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J.D. series #1
J.D. and the Great Barber Battle
Eight-year-old J.D. turns a tragic home haircut into a thriving barber business in this hilarious new illustrated chapter book series
J.D. has a big problem--it's the night before the start of third grade and his mom has just given him his first and worst home haircut. When the steady stream of insults from the entire student body of Douglass Elementary becomes too much for J.D., he takes matters into his own hands and discovers that, unlike his mom, he's a genius with the clippers. His work makes him the talk of the town and brings him enough hair business to open a barbershop from his bedroom. But when Henry Jr., the owner of the only official local barbershop, realizes he's losing clients to J.D., he tries to shut him down for good. How do you find out who's the best barber in all of Meridian, Mississippi? With a GREAT BARBER BATTLE!
From the hilarious and creative mind of J. Dillard, an entrepreneur, public speaker, and personal barber, comes a new chapter book series with characters that are easy to fall for and nearly impossible to forget. Akeem S. Roberts' lively illustrations make this series a must-buy for reluctant readers.
2021 New York Public Library Best Books
2021 Chicago Public Library Best Books
2021 School Library Journal Best Books
2022-2023 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List
2022 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Honor
J.D. has a big problem--it's the night before the start of third grade and his mom has just given him his first and worst home haircut. When the steady stream of insults from the entire student body of Douglass Elementary becomes too much for J.D., he takes matters into his own hands and discovers that, unlike his mom, he's a genius with the clippers. His work makes him the talk of the town and brings him enough hair business to open a barbershop from his bedroom. But when Henry Jr., the owner of the only official local barbershop, realizes he's losing clients to J.D., he tries to shut him down for good. How do you find out who's the best barber in all of Meridian, Mississippi? With a GREAT BARBER BATTLE!
From the hilarious and creative mind of J. Dillard, an entrepreneur, public speaker, and personal barber, comes a new chapter book series with characters that are easy to fall for and nearly impossible to forget. Akeem S. Roberts' lively illustrations make this series a must-buy for reluctant readers.
2021 New York Public Library Best Books
2021 Chicago Public Library Best Books
2021 School Library Journal Best Books
2022-2023 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List
2022 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Honor
128 pages, Paperback
First published February 23, 2021
60 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
February 24, 2021
This is probably one of the best children's chapter books I've read in a while. It was so dang good. 4.5 Stars. I was provided a copy of the book for review. All thoughts are my own.
J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is the first in a new children's book series that focuses on main character J.D. has he tries to navigate a horrible haircut that his mother gives him before the first day of school. Instead of continuing to allow the kids at school to make fun of him, J.D. decides to take things into his own hands. The results are pretty interesting and J.D. finds himself in a barber battle of the ages. This is a wonderful book that focuses on the positive aspects of Black hair culture, friendship, and family.
This is definitely a book that needs to get into the hands of so many young readers. Hair culture is extremely important to the Black community and seeing a Black boy talk about the importance not only of his haircut, but the interesting aspects of the inner world of barbershop culture is something that I haven't seen before in a chapter book. J Dillard discusses these things with such positivity and reverence that I can only imagine how many young children will pick this book up and feel seen or feel a special connection to the characters. There is great representation of family and supportive family structure. I personally related to the strong connection between grandparents and grandchildren. Honestly, this book has a little something for everyone in every age group. And it is HILARIOUS. I knew that there was a possibility that J.D. was going to get into some crazy things, but I didn't think that it was going to make me laugh out loud. The illustrations are a wonderful addition to the narrative and really pull the entire story together.
Keep in mind that the target audience for this book is children probably in between 2nd - 4th grade so if you're an adult reader some aspects of it may seem unrealistic especially in relation to the barber battle; however, it's great fun for kids and I think that they will really enjoy it considering it is intended for them. Overall, this was a great start to the series. I saw that a new book in the series is coming out later this year and I'm extremely excited to read it.
J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is the first in a new children's book series that focuses on main character J.D. has he tries to navigate a horrible haircut that his mother gives him before the first day of school. Instead of continuing to allow the kids at school to make fun of him, J.D. decides to take things into his own hands. The results are pretty interesting and J.D. finds himself in a barber battle of the ages. This is a wonderful book that focuses on the positive aspects of Black hair culture, friendship, and family.
This is definitely a book that needs to get into the hands of so many young readers. Hair culture is extremely important to the Black community and seeing a Black boy talk about the importance not only of his haircut, but the interesting aspects of the inner world of barbershop culture is something that I haven't seen before in a chapter book. J Dillard discusses these things with such positivity and reverence that I can only imagine how many young children will pick this book up and feel seen or feel a special connection to the characters. There is great representation of family and supportive family structure. I personally related to the strong connection between grandparents and grandchildren. Honestly, this book has a little something for everyone in every age group. And it is HILARIOUS. I knew that there was a possibility that J.D. was going to get into some crazy things, but I didn't think that it was going to make me laugh out loud. The illustrations are a wonderful addition to the narrative and really pull the entire story together.
