Crown: Ode to the Fresh Cut

Bibliography: 

Barnes, Derrick and Gordon C. James. Crown: Ode to the Fresh Cut. Chicago: Bolden Books, 2017. ISBN: 1572842245

Plot Summary:

Derrick Barnes captures the magic of a “fresh cut” by following the transformation of one young customer in the barber shop. Through poetic imagery, Barnes describes the moments of the haircut as a beautiful ritual: “He’ll drape you like royalty with that cape to keep the fine hairs off your neck and your princely robes.” Sensing the power of the transformation, the young man visualizes his potential: acing a geography exam and rearranging the honor roll, getting the attention of a pretty girl in class, shining like a star and a brilliant work of art worthy of a museum. He gets a sense of pride and possibility as he watches the other customers with their various styles: majestic, powerful, important, glowing with radiant humanity, like CEOs, like Presidents, like royalty. He imagines everyone in the shop jumping to their feet to give him a standing ovation. He leaves the shop ready to greet the world, elevated, affirmed, knowing his value and proud of his power.

Critical Analysis:

Through the bold, poetic jazz of the text and the incredible oil-painted illustration, Crown celebrates the communal experience and the rite of passage that is the barber shop. As Barnes writes in his note from the author, “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 illustrations pop like illuminated manuscripts, framing black humanity like religious icons against colorful, curling backdrops reminiscent of Kehinde Wiley. The expressions of pride and self-confidence radiate from their faces, and paired with the poetry of the text, create a portrait of swagger and joy. The message is unequivocal: “You matter. You have always mattered.” Readers will bask in the affirmation and positive vibes that emanate from the pages.

Review Excerpts and Awards:

Coretta Scott King - Author Honor Book
Coretta Scott King - Illustrator Honor Book
Newbery Honor Book
Caldecott Honor Book
Ezra Jack Keats New Author Award Book
Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor Book
Society of Illustrators Gold Medal Book

“Brown skin, a dimpled smile, and a fresh haircut worthy of a standing ovation. Barnes takes a weekly, mundane activity for an African American boy—a trip to the barbershop—and shows its potential for boosting his self-esteem and therefore his place in the universe.” - Michelle Martin, Horn Book Magazine

“The swagger is on a million. The sauce is drippin’. . . . This book oozes with black cool and timely, much-needed black joy, using the unique and expansive experience of the barbershop to remind young boys that their inner lives have always mattered there. 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

“It’s not just a pleasure to read, it also does something important, and that is to show up and show out for black kids, black culture and black language. It’s about that time honored tradition for black folks of sitting in the chair at the barbershop, and the power of being seen as a black boy beyond stereotype out here in America. . . . Hook yourself up with this sweet and mighty book, both for you and your kids.” —Rebecca Carroll,  Los Angeles Times Top Books of 2017

Connections:

Gather other winners of the Coretta Scott King Award:
  • Hill, Laban Carrick and Theodore Taylor III. When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop. ISBN: 9781596435407
  • Andrews, Troy and Brian Collier. Trombone Shorty. ISBN: 1419714651
Pre-order the new book from Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James (Available Sept. 2020):
  • I Am Every Good Thing. ISBN: 0525518770


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