's presented and featured messages).
But yes indeed and entirely personally speaking, in Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut all of those images of hair and especially the pictures of barbers cutting hair, and even though I do find Gordon C. James' illustrations for Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut descriptively bright (as well as Derrick Barnes' printed words evocative and celebratory), sorry, but the combination of text and images in Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut has actually both aesthetically and narrationally made me cringe more than a bit simply because I have NEVER even remotely enjoyed either someone, anyone, cutting or styling my hair or indeed having to watch someone getting a hair cut or even a touch-up hairdo either. So therefore and considering that Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut has actually and truly rendered me personally quite uncomfortable to a point, I do think that my three star rating is indeed more than adequate and generous on my own part (and yes, I am giving Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut those three stars because I certainly do very well realise that my negative reaction to haircuts, hairdressers and barbers in general is my own issue and in no way the fault of either the author or the illustrator, but sadly and unfortunately, this has also not really allowed me to be able to all that much enjoy Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, even if I do indeed much appreciate the book's presented and featured messages).
May 5, 2018
Beautiful. That first page is amazing—the expression on the boy's face! I love the artwork/portraits throughout. This book is triumphant.
"It's the look your English teacher gives you when she hands you your last test with a bright red 97 slapped on it. It's how your mother looks at you before she calls you beautiful. Flowers are beautiful. Sunrises are beautiful. Being viewed in your mother's eyes as someone that matters—now that's beautiful."
"It's the look your English teacher gives you when she hands you your last test with a bright red 97 slapped on it. It's how your mother looks at you before she calls you beautiful. Flowers are beautiful. Sunrises are beautiful. Being viewed in your mother's eyes as someone that matters—now that's beautiful."
February 18, 2018
Perfect for Black History Month. And also January, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December.
November 2, 2017
You can't help but smile when you read this book. Ebullient illustrations and text that bounces right up off the page with excitement and pride. I'm in love with this book.
January 26, 2018
Page one is my favorite. That boy looks mischievous in the best way.
October 30, 2020
El arte de este libro es inaudito para estos ojos, ¿puede haber mejor trazo que este para acompañar a palabras tan tajantes?
June 1, 2018
It's okay.
I like the writing, which reads like a long poem about the importance of feeling good about your haircut.
The target audience is clearly African-American boys. For them, it's an amazing book. For anyone else, it's moderately interesting. I don't think it deserved a Newbery Honor.
Fun fact: In the dedication, Barnes nicknames his brother "Nestle Snipes" and that's awesome.
I like the writing, which reads like a long poem about the importance of feeling good about your haircut.
The target audience is clearly African-American boys. For them, it's an amazing book. For anyone else, it's moderately interesting. I don't think it deserved a Newbery Honor.
Fun fact: In the dedication, Barnes nicknames his brother "Nestle Snipes" and that's awesome.
February 12, 2023
This book is all about self esteem, and how that can be affected by things like haircuts for kids and youth. It reminds me of the saying I've seen the last few years: Blessed are the hair dressers for they bring out beauty in others.
As others have noted, the author's afterword is essential to understanding the need for this book. My first reaction was a haircut???? Why of all subjects would this qualify for both a Newbery and Caldecott honor award? To be honest, I didn't really get it until I read the author's afterword as well as Betsy's comment. It isn't really about haircuts. It is about one of the few actions that happens to African American boys in general that increases their self esteem. OK, self esteem is worthy of these awards. I wish that there had been a little less slang in the book since 1) it can become dated and 2) people outside the African American community may not be familiar with the phrases. However, it does contribute to the sheer energy and vitality of this book, in both text and illustrations. If this book can help kids' self esteem, then lets get this book in every library in the country, black, white, poc. etc.! 2018 Newbery Honor Award.
As others have noted, the author's afterword is essential to understanding the need for this book. My first reaction was a haircut???? Why of all subjects would this qualify for both a Newbery and Caldecott honor award? To be honest, I didn't really get it until I read the author's afterword as well as Betsy's comment. It isn't really about haircuts. It is about one of the few actions that happens to African American boys in general that increases their self esteem. OK, self esteem is worthy of these awards. I wish that there had been a little less slang in the book since 1) it can become dated and 2) people outside the African American community may not be familiar with the phrases. However, it does contribute to the sheer energy and vitality of this book, in both text and illustrations. If this book can help kids' self esteem, then lets get this book in every library in the country, black, white, poc. etc.! 2018 Newbery Honor Award.
