CROWN
An Ode to the Fresh Cut
Educator Resources
This free classroom guide is designed for educators working with K-5 students and can be used in settings such as schools, church groups, or after school programs. It includes:
- A core lesson plan
- Discussion and writing topics
- Social and emotional learning connections
- Suggestions for further reading
- A full list of connections to current educational standards
Praise ForCrown
Winner of the 2018 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers
A Newbery Honor Book
A Caldecott Honor Book
A Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
An Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award Book
An Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor Book
A Society of Illustrators Gold Medal Book
Named one of the best books of 2017 by NPR, the Huffington Post, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Horn Book Magazine, the News & Observer, BookPage, Chicago Public Library, and more
“The swagger is on a million. The sauce is drippin’. . . . This book oozes with black cool and timely, much-needed black joy, using the unique and expansive experience of the barbershop to remind young boys that their inner lives have always mattered there. One of the best reads for young black boys in years, it should be in every library, media center, and, yes, barbershop.” Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“With language so hot you expect the words to ignite the page, Derrick Barnes endows the boy at this book’s center with flash, strut, pizzazz and the pure unregulated pride of knowing you look like a million bucks. Accompanied by layered paintings that bounce back the beat of the words like the sweetest of jazz riffs, here’s an ode to looking good and feeling great.” Betsy Bird, NPR Book Concierge: Best Books of 2017
“Crown captures that extra bounce in your step as confidence crackles from the top of your freshly-shorn head down through your feet. With a flawless delivery, Barnes and James’ book is a celebration of self-esteem and a thoughtful nod to the importance of stepping into the world with a touch of swagger.” The Huffington Post: Best Picture Books of 2017
“It’s not just a pleasure to read, it also does something important, and that is to show up and show out for black kids, black culture and black language. It’s about that time honored tradition for black folks of sitting in the chair at the barbershop, and the power of being seen as a black boy beyond stereotype out here in America. . . . Hook yourself up with this sweet and mighty book, both for you and your kids.” Rebecca Carroll, Los Angeles Times Top Books of 2017
Available Now
For orders of ten or more copies, contact crownbook@agatepublishing.com.