J.D. and the Great Barber Battle

J.D. and the Great Barber Battle, J. Dillard’s first novel, is also a fictionalized retelling of his childhood in a small Mississippi town. After a long, successful career as a barber, Dillard now uses his influence and fame to cut hair and to write for children, all in service of his personal goal to inspire others to follow their dreams. His J.D. the Kid Barber series falls under the genre of chapter books, which is primarily aimed at elementary-school-aged kids. Chapter books act as a bridge between illustration-heavy picture books and middle grade fiction and offer young readers a text-based experience that is augmented by vibrant drawings to immerse them more fully in the story. Writing for this age group allows Dillard to reach children of the same age he was when he first discovered his calling as a barber. By using his past experiences as a guide and setting the story in his hometown, Dillard gives the series a sense of authenticity while adding a dramatic flair to captivate readers. In the second book, J.D. and the Family Business, J.D. joins forces with his sister when her hair tutorials start to gain an online following.