July 25, 2018
My lank, mousy hair has never felt more inadequate.
April 27, 2018
No wonder this book won every award under the sun. It's beautifully crafted, the layout is gorgeous, and the story, delightful. Who doesn't like getting a new haircut?!?
February 16, 2025
How nice does it feel to walk out of a hair cuttery freshly barbered, your extra fluff sheared off so your scalp can breathe and your follicles relax? It's a sweet sensation whether you go weekly or once a year, a few minutes when you feel rebranded by the work of a professional hairdresser honing your style. Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is all about that small euphoria, your fresh look making you feel strong and smart. Almost everyone enjoys a good haircut.
"And sometimes in life, that's all you ever need. A crisp but subtle line."
—Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
As Derrick Barnes tells it, the barbershop experience can be unique for black boys in the city. It's about early independence from parents, listening to banter among the adults and figuring out how to contribute to it yourself someday. It's being tended to by someone whose focus, for a handful of minutes, is on you alone. Your happiness with the service they provide is important, because if you don't like their cut or the way they treat you, another barbershop will gladly do better. As the barber chisels your hairline, you might look to the future and wonder how you could get any cooler than you are today, but it'll happen. You head out into the world with your fresh cut and wonder what the next good thing will be to fall your way. Even your outlook on life is rosier for a while.
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut isn't a typical Newbery book. There isn't much deeper meaning or story, but the smooth, sensual language evokes some of the tingly delight of a haircut. "He'll lean you back in the chair, dab that cool shaving cream on your forehead, and then craft a flawless line with that razor—slow, steady, surgical." That's the stuff! "When your barber is done, you'll feel like a million dollars—and some change! When his fingertips hit you with that apple green alcohol or that witch hazel, it'll sting, but not like a scorpion or a hornet, more like an electric stamp of approval." Those are the sensations of a haircut, articulated elegantly. This book's appeal is limited, which is why I don't rate it higher than one and a half stars, but its Newbery Honor designation brought to my attention a skilled writer I might not have otherwise found. If you're not usually a fan of Newbery winners, this book might change your mind. It's an unexpected part of the award's history.
"And sometimes in life, that's all you ever need. A crisp but subtle line."
—Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
As Derrick Barnes tells it, the barbershop experience can be unique for black boys in the city. It's about early independence from parents, listening to banter among the adults and figuring out how to contribute to it yourself someday. It's being tended to by someone whose focus, for a handful of minutes, is on you alone. Your happiness with the service they provide is important, because if you don't like their cut or the way they treat you, another barbershop will gladly do better. As the barber chisels your hairline, you might look to the future and wonder how you could get any cooler than you are today, but it'll happen. You head out into the world with your fresh cut and wonder what the next good thing will be to fall your way. Even your outlook on life is rosier for a while.
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut isn't a typical Newbery book. There isn't much deeper meaning or story, but the smooth, sensual language evokes some of the tingly delight of a haircut. "He'll lean you back in the chair, dab that cool shaving cream on your forehead, and then craft a flawless line with that razor—slow, steady, surgical." That's the stuff! "When your barber is done, you'll feel like a million dollars—and some change! When his fingertips hit you with that apple green alcohol or that witch hazel, it'll sting, but not like a scorpion or a hornet, more like an electric stamp of approval." Those are the sensations of a haircut, articulated elegantly. This book's appeal is limited, which is why I don't rate it higher than one and a half stars, but its Newbery Honor designation brought to my attention a skilled writer I might not have otherwise found. If you're not usually a fan of Newbery winners, this book might change your mind. It's an unexpected part of the award's history.
March 21, 2018
This book is fun. I really appreciate the idea and concept of the book and I will have to consider what I can do about finding it a good home here because I really believe it deserves one.
The story of why a new haircut can make a young man feel special is so very true. I speak from experience here. I also understand that sometimes younger people may need something to motivate them to go and try something different. This book might just be it.
The art for this book is better than I expected but not as good as I would have wished for. There was one page that I actually was not sure if it was a manufacturing error or just the art and that sort of bothered me.
A good read for a good cause.
The story of why a new haircut can make a young man feel special is so very true. I speak from experience here. I also understand that sometimes younger people may need something to motivate them to go and try something different. This book might just be it.
The art for this book is better than I expected but not as good as I would have wished for. There was one page that I actually was not sure if it was a manufacturing error or just the art and that sort of bothered me.
A good read for a good cause.
November 14, 2017
I cannot express enough how much this book is needed!