Keep in mind that the target audience for this book is children probably in between 2nd - 4th grade so if you're an adult reader some aspects of it may seem unrealistic especially in relation to the barber battle; however, it's great fun for kids and I think that they will really enjoy it considering it is intended for them. Overall, this was a great start to the series. I saw that a new book in the series is coming out later this year and I'm extremely excited to read it.
May 22, 2021
A lot of us were quickly disabused of our fantasies that we might be harboring secret haircutting skills, once the pandemic hit and home haircuts rose to an all-time high. My own husband accidentally ended up with two buzzed lines on the side of his head ala every single sitcom you’ve ever seen, thanks to my own "skills". Still, the true victims in all of this have to have been the kids. They didn’t ask for their moms and dads to pick up scissors and clippers and go to town on their skulls. I’m no statistician, but I suspect that if you were to pull up some magical graph of nationwide Bad Haircuts, you’d see a sharp increase starting at the beginning of 2020. This is just a long, roundabout way of saying that J. Dillard’s early chapter book J.D. and the Great Barber Battle probably couldn’t be any better timed than it is right now. The story of a boy subjected to an egregious home haircut and who takes that problem as an opportunity to not only learn new skills but also grow his own business . . . well, now that’s the kind of story I think we all need more of right now.
Imagine your mom cuts your hair for the first time. Right before you start the third grade. Right before the first day of school. To say that J.D.’s haircut is bad would be an understatement. And his attempts to fix it himself with his mom’s relaxer? You can imagine how well that goes. In desperation, J.D. takes the clippers to his own head and lo and behold he taps into a hidden talent. Turns out he's a barbering natural! Now every boy in school wants him to do their hair too. Charging less than the local barbers, he’s rich! But Henry Jr., a barber that’s enjoyed a monopoly on the kid haircuts in town, isn’t going down without a fight. It’s up to J.D. to show that sometimes the best barber in Meridian, Mississippi isn’t the tried and true, but the young and hungry.
Now if you’re going to try to get a kid to read an early chapter book, that’s a challenge. Particularly if the book isn’t a comic or graphic novel. This is the age when kids are choosing their own books and trying like mad to avoid the dull, boring, meaningful texts that are out there. They want fun! They want humor! They want what J. Dillard is providing. We always say that “funny is hard” and I suppose that statement both is and isn’t true. It’s hard for some people. But for others, like Mr. Dillard, it seems like second nature. For example, Dillard is a fount of endless bad haircut similes and he puts that talent to good use. “His hair was a jagged pile of mess.” “He looked like someone had put a bowl on his head before doing a lineup, and then a tiger came along and smacked the bowl off with its claws.” And if I’m going to be honest, it’s not like there are a ton of funny early chapter books starring Black boys out there. Sure there are the Julian books by Ann Cameron but those aren’t exactly #ownvoices (or even of this century). There are the Carver Chronicles by Karen English, but those aren’t trying to be funny. Nope. This book holds its own in a rare field, should you be lucky enough to run across it.
The comparison that this book is going to receive the most, I can already sense it, is to The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill. In both cases you have a Black kid who confronts a problem by starting his own business. In both cases the books are for emerging chapter book readers. But that’s also where the comparisons stop. The Toothpaste Millionaire, for all its charms, wasn’t an #ownvoices title either. It had its day (coming out in 1972 and all) but I think it’s time to pass the mic to a newer book. And J.D. has a LOT going on. There’s math in there and wish fulfillment (because this book seems to exist in a world where child labor laws are near non-existent, so you may as well roll with it). There’s contemporary dialogue, contemporary references to sports teams and comics and movies, and a contemporary look. Essentially, it's a book I've been waiting for for a very long time.
Oh hey, fair play to artist Akeem Roberts who had to illustrate a whole swath of those haircuts Dillard mentions in the book. From hi-top fades to pompadours, he has to bring those cuts to life. I got really attached to his style in the book too. Mr. Roberts has an animation background, and you can tell. Animators, after all, have a tendency to distinguish themselves when they illustrate books. Something to do with the amount of emotion they’re able to pour into their characters’ faces. If I’m going to be completely honest with you, I listened to this book on audio book first, so coming back to the art by Mr. Roberts afterwards was fascinating. The antagonist, Henry Jr., actually looked like a much cooler dude than the one I’d put into my head. All the other details checked out, though, and I found myself rereading the book just so that I could see how the picture fit into the whole. Not sure if I’d recommend this technique to every reader out there, but it certainly gave me a more rounded sense of how the art and text work together.
Look, the long and the short of it is that I’m a white woman from the Midwest who doesn’t know boo about Black haircuts. J. Dillard, on the other hand, literally starting cutting his own hair at ten. To be honest, I’m not going to know what in this book rings as inauthentic. Ditto Mississippi. I don’t know what it’s like to live there. So for his first book, J. Dillard based a lot of it off of his own life growing up in Mississippi and that kind of realism comes through. You can feel this town. You can feel the setting, the characters, and the situations. Sure, there are things that don’t make sense to me even know. For example, I’m still not sure how colored pencils are any use with hair (Dillard sort of skims over the details with that one). And I’m also not sure how small Meridian, Mississippi is since it’s, like, the seventh largest city in the state with a population of 41,148. Still and all, this book is rare. It’s honestly fun, funny, and it comes up with some original storytelling that’s just a delight. Not sure how many kids will be inspired to pick up a set of clippers after reading this book, but even if it’s just one, this is a book worth putting in every library and school. Cause if even one kid figures out that sometimes you can turn your hobby into your job, that realization will be worth it.
