Customer Reviews

Bippity Bop Barbershop

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Ms. Tarpley has written a beautiful ode to a father and son tradition - going to the barbershop. She captures the nuance of this treasured neighborhood gathering spot for men. My late father was a barber and I believe my fondness for barbershops stems from that. Thank you for a beautiful book. Mr. Lewis, thanks for the awesome illustrations!

My brother-in-law is a professional barber and he, like the fictional character in the book, has a three-year-old son. When I saw this one on the shelf, I was automatically drawn to its pages. Because I was familiar with the author and illustrator, having purchased several years ago their "I Love My Hair" for my then-three-year-old niece, I knew that this book had to be one of great quality.

I was not disappointed. Like its predecessor, the illustrations are lifelike and the simple story of the preparation and visit to the local barbershop for a boy's FIRST haircut is engaging and realistic.

This is a book that I'm sure that my nephew, and all little boys, can pass down to their progeny and future generations to come.

Natasha Anastasia Tarpley introduces us to Miles as he gets ready for his first hair-cut. As most small children are, he's a bit nervous while at the same time excited as he takes this journey into the world of the "Big Boys." The scene of the barbershop shows that of encouragement and support for little Miles and depicts the relationship between father and son and the way men interact with one another.

With the use of watercolors, E. B. Lewis illustrates the characters in a way that brings them to life and complements the story perfectly. They are warm, colorful, and do an excellent job of conveying Tarpley's characters along with the different scenes portrayed in barbershops in the African American community. This story speaks volumes and I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I saw this book at a pre-school I used to work at and decided I needed to have it in the classroom as well. My boyfriend who is half black and half white looked at this book and said he would have loved this book as a kid to show him his hair was cool and not different like he was told by peers. So its a good book to have in the classroom for the kids who may need the extra boost of confidence.

One Saturday morning, little Miles wakes up so excited - today his Daddy is going to take him to get his first haircut at the barbershop! Father and son make the trip to Mr. Seymour's barbershop, who has been Daddy's barber since Daddy was a little boy like Miles. The barbershop is a special place, a refuge for men, who play checkers or watch a basketball game on television as they wait. Miles sees all kinds of men, getting their hair cut in all different ways, but when his turn comes it's very hard to be brave. Fortunately his daddy and the other men of the barbershop are there to show him the way, and to help him through this very special and uniquely African-American rite of passage.

In her Author's Note that opens the book, Natasha Tarpley explains some of the singular magic of the barbershop and the rituals surrounding hair. It's a place where she has witnessed a unique sharing between father and son and among other men. Bippity Bop brings that magic alive through the eyes of a child striving to be a big kid and to be just like Daddy. This book is a celebration not only of the bond between fathers and sons, but also of the extraordinary community that is possible between men. The excellent paintings by E.B. Lewis that illustrate the book add a depth to the characters and a charm to the story that will capture anyone's heart.

Author Natasha Anastasia Tarpley is the author of the children's book, I Love My Hair, and author of the adult books, Girl in the Mirror and Testimony. She is the winner of the 1999 Black Board Children's Book of the Year, amongst other awards. She resides in New York.
Illustrator E.B. Lewis is the illustrator for the children's books: I Love My Hair, The Bat Boy and His Violin, and Down the Road- Which was named a Notable Book for Children by the American Literary Association. His work is frequently exhibited in galleries throughout the U.S. He resides in New Jersey.
This children's book, directed to kids 2-6, follows Miles and Daddy through their everyday morning rituals, with a surprise- Miles is getting his first haircut!
I found this to be a delightful book. The illustrations, done in watercolor, are just beautiful and eye-catching. I think this should be a necessity in every salon and barbershop that sees children. It not only displays the great relationship and routine between father and son, but shows kids how getting a haircut is not so scary. It addresses fear on their level and works through it.
Bippity Bop Barbershop is a beautifully illustrated and superbly written children's story!