July 13 – Barbershop Music Appreciation Day

Celebrating Barbershop Music with Picture Books!

Uncle Jed’s Barbershop written and illustrated by Margaree King Mitchell (1993)

Sarah Jean’s Uncle Jed opened his first barbershop at the age of 79 years. Uncle Jed had been saving for this day all his life. First he had to overcome a hospital bill for Sarah Jean’s operation, then the Great Depression. He held onto his dream even when customers couldn’t afford to pay him, and when he did open his barbershop he had fancy equipment and a tall red and white barber pole.

Here are some picture books based on popular barbershop music.

I’ve Been Working on the Railroad written and illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott (1996)

Frog Went A-Courting written by John Langstaff and illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky (1972)

You Are My Sunshine written and illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church (2011)

She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain written by Jonathan Emmett and illustrated by Deborah Allwright (2007)