Bippity Bop Barbershop

by: Natasha Anastasia Tarpley; Illustrated by E.B. Lewis

Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Reviewed by Jamie Driggers

A child’s first trip to the barbershop for his own haircut is a big deal. It can be a little bit exciting and a little bit scary–and it is certainly a rite of passage.

In Bippity Bop Barbershop, Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, together with E.B. Lewis as illustrator, attempts to capture and share that rite of passage that seems especially present for boys in the African-American culture. And they do a beautiful job of capturing the atmosphere the situation dictates. The watercolor illustrations and the flow of words present a warm, intimate feeling–the feeling of growing up and being accepted and being brave. They make the barbershop a happy place, a place a child would want to go to again and again. A place of support, not the place of torture my son thinks it is.

This story creates a wonderful sensation of the father-son bond, the value of neighborhood community and growing up. People of all races and cultures will love this sweet story and gladly add it to their home library.

Armchair Interviews agrees.