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A review by jecoats
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Gordon C. James, Derrick Barnes
5.0
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut was recommended to me by Dr. Sophie Deneger, my professor from RLW-541 here at NLU. Crown has been nominated for the Newbery Medal (2018), Caldecott Medal (2018), Texas Bluebonnet Award (2020), Coretta Scott King Book Award for Author Honor (2018), Monarch Award (2020), NCTE Charlotte Huck Award (2018) and has won the Ezra Jack Keats Book Award for Writer (2018) and Kirkus Prize for Young Readers' Literature (2018). I watched a reading of this on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W45L6rStKnI).
Author Derrick Barnes’s and illustrator Gordon C. James’s Crown is probably my favorite contemporary picturebook. It’s a masterclass of both authentic storytelling and art design. The story is simple in construction, following a young boy as he goes to the barbershop to get a fresh, new haircut, but it is rich in cultural significance. Crown is an all out celebration of black hair, specifically young black men’s hair. The book also clearly reveres barber shop culture, emphasizing its importance in young black men’s lives. And the illustrations! Oh, they are teeming with life and joy and movement and beauty. James’s use of color, lighting, and semi-photorealistic characters make each page feel alive! I don’t think I have read a picturebook yet that had illustrations that were as aesthetically and emotionally fulfilling as Crown.
While this picturebook does have a few moments of imaginative fantasy (such as the main character imagining himself shining amongst the stars), it is grounded in reality, depicting a young man’s experience at the barber shop. As mentioned above, this feels like a genuine portrayal of barbershop culture (even more so than some of the Hollywood films that have come out regarding the same topic). The almost photorealism of the illustrations helps further ground the story, drawing the reader in and making them feel like they’re right beside the main character.
I think this picturebook could be used in almost any class for students 3rd grade and up. I think even older readers would get a lot of use out of this picturebook as it could be used as a fun way to introduce a unit on poetry. The book is, in my opinion, a mirror first and foremost. It is a genuine reflection of a specific kind of culture and a celebration of BIPOC hair. It helps that the main character is not given a name and, which helps our students imagine themselves in his shoes. I also think the story could act as both window and sliding glass door as it lets anyone who reads it peek into the world of barber shop culture while simultaneously experiencing the joy and pride that come along with getting a fresh cut.
I cannot recommend this title enough. Even if you don’t think you’ll ever use it in your own practice, I would suggest watching the video I linked above.This is a wonderful piece of literature.
Author Derrick Barnes’s and illustrator Gordon C. James’s Crown is probably my favorite contemporary picturebook. It’s a masterclass of both authentic storytelling and art design. The story is simple in construction, following a young boy as he goes to the barbershop to get a fresh, new haircut, but it is rich in cultural significance. Crown is an all out celebration of black hair, specifically young black men’s hair. The book also clearly reveres barber shop culture, emphasizing its importance in young black men’s lives. And the illustrations! Oh, they are teeming with life and joy and movement and beauty. James’s use of color, lighting, and semi-photorealistic characters make each page feel alive! I don’t think I have read a picturebook yet that had illustrations that were as aesthetically and emotionally fulfilling as Crown.
While this picturebook does have a few moments of imaginative fantasy (such as the main character imagining himself shining amongst the stars), it is grounded in reality, depicting a young man’s experience at the barber shop. As mentioned above, this feels like a genuine portrayal of barbershop culture (even more so than some of the Hollywood films that have come out regarding the same topic). The almost photorealism of the illustrations helps further ground the story, drawing the reader in and making them feel like they’re right beside the main character.
I think this picturebook could be used in almost any class for students 3rd grade and up. I think even older readers would get a lot of use out of this picturebook as it could be used as a fun way to introduce a unit on poetry. The book is, in my opinion, a mirror first and foremost. It is a genuine reflection of a specific kind of culture and a celebration of BIPOC hair. It helps that the main character is not given a name and, which helps our students imagine themselves in his shoes. I also think the story could act as both window and sliding glass door as it lets anyone who reads it peek into the world of barber shop culture while simultaneously experiencing the joy and pride that come along with getting a fresh cut.
I cannot recommend this title enough. Even if you don’t think you’ll ever use it in your own practice, I would suggest watching the video I linked above.This is a wonderful piece of literature.