Uncle Jed's Barber Shop

by Margaree King Mitchell, James Ransome (Illustrator)

Overview

Coretta Scott King Award winner

A young girl’s beloved uncle is a talented barber without a shop who never gives up on his dream in this richly illustrated, stirring picture book.

Everyone has a favorite relative. For Sarah Jean, it’s her Uncle Jed. Living in the segregated South of the 1920s, where most people are sharecroppers, Uncle Jed is the only black barber in the county and has to travel all over the county to cut his customers’ hair.

He lives for the day when he could open his very own barbershop. But there are a lot of setbacks along the way. Will Uncle Jed ever be able to open a shiny new shop?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442443648
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster
Publication date:	02/13/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	130 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Margaree King Mitchell is the author of the Coretta Scott King Honor Book Uncle Jed’s Barbershop, illustrated by James E. Ransome, and Granddaddy’s Gift. She is the creator of the Everybody Has a Dream program, which empowers students in urban and rural areas to shoot for the stars with aspirations for their lives. Margaree lives in Kansas City, where she is a member of the Midwest Children’s Authors Guild.

Editorial Reviews

At age 79, Uncle Jed, after a lifetime of obstacles (including segregation and the Great Depression), finally realizes his dream of owning a barbershop. "Convivial descriptions of family life are enhanced by Ransome's spirited oil paintings," said PW. Ages 4-7. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

PreS-Gr 3-Uncle Jed, a black, itinerant barber in the pre-Depression South, dreams of opening his own shop. He saves for years, but first his niece, who narrates the story, needs an operation, and then the bank in which his money is kept fails. The man's spirit never flags, however, and he finally starts his own business at age 79. Sarah Jean, whose life was saved by her uncle's generosity, is by this time a middle-aged adult, and shares in his pleasure. Mitchell's text is eloquent in its simplicity. Straightforward, declarative sentences explain such concepts as segregation and sharecropping without emotional overtones, while her subdued prose makes readers keenly aware of the injustice of segregation. Through Sarah Jean's eyes, readers see both the poverty and discrimination endured and the sense of community and caring shared by her family and friends. Ransome's richly textured oil paintings, uncluttered and direct, beautifully complement the text. These are strong characters captured with forceful brush strokes, yet the illustrations also include such details as a crocheted saddle blanket. Both touching and inspirational, this book is ideal for story hours featuring favorite relatives, and it could start children saving for their own dreams.-Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ

School Library Journal

Set in the 1920s and told from young Sarah Jean's point of view, this story about dreams and determination spotlights segregation. Uncle Jed, the only black barber in the county, walks to his friends and relatives to give haircuts, saving whatever money he can. He dreams of owning a barbershop. When Sarah Jean suddenly needs surgery and the white doctors refuse to operate until they have the cash to pay for it, Uncle Jed provides the money. His dream is postponed again when all his money is lost in a bank failure. Finally, years later at age 79, Uncle Jed opens his shop, and Sarah Jean, now a grown woman, is there to help celebrate. There is a quiet solidarity in the child's fond memories of a favorite relative. Still, the reader wants more. For example, Sarah Jean's surgery is a focal point, yet the author includes few details. The author also understates emotions in a frustrating way. When Uncle Jed learns of the bank failure, the text says of him, "Even though he was disappointed, he would just have to start over again." A real strength is the paintings, which capture memorable characters and family life in the rural South with a warmth and depth that is truly moving. The bright colors and the farm scenes with golden fields as well as those homey indoor family times enhance Mitchell's message. Try reading this picture book to older children.

Deborah Abbott