Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

By: Derrick Barnes and Gordon James

"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."

Awards:

• Winner of the 2018 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers

• A Newbery Honor Book

• A Caldecott Honor Book

• A Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book

• A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book

• An Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award Book

• An Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor Book

• A Society of Illustrators Gold Medal Book

• CCBC Choice Book of 2018

• Best books of 2017 by NPR, the Huffington Post, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Horn Book Magazine, the News & Observer, BookPage, Chicago Public Library, and more

Discussion Questions:

• Why do you think the boy says he is like a lump of clay or blank canvas when he comes into the barbershop?

• How does the boy feel that a new haircut will change his day at school tomorrow?

• What does the boy think about the men surrounding him in the chairs?

• How does the boy say he feels after a new haircut?

• Why is the money you spend at the barber always worth it?

• What is something that makes you feel as good as the boy in the story?

• How does a new haircut or hairstyle make you feel?

• Why is Crown: An Ode the the Fresh Cut an ode?

Read Aloud