For ages 6-9
Imagine your mom cuts your hair for the first time. Right before you start the third grade. Right before the first day of school. To say that J.D.’s haircut is bad would be an understatement. And his attempts to fix it himself with his mom’s relaxer? You can imagine how well that goes. In desperation, J.D. takes the clippers to his own head and lo and behold he taps into a hidden talent. Turns out he's a barbering natural! Now every boy in school wants him to do their hair too. Charging less than the local barbers, he’s rich! But Henry Jr., a barber that’s enjoyed a monopoly on the kid haircuts in town, isn’t going down without a fight. It’s up to J.D. to show that sometimes the best barber in Meridian, Mississippi isn’t the tried and true, but the young and hungry.
Now if you’re going to try to get a kid to read an early chapter book, that’s a challenge. Particularly if the book isn’t a comic or graphic novel. This is the age when kids are choosing their own books and trying like mad to avoid the dull, boring, meaningful texts that are out there. They want fun! They want humor! They want what J. Dillard is providing. We always say that “funny is hard” and I suppose that statement both is and isn’t true. It’s hard for some people. But for others, like Mr. Dillard, it seems like second nature. For example, Dillard is a fount of endless bad haircut similes and he puts that talent to good use. “His hair was a jagged pile of mess.” “He looked like someone had put a bowl on his head before doing a lineup, and then a tiger came along and smacked the bowl off with its claws.” And if I’m going to be honest, it’s not like there are a ton of funny early chapter books starring Black boys out there. Sure there are the Julian books by Ann Cameron but those aren’t exactly #ownvoices (or even of this century). There are the Carver Chronicles by Karen English, but those aren’t trying to be funny. Nope. This book holds its own in a rare field, should you be lucky enough to run across it.
The comparison that this book is going to receive the most, I can already sense it, is to The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill. In both cases you have a Black kid who confronts a problem by starting his own business. In both cases the books are for emerging chapter book readers. But that’s also where the comparisons stop. The Toothpaste Millionaire, for all its charms, wasn’t an #ownvoices title either. It had its day (coming out in 1972 and all) but I think it’s time to pass the mic to a newer book. And J.D. has a LOT going on. There’s math in there and wish fulfillment (because this book seems to exist in a world where child labor laws are near non-existent, so you may as well roll with it). There’s contemporary dialogue, contemporary references to sports teams and comics and movies, and a contemporary look. Essentially, it's a book I've been waiting for for a very long time.
Oh hey, fair play to artist Akeem Roberts who had to illustrate a whole swath of those haircuts Dillard mentions in the book. From hi-top fades to pompadours, he has to bring those cuts to life. I got really attached to his style in the book too. Mr. Roberts has an animation background, and you can tell. Animators, after all, have a tendency to distinguish themselves when they illustrate books. Something to do with the amount of emotion they’re able to pour into their characters’ faces. If I’m going to be completely honest with you, I listened to this book on audio book first, so coming back to the art by Mr. Roberts afterwards was fascinating. The antagonist, Henry Jr., actually looked like a much cooler dude than the one I’d put into my head. All the other details checked out, though, and I found myself rereading the book just so that I could see how the picture fit into the whole. Not sure if I’d recommend this technique to every reader out there, but it certainly gave me a more rounded sense of how the art and text work together.
Look, the long and the short of it is that I’m a white woman from the Midwest who doesn’t know boo about Black haircuts. J. Dillard, on the other hand, literally starting cutting his own hair at ten. To be honest, I’m not going to know what in this book rings as inauthentic. Ditto Mississippi. I don’t know what it’s like to live there. So for his first book, J. Dillard based a lot of it off of his own life growing up in Mississippi and that kind of realism comes through. You can feel this town. You can feel the setting, the characters, and the situations. Sure, there are things that don’t make sense to me even know. For example, I’m still not sure how colored pencils are any use with hair (Dillard sort of skims over the details with that one). And I’m also not sure how small Meridian, Mississippi is since it’s, like, the seventh largest city in the state with a population of 41,148. Still and all, this book is rare. It’s honestly fun, funny, and it comes up with some original storytelling that’s just a delight. Not sure how many kids will be inspired to pick up a set of clippers after reading this book, but even if it’s just one, this is a book worth putting in every library and school. Cause if even one kid figures out that sometimes you can turn your hobby into your job, that realization will be worth it.
For ages 6-9
July 27, 2023
This Book is Trimmed with Cuteness Overload!!
