CROWN: AN ODE TO THE FRESH CUT by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James

Every now and again, you'll come across a picture book that will give you pause, that'll cause you to carefully turn the pages in awe, to sit and consider all of the young people you've had the honor of teaching who will see themselves in these pages and rejoice. That was my reality encountering CROWN: AN ODE TO THE FRESH CUT for the first time and being so incredibly thankful to come across a book I've always known needed existing.