Description When does a Black boy feel his very best? These days, many elementary school students look up to hip-hop rappers as idols. Rap competition shows are broadcast widely on TV, and rap music has even made its way into high school music textbooks — it has truly become part of mainstream culture. In fact, rap music is a genre of popular music developed by Black Americans. Kids want to rap along and dress in hip-hop style hats, clothes, and shoes, but how much do they really know about the everyday life of an ordinary Black boy in America? This book has been praised and recommended by numerous prestigious organizations. Drawing on the author's own experiences, the rhythmic text captures the moment a Black boy feels the most confident and coolest version of himself, while the vivid, distinctively textured illustrations bring the barbershop setting to life in rich and varied ways — earning widespread acclaim. The barbershop: a place where a boy becomes his most confident, coolest self! The book tells us that the barbershop is the one place where boys with Black and brown skin can restore their sense of pride, self-worth, and confidence, becoming truly special. The moment the haircut begins, everything starts to change — it's a moment of thinking carefully about how to present yourself to the world. And through conversation with hardworking Black men, boys learn not just adult speech, tone, and humor, but also how to discuss politics, relationships, sports, society, and the future — developing real conversational and debating skills. In fact, aside from church, the barbershop is said to be the only place in the Black community where a boy can be treated like royalty.