From the storyline to the Adorable illustrations. J.Dillard and Akeem S. Roberts have started a Majestic Duo. And, the front and back Cover Art 😍. This will Forever be my Favorite children's book series. J.D. is just Irresistible! 💚✨️
From the storyline to the Adorable illustrations. J.Dillard and Akeem S. Roberts have started a Majestic Duo. And, the front and back Cover Art 😍. This will Forever be my Favorite children's book series. J.D. is just Irresistible! 💚✨️
April 5, 2023
After a bad haircut, J.D. discovers he has a talent for cutting and styling hair. His friends are excited to have him start cutting their hair. But Henry Jr, a local barber isn't excited; he wants J.D. to stop. Is Meriden, Mississippi big enough for two barber shops?
Fans of early chapter book series like Renee Watson's Ryan Hart, Dymonde Daniel, Ready Freddy, etc. will like this one.
Fans of early chapter book series like Renee Watson's Ryan Hart, Dymonde Daniel, Ready Freddy, etc. will like this one.
January 11, 2023
Competition is always a welcome topic with the 2nd grade set, so kids will soak up that aspect of it. I liked the way JD dealt with the aftereffects of the contest.
January 8, 2024
A quick and enjoyable read about 8 year old JD who discovers his joy for cutting hair.
July 19, 2021
The first is what I hope to be a long series, J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is another engaging chapter book for our early readers. J.D., a young black boy, is about to start third grade, the grade where appearances begin to matter, and J.D.'s mother just cut his hair, and to his horror, it's so bad that J.D. knows the teasing is about to come his way on the bus and at school. When the teasing continues, he decides to take matters into his own hands with his mother's clippers. J.D. practices on his younger brother first, then looking ok, he fixes his hair. It turns out, J.D. has a talent for not only cutting hair but also putting his artistic skills into haircuts J.D. sets up a barbershop and is making money because all the kids want J.D. to cut their hair, except the local barbershop is not happy because they have lost business. After Henry Jr. from the local barbershop sends the health inspector to shut down J.D., J.D. issues a haircut challenge to Henry Jr. where the entire town shows up to figure out who will give them their next cut.
I loved learning about the different cuts, and J.D. and the Great Barber Battle will be a great bridge from the picture book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes. A book to allow some to see themselves and a window for others (myself included) always are vital additions to collections. This short chapter book would be a terrific read-aloud, and kids will love the illustrations that captured the humour of the story. A creative spin-off of the lemonade stand, keep the clippers and scissors in a safe place.
I loved learning about the different cuts, and J.D. and the Great Barber Battle will be a great bridge from the picture book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes. A book to allow some to see themselves and a window for others (myself included) always are vital additions to collections. This short chapter book would be a terrific read-aloud, and kids will love the illustrations that captured the humour of the story. A creative spin-off of the lemonade stand, keep the clippers and scissors in a safe place.
June 19, 2022
This is the best children’s book that I’ve read in a while. My incoming 4th grader and I read it together and enjoyed every minute. There’s plenty of humor and action, and the main character, JD, is spunky and cool. Book #2, we’re ready for you!
March 29, 2023
my 2nd grade class read this together and we adored it. we’re invested in J.D.‘s ventures now.
March 5, 2021
J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is the first in a fun new chapter book series about a Black boy who discovers his barbing skills and entrepreneurial spirit. With memorable characters, charming illustrations, and laugh-out-loud funny scenes, this one will appeal to kids in the third grade and up.
Read my full review on my blog.
Thanks to a publisher for an eARC via NetGalley.
Read my full review on my blog.
Thanks to a publisher for an eARC via NetGalley.
January 7, 2021
I received an electronic ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group through NetGalley.
Dillard gives mid to upper elementary readers a new character to relate with. J.D. is an average kid living with multiple generations of his family. The night before third grade, his mom cuts his hair. It's a disaster that he makes worse by using some of her product the next week. Then he decides to cut his own hair. After practicing on his younger brother, he does his own and discovers he has a talent for it. To earn his own money, he starts cutting his friends' hair. His business grows from there and he challenges the only barber in town to a competition to keep from getting shut down by the Health Department. He wins and then goes to work for the barber shop officially.
Plenty of humor and relatable life incidences for this reading level. Dillard captures this age and brings the readers in as part of the story. Looking forward to more of J.D.'s adventures.
Dillard gives mid to upper elementary readers a new character to relate with. J.D. is an average kid living with multiple generations of his family. The night before third grade, his mom cuts his hair. It's a disaster that he makes worse by using some of her product the next week. Then he decides to cut his own hair. After practicing on his younger brother, he does his own and discovers he has a talent for it. To earn his own money, he starts cutting his friends' hair. His business grows from there and he challenges the only barber in town to a competition to keep from getting shut down by the Health Department. He wins and then goes to work for the barber shop officially.
Plenty of humor and relatable life incidences for this reading level. Dillard captures this age and brings the readers in as part of the story. Looking forward to more of J.D.'s adventures.
April 27, 2023
This has such a great story line, but the writing is "telling" not "showing."
July 27, 2021
You want it, J.D.'s got it...at least where a haircut is concerned. He's the youngest and coldest to do it where he's from and its time that the adults in the city know it too.
