The Coolest Beard

Fascination with a father’s facial hair—“as long as the slide at the park and as thick as the bushes in our backyard”—leads a child toward an appreciation of community care in this story of maturation. At the local barbershop, Isaac wants to listen in when the adults talk “grown folks’ business,” but Dad says he must wait until he’s older. Wanting to contribute, and understanding that “by the time you get a beard, you’ll be one of the grown folks,” the child begins secretly using Dad’s face oil to speed up the process. When the longed-for beard fails to materialize, Dad and others at the barbershop still find ways to make Isaac feel included, in both the Black-cued community and in the barber’s chair, reinforcing Tekle’s messaging about the importance of people helping one another. Realistic renderings are expressively animated, especially a standout montage that humorously envisions Isaac using his future whiskers for storing snacks and jumping rope. Ages 4–8. (June)