February 26, 2018
I may be a little bit biased since the author was from Kansas City however I can safely say this was an outstanding picture book. I loved it. It is joyful and empowering and a lot of fun.
February 12, 2020
One of the books highlighted at a recent Children's Services training at my library system.
The illustrations in this book are Fantastic. The "history" of the various hairstyles is touched on lightly, but with great sensitivity.
The presenter at the training, Michelle Martin of the U. of Washington, discussed the issue of "dreadlocks" ---- they are NOT a hairstyle, they ARE a lifestyle.
I loved this book so much, that I put it on hold for my hair stylist, she was very grateful that I did.
The illustrations in this book are Fantastic. The "history" of the various hairstyles is touched on lightly, but with great sensitivity.
The presenter at the training, Michelle Martin of the U. of Washington, discussed the issue of "dreadlocks" ---- they are NOT a hairstyle, they ARE a lifestyle.
I loved this book so much, that I put it on hold for my hair stylist, she was very grateful that I did.
January 7, 2025
Have many of my cohort have ever wondered what's up with black hair culture? I know I always have. This gorgeous OwnVoices book (and its note) helps me to understand it a little better. Nice mirror for some, window for others.
October 19, 2017
This made me want to go get a haircut just because it penned the feeling so accurately.
February 19, 2018
This poetry is fresh! Oh my goodness, I want to read it again right now. And the artwork is beautiful! Read this book!
January 10, 2021
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a picturebook about the magic transformation that happens at the barbershop.
"A fresh cut makes boys fly."Derrick Barnes' poem is witty, fun, empowering, and just plain cool.
"He'll drape you like royalty with that capeGordon C. James' oil illustrations are both realistic and out of this world: the colors, the texture, the perspective... just WOW.
to keep the fine hairs off of your neck
and your princely robes.
It's amazing what a tight fade, high/low/bald
does for your confidence:
Dark Caesar."
March 1, 2019
A young African-American boy shares the experience of visiting the barber's shop in this beautifully-illustrated picture-book, highlighting the way that a fresh cut makes him feel. The sense of newness, the feelings of looking good, the way that his "crown" is perceived by those around him, all these are explored, as are the appearances of the older men who are also in the barber shop for a haircut...
A much-honored book - the ALA (American Library Association) recently announced that it was chosen as both a Caldecott and Newbery Honor Book, and it also received a Coretta Scott King honor in both the author and illustrator categories - Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is the first picture-book I have seen that explores the importance of hair and hairy-style for African-American boys. Given that I have seen a number of such titles for African-American girls - the most recent being Sharee Miller's Princess Hair - that makes its appearance most welcome. The fact that it is also a celebration of the barber shop - a significant cultural institution for men and boys in the African-American community - also gives it significance. I really loved the artwork here, finding illustrator Gordon C. James' paintings absolutely beautiful. The first page, with its depiction of the boy and his insouciant smile, is a particular favorite. It's amazing to realize that this is the artist's picture-book debut! I found author Derrick Barnes' text appealing, and thought it had some structural qualities - the way each bit of text ends with a simple, declarative sentence that emphasizes a particularly significant and emotionally resonant point - that perhaps explain why it so impressed the awards committees this year. I don't know if I think it was impressive enough for a Newbery nod, but leaving that aside, this was a wonderful book, one I would recommend to those looking for stories about African-American boys, their hair and their sense of self.
A much-honored book - the ALA (American Library Association) recently announced that it was chosen as both a Caldecott and Newbery Honor Book, and it also received a Coretta Scott King honor in both the author and illustrator categories - Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is the first picture-book I have seen that explores the importance of hair and hairy-style for African-American boys. Given that I have seen a number of such titles for African-American girls - the most recent being Sharee Miller's Princess Hair - that makes its appearance most welcome. The fact that it is also a celebration of the barber shop - a significant cultural institution for men and boys in the African-American community - also gives it significance. I really loved the artwork here, finding illustrator Gordon C. James' paintings absolutely beautiful. The first page, with its depiction of the boy and his insouciant smile, is a particular favorite. It's amazing to realize that this is the artist's picture-book debut! I found author Derrick Barnes' text appealing, and thought it had some structural qualities - the way each bit of text ends with a simple, declarative sentence that emphasizes a particularly significant and emotionally resonant point - that perhaps explain why it so impressed the awards committees this year. I don't know if I think it was impressive enough for a Newbery nod, but leaving that aside, this was a wonderful book, one I would recommend to those looking for stories about African-American boys, their hair and their sense of self.
