![]() | |
Author | Derrick Barnes |
---|---|
Publisher | Denene Millner Books, Agate Publishing |
Publication date | October 10, 2017 |
Pages | unpaged |
Awards | Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King Author and Illustrator Honor Awards, Newbery Honor |
ISBN | 978-1-57284-224-3 |
OCLC | 1039547840 |
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a 2017 picture book by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James. The book, Barnes' first picture book, is a poem describing a boy's feelings and experience while getting a haircut. James, who was not the first choice to be the illustrator, wanted the oil color illustrations to have the feel of fine art.
Crown was well received, as Barnes received a 2018 Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award for his writing, while James received a 2018 Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award for his illustrations. Critics noted the unique setting and the way it celebrated African Americans, especially African American boys.
Told in the second person, [1] the book describes a young black boy's experience at a barbershop where he gets a haircut.
Barnes, who had previously written several middle grade chapter books, wrote a poem about a new haircut after seeing a friend's sketch of a teenager. [2] He sold it after being asked whether he had any books about the life of a normal African American boy. [2] Since this was Barnes' first picture book, he gave particular thought about how to divide up his poem across pages. [3] Barnes was acquainted with James, and after he was rejected by several other illustrators, he approached James directly to do the illustrations, unusually for children's picture books. [2] Barnes describes their connection as "meant to be", with James noting, "I think the key is that our artistic styles really complement each other." [2]
Barnes said that while the word "fresh" was often seen as dated, he believed it was timeless when applied to a haircut in the black community. [3] He reflected on his own feeling of independence and being the "best version of myself" after leaving the barber. [3] Barnes was concerned that in converting the poem to book form it would lose its meaning, as it was spread across the pages of a picture book. [3]
Critics emphasized the book's contemporary African American protagonist in a setting of importance to African American culture [1] [4] [5] [6] [7] and the way the book could introduce audiences to a variety of haircuts with which they might not have been familiar. [6] [7] Several critics affirmed Barnes' author's note by noting that the barbershop was one of the few institutions, besides the church, which celebrates and honors African American boys. [1] [4] [6] [8] This celebration of the boy helped to reinforce the book's theme of self-confidence and pride. [7] [9] [10] However, it was not just a celebration of boys but all African Americans, even women, as the boy imagines who else is sharing the barbershop with him. [4] [10] The title itself is an allusion to hats African American women will wear to church. [6] This is all underscored by Barnes' "rhythmic" [3] [10] text brimming with cool. [4] [7]
James said the cover came easily for him after reading the poem. He drew inspiration from the attitude of the boy narrator at the end of the book, [3] and his goal for the cover was to evoke fine art or even photographs. [3] [11] After doing thumbnail drawings, James painted with oils on illustration board. [11] Barnes' son, Silas, served as the model for the boy in the book [2] while the barber is based on James' son's barber. [11] James' oil color illustrations drew comparisons to those of Basquiat, [4] [7] thanks to the detailed realistic portraits [4] [5] [6] [1] which included a variety of unique and "beautiful" African-American skin tones and hairstyles. [3] [5] [6] [10] Critics praised the cover [3] [4] and noted that James' illustrations balanced the reality of getting a haircut with the more ephemeral feelings in the boy's imagination. [4] [6]
The book was well-received. Its starred review in The Horn Book Magazine praised both the illustrations' portrayal of the protagonist and how "Barnes's descriptions make each page a serendipity." [1] Kirkus awarded it a starred review [7] and a 2018 Kirkus Prize for children, saying, "One of the best reads for young black boys in years, it should be in every library, media center, and, yes, barbershop." [12] Additional starred reviews came from Publishers Weekly [5] and School Library Journal. [10] Elizabeth Bird, writing for School Library Journal, noted how "the interchange between the art and the words lights the very pages on fire"; [4] several other critics also praised the complementary nature of the text and illustrations. [1] [3] [9] The book appeared on several best of 2017 lists including those of NPR, [13] Huffington Post , where contributor Minh Le noted its "flawless delivery" in calling it the most charming picture book of 2017, [14] the Los Angeles Times , whose book editor Carolyn Kellog called it, "a real standout... it also does something important" [15] and the Chicago Public Library ("Best Picture Books of 2017"). [16]
