My Fade Is Fresh

Shauntay Grant (she/her) is an author, poet, playwright, and multimedia artist. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia, and is an associate professor of creative writing at Dalhousie University. A former poet laureate for the City of Halifax, her honors include a Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, a Joseph S. Stauffer Prize, and a Poet Of Honour prize from the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. She lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Learn more about her at shauntaygrant.comKitt Thomas (they/them) is a N­ew York Tim­es be­st-se­lling illustrator and NAACP Image ­Award winner. They are a first-generation Lucian American, an author, and  a graduate of the Ringling College of Art and Design with a BFA in visual studies. Kitt’s mission is to celebrate Black culture with their drawings and to encourage inclusion in all forms of art, as they found it hard to see themself properly represented in the media they enjoyed growing up. Kitt has worked with such companies as Netflix, Hasbro, and Cartoon Network. They live in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Praise for MY FADE IS FRESH By Shauntay Grant:★ "A winner-takes-all glimpse of one of childhoods major milestones, taking agency over fashion choices, personality, and style." —School Library Journal, starred review★ "The call and response detailing myriad creative Black hairstyles is both ahumorous romp and a glorious celebration of Black beauty. This fun, powerful, and empowering tale belongs on every shelf." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review★ "Pays tribute to the beautiful versatility of Black hair while emphasizing the importance of a kid staying true to themself. An affirming, communal take on a routine barbershop visit, starring a cool, collected child who knows their mind." —Publisher's Weekly, starred review★ "Thomas’ illustrations are as fresh as the girl’s new look, pulling in vibrant colors and a graffiti-mural style…[T]his book is perfect for kids learning about self-expression, confidence, and decision-making, and the energetic illustrations and humorous story line provide a great reading experience for any child, whether they are familiar with barbershops or not.” —Booklist, starred review" "The “be yourself” message is a perennial favorite of picture books, but this one brings a lively freshness with its joyful cast and exuberant celebration of Black hair. The bouncing rhyme makes it an ideal storytime selection. The dynamic illustrations effortlessly match the text’s energy...his sweet ode to both Black hair and individual choice is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser." —BCCB Reviews“Representation matters, and this book is a reflection of all of us who say YES to ourselves even when people try to steer us different.” —Luvvie Ajayi Jones, New York Times best-selling author of Professional Troublemaker“Shauntay rocks the FRESH verse!” —Derrick Barnes, author of Crown: An Ode To The Fresh Cut