Book #1: Uncle Jed's Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell

Uncle Jed's Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell.
Illustrator: James Ransome
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks 1993

Uncle Jed's Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell is a novel set in Southern America from Depression Era to the 50s. It follows the story of a young girl who admires her Uncle Jed and the hardships they as a family face because of sickness, Depression, and other social issues. Issues of segregation are brought into light through the sickness of a young girl who must wait until all the white patients are seen before she can be. Further, this book sheds a bit of light into what it was like to live in the south during the Great Depression. Perhaps one of the most poignant lines in the book was when Mitchell writes, "nobody had much money then." During the Depression, Uncle Jed is the sole barber in their southern county, and he shows humanitarian tendencies by accepting food as payment. The family shows strength and makes it though tough times as a large group. This book is a story of inspiration and love.

The only issue I question in this book is the lack of elaboration after hard times hit Uncle Jed and his family. At various times, Uncle Jed lost all the money he had saved, and each time, he just seemed to 'let it go' and move on from it. I feel as though this is an unrealistic portrayal of what anyone would do at a point like this. It made the various situations seem as though they were 'ok', when in actuality, it is not acceptable for any child is denied heath services if they are sick; it is not right for someone lose all of their money they have saved because of a bank failure. The narrator merely indicates that at the end that Uncle Jed taught her how to dream and strive to realize those dreams.


The illustrations in this book are by James Ransome. The oil paints are colorful and vivid. They shed a bit of light into the beauty of Southern America. These pictures add to, rather than take away from, the story of Uncle Jed.

According to the Mississippi Writers Page, Margaree King Mitchell is an African American female who was born and raised in Mississippi. According to Mitchell, his book was written in response to a belief that many young black children lacked the confidence they needed and couldn't find that confidence through history in their school libraries.

This book won the Coretta Scott King Award and was featured on Reading Rainbow.