Crown was also noted as one of several books with diverse authors and topics that received recognition at the 2018 Youth Media Awards. [17] Crown received four awards, including a Newbery Honor for Barnes, a Caldecott Honor for James, and Coretta Scott King Awards for both. [17] The Caldecott committee praised James' "love-letter to the contemporary barbershop" [18] and the Newbery committee similarly praised Barnes' "joyous paean to... a great haircut". [19] Additionally, the book was recognized by the Ezra Jack Keats Book Award, with Barnes its winner for writing and James an honor winner for illustrations. The Keats citation stated, "In a tribute both stylish and timeless, Derrick Barnes’s exuberant text, along with Gordon C. James’s vivid illustrations, celebrate a cultural institution for African-American men and boys: the barber shop." [20]
The Randolph Caldecott Medal, frequently shortened to just the Caldecott, annually recognizes the preceding year's "most distinguished American picture book for children". It is awarded to the illustrator by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The Caldecott and Newbery Medals are considered the most prestigious American children's book awards. Beside the Caldecott Medal, the committee awards a variable number of citations to runners-up they deem worthy, called the Caldecott Honor or Caldecott Honor Books.
Ezra Jack Keats was an American writer and illustrator of children's books. He won the 1963 Caldecott Medal for illustrating The Snowy Day, which he also wrote. Keats wrote A Letter to Amy and Hi, Cat! but he was most famous for The Snowy Day. It is considered one of the most important American books of the 20th century.
A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers is a children's picture book written by Nancy Willard and illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen, published by Harcourt Brace in 1981. The next year Willard won the annual Newbery Medal and the Provensens were one runner-up for the Caldecott Medal from the professional children's librarians. William Blake's Inn was the first Newbery-winning book to also be named a Caldecott Honor Book. Last Stop on Market Street later won the 2016 Newbery Medal and a Caldecott Honor.
The Snowy Day is a 1962 American children's picture book by American author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats. It features Peter, an African American boy, who explores his neighborhood after the season's first snowfall. Keats’ illustrations helped pave the way for more inclusive and diverse children's literature. Keats received the 1963 Caldecott Medal for his collage artwork, which made The Snowy Day the first picture book with an African American protagonist to win a major children's award. The book's reception was largely positive, although some critics pointed out subtle stereotypes, such as how Peter's mother was portrayed. Since its publication The Snowy Day has sold millions of copies and has been translated, adapted, and honored leaving a lasting impression on generations of readers.
Noah's Ark is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Peter Spier, first published by Doubleday in 1977. The text includes Spier's translation of "The Flood" by Jacobus Revius, a 17th-century poem telling the Bible story of Noah's Ark. According to Kirkus Reviews, the poem comprises sixty three-syllable lines such as "Pair by pair". "Without revising or even enlarging on the old story, Spier fills it in, delightfully." In a retrospective essay about the Caldecott Medal-winning books from 1976 to 1985, Barbara Bader described the book as "at once elaborate and feeble" and Revius' poem as "neither particularly suited to children nor eloquent in itself."
Ashley Frederick Bryan was an American writer and illustrator of children's books. Most of his subjects are from the African-American experience. He was U.S. nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2006 and he won the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for his contribution to American children's literature in 2009. His picture book Freedom Over Me was short-listed for the 2016 Kirkus Prize and received a Newbery Honor.
Denene Millner is an American author, editor, television and podcast host, and journalist. She has authored more than 30 books, including six New York Times best sellers. She is the creator and director of Denene Millner Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and MyBrownBaby.com, a critically acclaimed blog that examines the intersection of parenting and race.
Goggles! is 1969 children's picture book by American author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats published by the Penguin Group in 1998. The book is about two boys finding motorcycle goggles. Goggles won a Caldecott Honor in 1970. The illustrations consist of mellow colors created using Keats' signature style of a combination of painting and collage.