Man J Dillard really captured what I believe is the essence of being a young, innovative, talented black boy in America. This story was culturally rich and generationally encapsulating. Also, there were few moments of social commentary that all felt relevant to the storyline. I loved every minute of it and can't wait to see what happens with Vanessa's journey.
This book conveys so much, in so little time that it was imperative that it engaged the reader from the first page. That being said, I can confidently admit that J.D. and the Great Barber Battle did not disappoint in that regard. This book is something I would like to see in diverse elementary and middle schools/libraries across America. This is the type of positive reinforcement and representation that I want to see. Themes shared in this book center around: familiar structure, work ethic, respect and manners, innovation, and creativity.
This book is shown through a black lense showcasing all the different experiences that come along with it. J Dillard did an amazing job of including something for all readers to connect with. Things that relate to the adults "older generation" would be reference to Flo Jo and her nail colors along with watching the Young and the Restless with your grandparents versus the impact Patrick Mahomes on young sports enthusiast and the renewed interest in pompadours. It the relationship and outlook of a child with "everything" and how the grass isn't always greener in relation to child who only has the necessities.
Lastly, this has some of the best wholesome humor I've read. That comment from his grandma about toilet tissue not being free could not have landed any harder than it did during a nationwide toilet paper shortage. HA! This also has the best illustrations I've seen. I hope to see a lot more of Akeem S. Roberts work in the future. Jordan's bulls haircut was literally a work of art!
All in all, I highly recommend!
Man J Dillard really captured what I believe is the essence of being a young, innovative, talented black boy in America. This story was culturally rich and generationally encapsulating. Also, there were few moments of social commentary that all felt relevant to the storyline. I loved every minute of it and can't wait to see what happens with Vanessa's journey.
This book conveys so much, in so little time that it was imperative that it engaged the reader from the first page. That being said, I can confidently admit that J.D. and the Great Barber Battle did not disappoint in that regard. This book is something I would like to see in diverse elementary and middle schools/libraries across America. This is the type of positive reinforcement and representation that I want to see. Themes shared in this book center around: familiar structure, work ethic, respect and manners, innovation, and creativity.
This book is shown through a black lense showcasing all the different experiences that come along with it. J Dillard did an amazing job of including something for all readers to connect with. Things that relate to the adults "older generation" would be reference to Flo Jo and her nail colors along with watching the Young and the Restless with your grandparents versus the impact Patrick Mahomes on young sports enthusiast and the renewed interest in pompadours. It the relationship and outlook of a child with "everything" and how the grass isn't always greener in relation to child who only has the necessities.
Lastly, this has some of the best wholesome humor I've read. That comment from his grandma about toilet tissue not being free could not have landed any harder than it did during a nationwide toilet paper shortage. HA! This also has the best illustrations I've seen. I hope to see a lot more of Akeem S. Roberts work in the future. Jordan's bulls haircut was literally a work of art!
All in all, I highly recommend!
September 4, 2021
In this first title in a promising series, third grader J.D. Jones turns an embarrassing haircut by his mother into a chance to experiment with cutting and styling his own hair and that of his friends. As it turns out, the youngster has deft hands with the clippers, and he certainly has his fingers on the pulse of hair trends for Black boys. After setting up a barbershop in his bedroom, J.D. faces threats from the owner of the only other barber shop in town. But this is a youngster who's hard to keep down, and J.D. comes up with a plan to have a competition between Hart and Sons and himself in order to prove whose skills are the best in Meridian, Mississippi, where the story is set. Hair is just as important to young boys as it is to girls or adults, and the author proves that he knows this territory well in creating such a likeable and irresistible protagonist in J.D. Any reader who has had to suffer as the result of a bad haircut, an unflattering hairdo or a bad hair day will be able to relate to J.D.'s plight while applauding his entrepreneur spirit. I know that I won't be the only one who will look forward to more stories centered around J.D. Plus, I love how there's a talented girl on the football team, challenging the assumptions many have about the sport and who can play it.
June 11, 2022
This is a great book. I really liked it a lot. J. D. is young 10 year old boy living in Meridian, Mississippi. He gets a bad haircut from his mother one day and then decides to fix his haircut himself. It looks good. Furthermore, he does a friend's hair and it looks terrific. Soon, all the kids in his neighborhood want his haircuts. However, this puts him in competition with the established barber, Mr. Henry Jr. Will Mr. Henry put J. D. out of business? Will J. D. put Mr. Henry Jr. out of business? Read to find out.
When evaluating the book for how left or right the book is this story clearly falls on the right. It is a perfect illustration of how the free market works. Someone makes a better product or delivers a better service that it competes with already established businesses. Sometimes, those established businesses use/manipulate government to run out the new competition with fines, penalties, and rules that are unable to be complied with. That challenge is also illustrated in this novel. Great book. It also shows how the free market doesn't always lead to destruction of one over the other but two competitors can come together and compromise. J. D. has talent. Henry Jr. has experience. Perhaps the two can combine their skills to make a better business?
I highly recommend this book.