Read
February 15, 2018I love this ODE to the black barber. My boys complain every time we take them to the Great Clips because the women there don't "GET" their hair and how it hurts like all get out when they use their clipplers and mow through their hair like its a bad patch of crabgrass. I think it is past time to take them to get their hair cut where they will at least be sort of kind to that head.
This book has great illustrations, vibrant colors that make you feel what's going on. And the narrator's words are wonderful. We know how we feel, as women, when we go to the salon and are made to feel wonderful after a shampoo, cut and style. I guess we don't think about how a good cut helps a boy/man feel.
It's an award winner for a reason. Enjoy!
This book has great illustrations, vibrant colors that make you feel what's going on. And the narrator's words are wonderful. We know how we feel, as women, when we go to the salon and are made to feel wonderful after a shampoo, cut and style. I guess we don't think about how a good cut helps a boy/man feel.
It's an award winner for a reason. Enjoy!
March 19, 2018
The positive message and vibes is loud and clear in Barnes and James’ picture book. How can you build self esteem and confidence? Sometimes it’s a haircut and all that it entails- being treated like royalty, rubbing elbows with community members, asking what you want for a change. And looking fresh is always best- especially for the ladies.
As some commented, I adore that this is positive- not a book about slavery, social injustice, a broken system- instead it is about a positive experience that all boys experience and is communal and a rite of passage. More positivity is needed among the others in celebration of culture, growing up, and being YOU.
This does that with a fab cover, reflective prose, and a killer author’s note explaining his own experiences that feels personal.
As some commented, I adore that this is positive- not a book about slavery, social injustice, a broken system- instead it is about a positive experience that all boys experience and is communal and a rite of passage. More positivity is needed among the others in celebration of culture, growing up, and being YOU.
This does that with a fab cover, reflective prose, and a killer author’s note explaining his own experiences that feels personal.
December 21, 2017
This book about the feeling of importance a preteen black boy gets from the exciting experience of a fresh haircut at the barber shop is so, so beautiful. The illustrations (oil paints, I think) are gorgeous and rich and joyful. The text is simple and meaningful and flows easily. This would be a great readaloud for older kids. The illustrations definitely deserve the large picture book format, and I love that it is a short, sweet book with older kids as the target range. However, picture books for older elementary kids -- that's a hard sell. A smaller format book that looks "older" or more graphic novel-y would be less challenging to get into kids' hands.
June 10, 2020
Great book for fans of haircuts & barbershops.
I really enjoyed the main character’s imagination - he imagines that a customer near him might own land on Saturn and have rivers named after him on Mars.
Also this is a good book if you are seeking diversity reads featuring African American boys and a light-hearted subject matter.
Painted illustrations match this story well.
One kid found the story about a boy’s haircut (and all the things the boy is imagining about haircuts) quite funny. The other kid said that haircuts do not really matter. (Kid reactions to this story will likely vary depending on how kids view haircuts & the barbershop experience.)
I really enjoyed the main character’s imagination - he imagines that a customer near him might own land on Saturn and have rivers named after him on Mars.
Also this is a good book if you are seeking diversity reads featuring African American boys and a light-hearted subject matter.
Painted illustrations match this story well.
One kid found the story about a boy’s haircut (and all the things the boy is imagining about haircuts) quite funny. The other kid said that haircuts do not really matter. (Kid reactions to this story will likely vary depending on how kids view haircuts & the barbershop experience.)
April 24, 2021
I’ve been waiting to read this one for ages because it’s one of the more recent Newbery books. (Speaking of, I need to get going on the latest winners.) It’s a picture book, told in poem, about going to the barber. I really liked it. The kid tells how fine he’ll feel once he gets his cut. I thought it was fun, cute, and well done.
FAVORITE QUOTES:
Sometimes in life that’s all you need, a crisp but subtle line.
Being viewed in your mother’s eyes as someone that matters - now that’s beautiful.
FAVORITE QUOTES:
Sometimes in life that’s all you need, a crisp but subtle line.
Being viewed in your mother’s eyes as someone that matters - now that’s beautiful.
February 19, 2018
The illustrations in this book are amazing! I love the impressionistic feel given to the urban barbershop setting. The faces look like they could talk to you.
The story is great, too. It definitely portrays what a young man would feel like after getting a haircut that's more like a work of art.
Good for preschool or older kid storytimes.
The story is great, too. It definitely portrays what a young man would feel like after getting a haircut that's more like a work of art.
Good for preschool or older kid storytimes.
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