Black Hair in Children's Literature: Barbershop Books

In this companion book to the bestselling I Love My Hair , a young boy, Miles, makes his first trip to the barbershop with his father. With the support of his dad, the barber, and the other men in the barbershop, Miles bravely sits through his first haircut.

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.

Furqan Moreno wakes up and decides that today he wants his hair cut for the first time. His dad has just the style: a flat top fade! He wants his new haircut to be cool but when they get to the barbershop, he's a bit nervous about his decision. He begins to worry that his hair will look funny, imagining all the flat objects in his day to day life. Before he knows it, his haircut is done and he realizes that his dad was right -- Furqan's first flat top is the freshest!

When three brothers enter the barbershop with a note from their mother for their weekly haircuts, Sleepy Sam decides it's time to try something new and exciting and so heads out onto the street to gather styling suggestions from the passing townsfolk.Boyds Mills Press publishes a wide range of high-quality fiction and nonfiction picture books, chapter books, novels, and nonfiction

It's family picture time for the Carters, but Mama does not want to be in the photo this year. All of her beautiful hair is gone because of chemotherapy treatments for her cancer, and she doesn't want to be remembered without hair. Eight-year-old Marcus knows that the picture won't be the same without Mama, so he comes up with a plan to find her some hair and make her better. Even though the plan doesn't work in quite the way Marcus expects, he comes to understand that "hair is nice to have, but not as nice as me having Mama and Mama having me." This is a story for every family dealing with a serious illness. It is told with a touch of gentle humor in a style that children will readily understand, and the warm and inviting illustrations will bring comfort and hope to young and old alike.

Eight-year-old kid barber J.D. takes his talent to an Atlanta hair show in this illustrated chapter book and follow-up to J.D. and the Great Barber Battle. At only eight years old, J.D. the Kid Barber has already won a barber battle and appeared on local TV. Now he's the youngest barber to be invited to the Beauty Brothers Hair Expo in Atlanta! J.D. gets the VIP treatment-he takes his first flight, rides in a limo for the first time, and gets gifts from the show's sponsors. At the show, there are hair classes to take, product samples to try, and some of J.D.'s favorite hair influencers to meet. And, of course, there's his own demo alongside kid hairstylist, Isabel Is Incredible. But what J.D. is most excited about is snapping a pic with eleven-year-old rap sensation Li'l Eazy Breezy, which is harder than it sounds! The world of hair and beauty is so much bigger than J.D. could've imagined, and he's ready to step up his game.

A little girl learns the importance of speaking up for what she wants while at the barbershop and ends up rocking the fabulous hair style she chooses in this fun and empowering picture book.

A boy describes his fun visit to the barbershop, including who he sees there, how they interact, and how the conversation is "different from talking anywhere else."

From Colin Kaepernick to Martin Luther King, Jr. to Benjamin Crump, Hair Like Obama's, Hands Like Lebron's is a picture book celebration of Black history and excellence from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated bySavanna Durr. I have hair like Obama's and hands like LeBron's. My mind is more magical than "Ice" McDonald's wands. My legs, like Michael Jordan's, shatter records with a leap. My soul is kissed by Africa--the future's mine to keep. Inspired by the famous White House photograph of five-year-old Jacob Philadelphia touching then-president Barack Obama's hair, Weatherford's powerful text--illuminated by Savanna Durr's warm, jewel-toned art--is an ode to all the things that make Black and brown kids beautiful. Young readers will learn about many inspiring figures in Black history up to the present day, gaining confidence in their abilities and their cultural legacy as they learn. The back matter includes an author's note and biographies of each of the featured figures: Guion Bluford, Usain "Lightning" Bolt, "Bootsy" Collins, John Coltrane, Benjamin Crump, LeBron James, Lonnie Johnson, Michael Jordan, Colin Kaepernick, Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Elijah McCoy, Kenrick "Ice" McDonald, Barack Obama, Colin Powell, and Tommie Smith.