When evaluating the book for how left or right the book is this story clearly falls on the right. It is a perfect illustration of how the free market works. Someone makes a better product or delivers a better service that it competes with already established businesses. Sometimes, those established businesses use/manipulate government to run out the new competition with fines, penalties, and rules that are unable to be complied with. That challenge is also illustrated in this novel. Great book. It also shows how the free market doesn't always lead to destruction of one over the other but two competitors can come together and compromise. J. D. has talent. Henry Jr. has experience. Perhaps the two can combine their skills to make a better business?
I highly recommend this book.
November 5, 2021
My 7yo and I read this together. It's funny, charming, and we both liked it a lot. She is looking forward to reading more in the series.
We had to look up a bunch of the celebrities named in the book for the purpose of visualizing the kind of haircuts they have. Most of them are NBA and NFL players. Thanks be to Google image search. My haircut vocabulary is pretty limited.
This book also revealed that my Seattle-raised child is confused by the idea of calling your own family members sir and ma'am. It started a discussion about how there are different expectations around politeness/manners in different parts of the country (and the world). And yet this book also shows how it's ok for children to stand up to grown-ups. J.D. is right to be proud of his haircutting skills and he's not punished for showing up the local professional barber.
The book focuses on J.D.'s artistic gifts, but there's also a nice math/economics lesson baked into the story. How much will he earn if he charges $3 a pop and has 10 clients each Saturday? What is the point of earning a lot of money if he's working constantly and has no time to enjoy the fruits of his labor?
We had to look up a bunch of the celebrities named in the book for the purpose of visualizing the kind of haircuts they have. Most of them are NBA and NFL players. Thanks be to Google image search. My haircut vocabulary is pretty limited.
This book also revealed that my Seattle-raised child is confused by the idea of calling your own family members sir and ma'am. It started a discussion about how there are different expectations around politeness/manners in different parts of the country (and the world). And yet this book also shows how it's ok for children to stand up to grown-ups. J.D. is right to be proud of his haircutting skills and he's not punished for showing up the local professional barber.
The book focuses on J.D.'s artistic gifts, but there's also a nice math/economics lesson baked into the story. How much will he earn if he charges $3 a pop and has 10 clients each Saturday? What is the point of earning a lot of money if he's working constantly and has no time to enjoy the fruits of his labor?
November 15, 2021
A tragic home haircut turns into a thriving career for young barber, J.D. Jones!
💈
It’s the night before third grade and J.D. has never gotten a haircut before and is so psyched to get one from his mom…until he looks in the mirror and sees what she did to his head! When the teasing gets too much to handle, J.D. knows he has to do something so he cuts his hair himself only to find out he’s really good at it. Soon J.D. has customers lined up outside his house ready to pay for his slick barber skills. Unfortunately that means business at Hart and Son (the only barbershop in town) dwindles quickly. When Henry Jr. tries to get J.D.’s business shut down he challenges the older man to a barbershop competition. Who will win?
💇🏾♂️
This middle grade book from the TX Bluebonnet list is such an amazing choice for the list, but also just an awesome beginner novel in general. I really loved JD’s character and thoroughly enjoyed learning more about different hairstyles. I think middle grade kids will LOVE this one and it’s the first in a series so there’s more to come!
4.5 ⭐️
💈
It’s the night before third grade and J.D. has never gotten a haircut before and is so psyched to get one from his mom…until he looks in the mirror and sees what she did to his head! When the teasing gets too much to handle, J.D. knows he has to do something so he cuts his hair himself only to find out he’s really good at it. Soon J.D. has customers lined up outside his house ready to pay for his slick barber skills. Unfortunately that means business at Hart and Son (the only barbershop in town) dwindles quickly. When Henry Jr. tries to get J.D.’s business shut down he challenges the older man to a barbershop competition. Who will win?
💇🏾♂️
This middle grade book from the TX Bluebonnet list is such an amazing choice for the list, but also just an awesome beginner novel in general. I really loved JD’s character and thoroughly enjoyed learning more about different hairstyles. I think middle grade kids will LOVE this one and it’s the first in a series so there’s more to come!
4.5 ⭐️
October 16, 2020
Thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC!
This was such a fun, sweet read! Who wouldn't relate to the pain of having a bad haircut for your first day of school? J.D. is tired of the teasing his homemade haircut brings and takes matters into his own hands. After a few missteps, he discovers a hidden talent: his artistry extends to hair!
This fresh new chapter book series feels very much like Andrew Clements in that "Can kids get away with that?" kind of vibe, which means this will be a real hit with young readers! You don't need to be a barbershop expert to enjoy J.D.'s adventure and it leaves you with just enough of a cliffhanger to be itching for the sequel!
The illustrations by Akeem S. Roberts are perfectly pitched to add context and expression to the story. A great addition to any library or classroom for Grades 2 and up independent readers but would make a really fun read aloud as well.
This was such a fun, sweet read! Who wouldn't relate to the pain of having a bad haircut for your first day of school? J.D. is tired of the teasing his homemade haircut brings and takes matters into his own hands. After a few missteps, he discovers a hidden talent: his artistry extends to hair!
