Review by Booklist Review
Driven by the inexpert haircut he gets from his mom the day before he starts third grade, and by the ensuing widespread mockery from schoolmates, Black, eight-year-old James "J. D." Jones tries his hand at self-barbering. So good are the results that he's soon running a business from his bedroom, producing fades, emblems, and trendy cuts that the one actual barber shop in his small Mississippi town can't match. When the barber, feeling understandably threatened, tries to shut him down, J. D. proposes a public competition: best two out of three, with the audience and the owners of the local beauty salon as judges. Aiming at fledgling chapter-book readers, 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.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
J.D. is excited about starting third grade at Douglass Elementary School. At least he was excited before his mom gave him a disastrous haircut that makes him the laughingstock of the whole school. Unable to withstand any more teasing, he decides to literally take matters into his own hands and fix his hair. After using his little brother, Justin, for practice, J.D. realizes he is good at cutting hair and starts a barbershop out of his bedroom. Artistic by nature, and with skill and creativity, he attracts lots of customers, not to mention the owner of the only barbershop in town, Henry Hart Jr. When Hart follows through with a threat to shut J.D.'s business down, our protagonist has to use his wits to save everything he has worked so hard for. This early-to-middle-grade chapter book delivers lively black-and-white illustrations and laugh-out-loud moments. At its heart is J.D.'s loving, hard-working, multigenerational family and his close-knit, small-town Mississippi community. While there are subtle references to separation (J.D.'s parents) and money struggles (he sports hand-me-downs and gets his video-game and junk-food fixes at his best friend's house), these are not personal deficits. Rather, they fuel J.D.'s entrepreneurial spirit and his mathematical prowess. The African American cultural references and community values will resonate with readers of all ages, while the joyful, wholesome story will give them something to look forward to in subsequent entries. Monique Harris July/August 2021 p.109(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Meridian, Mississippi, third grader J.D. has a passion for the arts and a dream of rising beyond the embarrassment of a troubled haircut. For many Black boys, hairline awareness hits hard in those preteen years, and the jeers and dozens of the schoolyard start to pull at kids who can't show up as the best versions of themselves. This is the predicament in which young J.D. finds himself. He recognizes the family's financial challenges, as his mother strives to make do with the support of his grandparents. She's in school again, and the rare quality time that they get comes when she cuts his hair. But no longer can J.D. get past the looks and chuckles his shaky line attracts, so he takes his mama's clippers into his own hands and discovers he has a true gift with them. He even turns this art into a successful business, much like the real-life story of the author, a master barber. However, in J.D.'s world, Henry Jr., proprietor of Meridian's official barbershop, isn't just going to let a supremely talented kid come and take away his clientele. What will happen when these two barbers battle it out? 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. A surefire win of a read expressly made for young Black boys to cherish. (Fiction. 6-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
