Grant, Shauntay. My Fade is Fresh. Kitt Thomas, Illus. Penguin Workshop. 11/2022. 32pp. Picture Book. GRADES Preschool – 2. $17.99. 978-0-593-38708-5. OUTSTANDING.
Earning four starred reviews, this team creates a fresh and fun story about a kid heading into the barbershop for a new look. The twist here is that the child is a young Black girl and despite all the styling suggestions that she gets along the way: “A perm, a press, a trim, a chop?” Maybe a fro, cornrows, apuff, or twists? She sticks to her decision to get “the freshest fade up on the block.” The rhymes are cute but what really stands out is the stunning and colorful artwork showing a variety of Black women, girls, boys, and men getting and giving different hair styles and suggestions. The artwork is explosively colorful and will delight young readers of all races and genders.
Rachael Reiley—Oakland Unified School District, Hillcrest Elementary K-8.