J.D. and the Family Business

J. Dillard (known as the "Barberpreneur") is a master barber, a certified consultant, and an industry leader who started cutting his own hair at the age of ten. He began cutting hair professionally in 1999 and became a shop owner while attending college at Tuskegee University in Alabama. He travels the country with his clients as a personal barber and calls Atlanta home. This is his first book series for children.Akeem S. Roberts is an illustrator based in Brooklyn. He works as an in-house animator for Holler Studios and contributes cartoons regularly to The New Yorker. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. When Akeem is not working, he likes to make comics about his day-to-day life on Instagram @AkeemTeam.

Praise for J.D. and the Great Barber Battle:★"A surefire win of a read expressly made for young Black boys to cherish."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review“Dillard has a sharp ear for dialogue, and J.D.’s conversational narration paired with the story’s gentle humor and perfectly placed pop culture references will ensure a wide appeal. Akeem S. Roberts’ cartoon-style illustrations of J.D. and his friends are packed with personality and make this a great choice for readers transitioning into chapter books. The first book in a planned series, J.D. and the Great Barber Battle feels like a winner.” —BookPage "The African American cultural references and community values will resonate with readers of all ages, while the joyful, wholesome story will give them something to look forward to in subsequent entries."—The Horn Book