This fresh new chapter book series feels very much like Andrew Clements in that "Can kids get away with that?" kind of vibe, which means this will be a real hit with young readers! You don't need to be a barbershop expert to enjoy J.D.'s adventure and it leaves you with just enough of a cliffhanger to be itching for the sequel!
The illustrations by Akeem S. Roberts are perfectly pitched to add context and expression to the story. A great addition to any library or classroom for Grades 2 and up independent readers but would make a really fun read aloud as well.
October 13, 2021
J.D. and the Great Barber Battle introduces us to a tough kid who is artistic and resilient. He endures the great torture so many of us have faced - the dreaded home haircut. After a week of bullying, he takes the clippers into his own hands and gets busy fixing things. He's ends up being a prodigy barber of a third-grader (a little unbelievable for me, but okay). Writing was good, but not exceptional. The story-line was interesting, but not riveting. Ending was a little abrupt, but likely as a lead-in to the following book. Longish for an early chapter book and less-engaging with fewer/more basic graphics than many early readers.
Written by an author who was a master barber as a child as well, this seems to be a bit of an #ownvoices selection that feels very true to the voices/characters it depicts and portrays an accurate cultural window.
Checked out at library and reviewed in consideration for Cybils Award Easy Reader shortlist for 2021.
Written by an author who was a master barber as a child as well, this seems to be a bit of an #ownvoices selection that feels very true to the voices/characters it depicts and portrays an accurate cultural window.
Checked out at library and reviewed in consideration for Cybils Award Easy Reader shortlist for 2021.
November 3, 2021
Editor's pick on Amazon Best Book for children 5-8.
J.D. begins the first day of third grade in the morning, so his mother cuts his hair. J.D.'s is horrified by the outcome. His hair is a hot mess! When he goes to school, everyone teases him, even his best friend.
J.D. takes things into his own hands. Literally. He grabs the clippers and gives himself a haircut. The results are amazing. The next day, J.D.'s haircut is a hit. Now all the boys want to hire J.D. to cut their hair. The word gets out that a kid entrepreneur is stealing the local barber's kid clients, and the great barber battle begins.
This series features a tight-knit extended family, siblings who get along, a funny kid with a great friend and a cute story. Great for reluctant readers. Chapters are short and illustrations will lure them in.
This book is likely to be heavily awarded this season.
Highly recommended for elementary libraries and reluctant readers.
J.D. begins the first day of third grade in the morning, so his mother cuts his hair. J.D.'s is horrified by the outcome. His hair is a hot mess! When he goes to school, everyone teases him, even his best friend.
J.D. takes things into his own hands. Literally. He grabs the clippers and gives himself a haircut. The results are amazing. The next day, J.D.'s haircut is a hit. Now all the boys want to hire J.D. to cut their hair. The word gets out that a kid entrepreneur is stealing the local barber's kid clients, and the great barber battle begins.
This series features a tight-knit extended family, siblings who get along, a funny kid with a great friend and a cute story. Great for reluctant readers. Chapters are short and illustrations will lure them in.
This book is likely to be heavily awarded this season.
Highly recommended for elementary libraries and reluctant readers.
June 4, 2022
𝘑.𝘋. 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 by J. Dillard was a very cute book for kindergarten +. Set in Meridian, Mississippi, it tells the story of a boy and his inter-generational family who are working hard and living their life. They don’t have a lot of money for fancy haircuts so J.D.’s mom cuts his hair and gives him a bad cut. J.D. is teased about this to the point where he fixes the cut himself - first with disastrous results and then with impressive ones! Eventually word gets around about J.D.’s expertise with the clippers, giving him a booming business, but also taking away business from the local barbershop, which sets the battle in motion. I learned about haircuts called baldies and Caesars, and already knew about fades, but they were mentioned, too.
This is an accessible book for kids that already has three books in the series. I’d say it has about the same amount of words as the 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 books.
This is an accessible book for kids that already has three books in the series. I’d say it has about the same amount of words as the 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 books.
July 8, 2022
Early chapter book series for readers of books like Sally Warner’s EllRay Jakes who may want a little more text than Asia Citro’s Zoey and Sassafras but aren’t quite ready for Zetta Elliott’s Dragon in a Bag. J.D. is 8 and has begun a lucrative home hair-cutting business as a result of a bad home haircut of his own. His family-grandparents, parents, older sister and younger brother-are wonderful and have distinct personalities despite being a book of only 126 pp and readers in grades 1-4 will easily connect to things like youth sports, Sundays at church, a parent in school, wanting to look good and have friends. While older readers may realize that being 8 and actually starting a home business and later working alongside an adult barber in a shop downtown is unrealistic (and likely not even legal), kids may be excited about his achievements and set a few goals for themselves…hopefully not ones involving clippers or shears!
A 2022-2023 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee.
A 2022-2023 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee.
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April 11, 2021The night before the first day of third grade, J.D.'s mom gives him a haircut. This isn't just any old haircut--it might be the worst haircut a third grader has ever had. After dealing with relentless teasing from his classmates, J.D. know he has to do something. He grabs the clippers and tries to fix his own hair--and discovers something amazing. J.D. is great at cutting hair. Brilliant really. Soon every kid in town wants a cut from J.D. J.D. is thrilled to open his own unofficial hair business, but he soon catches the eye of the owner of the local barbershop who is losing clients. The only way to determine the best barber in town: the epic great barber battle!
