“Yesterday at ten o’clock, / I walked into the barbershop. / My bushy, brownish, biggish hair / was growing almost everywhere.” The young Black girl at the center of this rollicking story knows exactly what kind of haircut she wants: “The freshest fade up on the block!” Unfortunately her mom doesn’t listen, pondering other ideas with the stylist. Soon almost everyone in the salon, from other stylists to customers, begins to weigh in, their suggestions often mirroring their own hairstyles. More than two hours in, the girl still doesn’t have the fade she envisions, but the cut is getting closer to what she wants and her frustration shifts to anticipation. That’s when everyone begins making suggestions for what she might get shaved into the side. “A rocket ship?”/ “A turbojet?” / “The whole entire alphabet!”/ “A treasure map with squiggly lines?” / “My word! / Just please make up your minds!” begs the now frazzled stylist. The girl, for her part, remains calm and emerges triumphant with “[t]he freshest fade up on the block.” The rhyming text, principally dialogue, is a delight to read, although matching the speaker to the various individuals in the bright, busy illustrations, which deftly chronicle the girls’ shifting feelings, takes a little effort the first time through. (Ages 4-8)

A little girl makes sure she walks out of the barbershop rocking the fabulous hair style she chooses.

Learn the importance of speaking up for what you want through this fun and empowering picture book.

When a little girl walks into her local barbershop, she knows she wants the flyest, freshest fade on the block! But there are so many beautiful hairstyles to choose from, and the clients and her mother suggest them all: parts, perms, frizzy fros, dye jobs, locs, and even cornrows!

But this little girl stays true to herself and makes sure she leaves the shop feeling on top with the look she picks!

Author Shauntay Grant's sweet, rhyming story encourages young girls to be self-confident and celebrates the many shapes and forms Black hair can take. Through their stunning illustrations, Kitt Thomas is able to bring life and movement to the versatile styles featured in this book.