Last Stop on Market Street is a 2015 children's book written by American author Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson, which won the 2016 Newbery Medal, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, and a Caldecott Honor. The book follows a young boy named CJ as he learns to appreciate the beauty in everyday things during a bus ride. De la Peña and Robinson both drew on personal experiences when working together to create the book. Through its story and illustrations, Last Stop on Market Street tackles issues of race and class as they may be seen through the eyes of a young teen. Last Stop on Market Street was met with widespread acclaim after its release, receiving positive reviews from Kirkus Reviews and the New York Times Book Review amongst many others. Last Stop on Market Street's Newbery win was monumental, as it is extremely rare for picture books to be awarded this medal. In 2018, the children's book was adapted into a children's musical which has been performed by various children's theater groups across the country.
Christian Robinson is an American illustrator of children's books and an animator. He is based in Sacramento, California and has worked with The Sesame Street Workshop and Pixar Animation Studios. He graduated from the California Institute of the Arts.
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat is a 2016 picture book biography by Javaka Steptoe about Jean-Michel Basquiat. Using a style similar to Basquiat's, the book tells the story of his childhood and early career. It won the 2017 Caldecott Medal and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for its illustrations.
Wolf in the Snow is a 2017 wordless picture book by Matthew Cordell. The book was favorably received by critics and won the 2018 Caldecott Medal. The story has drawn comparisons to fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood. The nearly wordless book tells the story of a girl and wolf who each get lost in the snowstorm. Cordell used distinctive illustration techniques for the girl and the wolf.
Big Cat, Little Cat is a 2017 children's picture book written by Elisha Cooper. It was published by Roaring Brook Press, a subsidiary of Macmillan Books. In the story, a large, white cat welcomes a new black cat into a family. The white cat then dies, and the cycle begins anew when the family adopts a new kitten. Cooper was inspired to write the story after his family experienced a similar situation. Critics praised his illustrations, for their ability to help further the story's messages and themes. These monochromatic illustrations were different than the style Cooper normally employed when illustrating a book. The book was well-reviewed, and received a 2018 Caldecott Honor.
A Different Pond is a 2017 children's picture book by Bao Phi, illustrated by Thi Bui. The book tells the story of a boy and his father going fishing. Phi created the book because of his desire to have books about people like himself to read to his daughter. Bui's detailed illustrations allowed Phi to remove elements of the prose. Bui, who had never illustrated a traditional picture book before, won praise for her use of colors and was recognized with a 2018 Caldecott Honor. The book received positive reviews and appeared on best of 2017 book lists.
Derrick Barnes is an American author. He is known for writing several popular series of children's books and is a former staff writer for Hallmark greeting cards. In 2018 Barnes received several awards that include the Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award for his 2017 book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut.
Hello Lighthouse is a picture book written and illustrated by Sophie Blackall. The book tells the story of a lighthouse and its last keeper and was well received, winning the 2019 Caldecott Medal for its illustrations. Drawing inspiration from a variety of sources, Blackall worked hard on the design of the book. The writing and illustrations were meant to complement each other noting the change and consistency of the sea.
Thank You, Omu! is a 2018 picture book written and illustrated by Oge Mora. The story is about Omu, who cooks a stew and shares it with her neighbors; they show their gratitude by bringing her food. The book started as an assignment for a class of Mora's at the Rhode Island School of Design, where it was seen by an editor from Little, Brown. Thank You, Omu was well reviewed and a recipient of the 2019 Caldecott Honor for its illustrations. The book's mixed media drew praise for their detailed depictions of characters and locations.
Richard Gregory Christie is an American author and illustrator of picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, and album covers best known for his Coretta Scott King Award-winning books No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller, Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal, and Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan, Only Passing Through, and the NAACP Image Award-winning Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change.
Oge Mora is a children's book illustrator and author living in Providence, Rhode Island. She received a Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for New Talent, and Ezra Jack Keats Book Award in 2019 for her book, Thank You, Omu!.
David Ezra Stein is an American author and illustrator of children's books. He is best known for his Interrupting Chicken series, which was adapted into an animated television show on Apple TV+ in 2022. The first book of the series has been named a Caldecott Medal honor book.