J.D. and the Great Barber Battle [pb]
J.D. the Kid Barber #1
Written by J. Dillard & illustrated by Akeem S. Roberts
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! 128 pages
"Dillard, a professional 'barberpreneur,' crafts a lively, hair-centric series opener that downplays messy complications to focus on the broad emotional (and financial) rewards of leveraging personal talents, taking pride in doing good work, and finding equitable ways to resolve conflicts. Roberts' scenes of smiling, broad-faced figures in domestic or school settings reflect the tale's genial tone." -Booklist (Grades 1-3)
"Everything about this story feels like a beloved barbershop tall tale: quite heroic, maybe a bit unbelievable, yet full of intrigue and entertaining as all get out. This is authentic storytelling, supported by Roberts’ vigorous cartoons- full of styles that are straight fire." -Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review (Ages 6-10)
February 23, 2021
