Winner of the 2018 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers
A Newbery Honor Book
A Caldecott Honor Book
A Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
An Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award Book
An Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor Book
A Society of Illustrators Gold Medal Book

Named one of the best books of 2017 by NPR, the Huffington Post, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Horn Book Magazine, the News & Observer, BookPage, Chicago Public Library, and more

The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother’s hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices.

A fresh cut makes boys fly.

This rhythmic, read-aloud title is an unbridled celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel when they leave the barber’s chair—a tradition that places on their heads a figurative crown, beaming with jewels, that confirms their brilliance and worth and helps them not only love and accept themselves but also take a giant step toward caring how they present themselves to the world. The fresh cuts. That’s where it all begins.

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the beautiful, raw, assured humanity of black boys and how they see themselves when they approve of their reflections in the mirror.

Educational resources for Crown can be found here.

"[A] must-read for Chicago’s foodies."— Publishers Weekly

The untold stories behind Chicago's globally celebrated culinary scene—from revolutionary chefs to kitchen disasters to public uproars to Michelin stars, told by the cooks, servers, restaurateurs, critics, dreamers, and rebels who built America's most fearless food city.

Whether serious destination diners, weekend visitors, or fans of The Bear, everyone knows Chicago has long outgrown its mid-twentieth-century reputation as a steak-and-potatoes town. The last fifty years have seen it explode into world prominence as one of America’s best places to eat—and ground zero of some of America’s greatest cooking. When Michelin first started awarding stars in the United States, they selected Chicago as one of the first cities so recognized. But the story of this ascendency—and of nationally famed chefs like Rick Bayless, Charlie Trotter, Grant Achatz, Stephanie Izard, and many others—has never been fully revealed in all its messy, dramatic, high-energy glory.

The Chicago Way traces Chicago’s growth as a dining capital over the past fifty-plus years through an oral history made up of the voices of those who led, drove, and otherwise took part in that transformation. Readers will learn how the city’s diners (and millions of happily sated visitors) grew to love new and more adventurous ways of eating, from hot dogs with foie gras to molecular gastronomy. These first-person accounts show how restaurants played a key role in transforming the city’s culture, creating hot new neighborhoods—before sometimes getting priced out of them—and driving economic growth not just downtown, but increasingly into its kaleidoscopically diverse neighborhoods. 

This is a dynamic plunge into the chaos and glory of the restaurant world, charged with the unfiltered voices of the men and women who helped make Chicago’s food culture what it is today. Focusing on real estate, finance, and economics as well as food and creativity, these insider accounts together tell a powerful story about the essential influence of Chicago chefs and restaurants on contemporary American cuisine that will appeal to everyone interested in food, restaurants, and dining.

James Beard Award–winning Michael Gebert has written for decades about hundreds of Chicago food figures from every background, and in The Chicago Way, he includes contributions from national celebrities such as Top Chef winners Stephanie Izard and Joe Flamm, Alinea chef Grant Achatz, and Michelin-starred chef and author Lane Regan, among many other notables. His vast network and deep knowledge are reflected in the scores of both famed and unsung food professionals included here, arrayed into a narrative mosaic that reveals the stories behind the story of Chicago’s greatest, most important, and most memorable places to eat food.

The owner of the legendary Hoosier Mama Pie Company turns breakfast into an art form with this go-to guide for baking scones, muffins, and other morning favorites.

In the fifteen years since Paula Haney started Hoosier Mama Pie Company, it has become both a local favorite and national destination, widely regarded as one of the top pie shops in the country. But not everyone wants pie for breakfast, and after opening an Evanston location that opened at 6:30 a.m., Haney and her team began to dream up new sweet and savory bakes for the perfect morning. 

With the same focus on local produce and fresh, seasonal ingredients that made her pies a Chicago institution, and the same warmth and easygoing style of The Hoosier Mama Book of Pie, Haney again invites home bakers into her kitchen—this time with a collection of budget-friendly recipes that largely go from idea to eating in under an hour. This book is meant to be kept on the kitchen counter with a dusting of flour between its pages. It’s a working manual with practical tips and techniques along with base recipes that can handle endless variations, encouraging readers to discover their own favorite combinations.

Whether it’s browned butter banana-Nutella quick bread, scones packed with maple and bacon or strawberries and basil, tender Danishes with cream cheese and fruit, or biscuit sandwiches with all the fixings, these delicious, approachable recipes will make everyday breakfast feel like a special occasion—all before the coffee’s even brewed. 

For millions of Americans, the COVID shock has brought retirement saving to an abrupt halt—now it’s time to get back on track. 

Even before the pandemic, a large share of households by Americans over age 50 faced the threat that their living standards would decline sharply in retirement. In the wake of COVID-19, these numbers will surely worsen. In Retirement Reboot: Commonsense Financial Strategies for Getting Back on Track, finance writer and regular New York Times retirement contributor Mark Miller offers practical strategies for Americans to improve their retirement prospects.

If you’re nearing retirement age and worry you haven’t saved enough, Retirement Reboot will walk you through the core decisions to make now to improve your retirement outcomes—even if retirement is just a few years away. You’ll learn how to make a plan, think through the timing of retirement, optimize Social Security, navigate Medicare, build savings, and tap home equity. You’ll also explore ongoing strategies, such as careful budgeting, generating income from work even after retirement, planning for long-term care, and leveraging special assistance aimed at low-income workers. If you have low savings, or none at all, Miller’s simple steps can help you make the most of your remaining working years and reboot the retirement you always imagined.