Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

The Art of the Haircut

Since Black History month is coming to a close, I wanted my first post of the week to be by an African American author and relevant to African American culture. (Of course, black history is U.S. history and should be studied and celebrated throughout the year, not just during one month, but that's an argument for a different blog post!) I found just the book I was looking for with Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, written by Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Gordon C. James. This book celebrates the magic that happens everyday in barbershops across the country and the high that comes with a fresh, new haircut. Winner of the Coretta Scott King award, a Caldecott Honor and a Newbery Honor, this book is certifiably brilliant and a great addition to your classroom.

The gist:

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut follows a young boy going to the barber's shop, and highlights the self-esteem and confidence that comes along with his new haircut. The book captures the feeling of invincibility, pride and self-assurance that comes along with feeling good. Those feelings are contagious, and as the reader, you can't help but feel just a little bit more pride in yourself with every flip of the page.

The illustrations, done by Gordon C. James with oil paint, are stunning. Each page is alive with color and the facial expressions of each character tell an entire story in and of itself. Just look at this beautiful first page!

My favorite part:

The final page of the book features a brilliant note from the author that explains his inspiration for the book as well as certain themes within it. Though students may not necessarily understand all the underlying themes of the book depending on their age and background, it is still an important book that can spark several different conversations.

In the author's note, Derrick Barnes explains that the book not only aims to capture the moment of extreme joy after a good haircut, but also it focuses on the "humanity of black boys... Deep down inside, they wish that everyone could see what they see: a real life, breathing, compassionate, thoughtful, brilliant, limitless soul that matters."

Barnes also explores the cultural relevance of the barber's shop in his note, explaining that it's often the place where "most of us become privy to the conversations and company of hardworking black men from all walks of life." He then goes on to note that, "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 importance of the barber's shop was something that I'd never thought about before, and I enjoyed reading Barnes's thoughts.

What you can do:

Crown is a great opportunity to talk to students about certain literary techniques. It is full of figurative language and lively metaphors. You can talk to students about what Barnes meant when he wrote: "You came in as a lump of clay, a blank canvas, a slab of marble." What's a metaphor? Did the boy actually come into the barbershop as a lump of clay? What do all three of these metaphors have in common? (Not sure how to tackle talking about figurative language with younger elementary schoolers? Check out this lesson plan on similes and metaphors designed for first graders!)

Want to just focus on critical thinking and reading comprehension instead? This website has some great discussion question ideas! As does this one, which features questions to get students thinking, like: What is something that makes you feel as good as the boy does in this story? What words describe you when you are feeling your best?

Want more information on the author and illustrator? Click here! This website links to several other websites that contain information on the author and illustrator, as well as further information on barber shops and their importance in the African community. It also contains potential discussion questions, suggested activities and similar books!

Happy Reading!