Official Review: Going to the Barbershop by Shanah LeGree

[PeterRabitt20]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Going to the Barbershop" by Shanah LeGree.]

---

2 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Whether they choose to become a firefighter or a nurse, children should be encouraged to pursue their dreams. Going to the Barbershop, by Shanah LeGree, shows that no profession is trivial. This book (part of the Professional Parent Series) dutifully teaches about the barber profession.

LeGree takes the reader on a trip to the barbershop with brothers, John Keith and John Karter. The story starts with John Keith, the eldest, narrating what he notices inside the barbershop—two adults watch a game while a little boy is getting his hair colored. As it progresses, John Keith wonders about which hairstyle he should get. In the meantime, his younger brother fidgets in the barber’s chair.

The characters and the theme of the story were the positive points. For the most part, the author captures the sharp-eyed behavior of a child at a barbershop. John Keith complains about wanting to have an afro, but his father wouldn’t let him. I found this scene amusing!

Above all, I liked how LeGree portrayed the barber profession in a positive light. Dating back to the Ancient Egyptians, barbershops are a commonplace sight in our modern-day neighborhoods. Young readers can easily relate to the social experiences found in the story.

The computer-generated illustrations were both a positive and a negative aspect of the story. The positive part was the painstaking details: the red bricks of the building, the sales posters on the wall, and the sudsy shampoo in the hair. Also, the illustrator did attempt to show the characters in action.

However, the negative part was that the images were often repeated—probably due to their similar backgrounds. Ultimately, it was hard to stay interested, especially when considering that the story text is brief.

Furthermore, there were issues with punctuation, grammar, and typos; for example, a conversation started without an open quotation, and the word “barbershop” was written as “Barber shop”. Unfortunately, the errors were too obvious and numerous to ignore.

As a result, I rate Going to the Barbershop 2 out of 4 stars. I couldn’t give three stars because the book did not seem professionally edited; moreover, I didn’t find the story very engaging. I liked the author’s respectful depiction of the barber profession, so I didn’t give a 1-star rating.

Once it has been properly edited, I could recommend this book to anyone looking for a career-themed book. I wouldn’t recommend it to readers who dislike computer-generated illustrations or prefer a lengthier story.

******
Going to the Barbershop
View: on Bookshelves

[Hazel Arnaiz]

Career-themed books are a great way of introducing kids to the community workers and their roles. Too bad about the flaws of the book, but it was a good attempt. I hope they address the issues. Thanks for the honest review.

[PeterRabitt20]

Career-themed books are a great way of introducing kids to the community workers and their roles. Too bad about the flaws of the book, but it was a good attempt. I hope they address the issues. Thanks for the honest review.

I hope so too. The career theme is important. Thank you for stopping by.

[AvidBibliophile]

I love the conceptual idea of a “professional parents” book series, and all of the commendable storylines such a collection could convey. Barbershops certainly deserve their moment in the spotlight! Thank you for providing such an honest analysis and critique.

[PeterRabitt20]

I love the conceptual idea of a “professional parents” book series, and all of the commendable storylines such a collection could convey. Barbershops certainly deserve their moment in the spotlight! Thank you for providing such an honest analysis and critique.

Can you believe that the profession has been around since Ancient Egypt. Thanks for your wonderful comment. and for stopping by.

[Mariana Figueira]

Sounds lovely, it´s a shame it didn´t come together very well. Very nice review

[PeterRabitt20]

Sounds lovely, it´s a shame it didn´t come together very well. Very nice review

It would have been nice to see it that way. Thanks for stopping and commenting.

[Anusha Thatavarthi]

I like the concept behind this book. No profession is trivial and books like this will help children to pursue their dreams without shame. Thanks for the great review!

[PeterRabitt20]

I like the concept behind this book. No profession is trivial and books like this will help children to pursue their dreams without shame. Thanks for the great review!

That is an important point. Thanks for stopping by, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!