So much fun! Such a great story highlighting Black Boy Joy. Plenty of room left at the end for potential sequels. I do suggest reading the physical book instead of listening--this wasn't my favorite audio production.
So much fun! Such a great story highlighting Black Boy Joy. Plenty of room left at the end for potential sequels. I do suggest reading the physical book instead of listening--this wasn't my favorite audio production.
March 24, 2023
Inspired by the author's own experiences as a young entrepreneurial barber, this is the first book in a in-between series. J.D. is an artistic black boy in Mississippi who takes up the clippers for the first time after his mother gives him a devastatingly bad first hair cut. Hair becomes his artistic medium and his friends are soon beating down his door -- and paying him -- for his sick cuts. This doesn't make the only barber in town happy as all his young clients are now coming to J.D. After some initial ill will on both parts, the barber and J.D. each find a way towards supporting each other. The last chapter introduces a new competitor, enticing newly independent chapter book readers to the next installment. Centering black hair, slang, and community in an engaging fast-paced narrative that highlights math, this is a great addition for younger chapter book readers.
April 17, 2023
My 4th grade son and I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook of J.D. and the Great Barber Battle one of the Virginia Readers' Choice selections for 2022-2023. The book starts with a scenario that was entirely relatable to me as a middle-aged white woman: a humiliatingly terrible haircut by one's mother, resulting in relentless teasing at school. So many of my elementary readers can relate, too, even if the scenario is not a haircut....the target audience of young middle grade readers is just entering the phase of life when parents are responsible for all kinds of embarrassing scenarios. J.D.'s problem solving, ingenuity, and spark are a delight to follow. I especially loved the intergenerational affection and love depicted in J.D.'s family. We are looking forward to the sequels.
Highly recommended for elementary readers. Target years would be 2nd-4th, though I've had several 5th graders enjoy it thoroughly.
Highly recommended for elementary readers. Target years would be 2nd-4th, though I've had several 5th graders enjoy it thoroughly.
March 9, 2022
"J.D. and the Great Barber Battle" was such a fun chapter book! I loved that it isn't just another "Horrible Harry" book about a boy who is always in trouble, or just another "Kylie Jean" girlie chapter book. J.D. is just a regular kid who happens to be an aspiring barber! What's not to love? I think most kids will really relate to the way J.D. views the world, even if they can't necessarily relate to his particular small-business woes. I loved how Dillard incorporated simple math, showing kids how making money requires some number sense. I loved that J.D. was a low-key feminist. I loved how this book celebrated Black hair, but wasn't "about" race. And I loved how the end of this book really sets up the next one. I can't wait to read more from J.D. and his crew!
July 21, 2021
What a horrible haircut! After J.D.'s mom gives him the absolute worst buzz he's ever had, J.D. decides to try to style his own hair. Turns out he's a natural. Pretty soon, classmates from around the town are flocking to J.D.'s house for a haircut. Unfortunately, J.D.'s new business has upset the only other barbershop in town. Will he be able to continue doing what he loves or will J.D. get shut down for good?
This was a fun, original early chapter book. Never have I ever read another about a young barber or with so many references to famous celebrities. J.D.'s voice is fresh and original. Recommended.
This was a fun, original early chapter book. Never have I ever read another about a young barber or with so many references to famous celebrities. J.D.'s voice is fresh and original. Recommended.
March 7, 2022
126 pgs. This is a super fun realistic fiction book. Boys will especially enjoy it. The main character, J.D., a third grader tries his hand at cutting his hair after he didn't like his mom's home cut. He discovers he is very good at cutting hair and his friends beg him to cut theirs. He gets lots of clients showing up at his home and makes lots of money. However, when the local barbershop hears of his success he has a new challenge. This story is great for problem-solving and inspirational for how one person can improve a local community. Kids will love this book. It is humorous and fun. There are some illustrations throughout that will help the reader. Highly recommended for Grades 3-5.
April 9, 2022
My barbering skills were put to the test when my husband coached me as I cut his hair during the Pandemic. Thankfully no one really saw his hair up close on Zoom!
There are many books that deal with Black girls' hair, but this book brings forth the cultural importance of barbers to Black boys and men.
J.D. is only in third grade and is cutting his and his friends' hair. This is totally believable, but for him to have a job with the town barber in today's contemporary world is cutting it a little close. Nevertheless, this book is entertaining and has a modern feel, complete with some graphic like illustrations, that young readers will appreciate and enjoy.
There are many books that deal with Black girls' hair, but this book brings forth the cultural importance of barbers to Black boys and men.
J.D. is only in third grade and is cutting his and his friends' hair. This is totally believable, but for him to have a job with the town barber in today's contemporary world is cutting it a little close. Nevertheless, this book is entertaining and has a modern feel, complete with some graphic like illustrations, that young readers will appreciate and enjoy.
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