Belmont Hills Elementary in Bensalem celebrates Author Day with presentation by Derrick Barnes
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
When author Derrick Barnes first discovered his passion for writing, he wasn’t thinking about his professional career. He was 10 years old, the same age as the dozens of students who listened to him with rapt attention inside the auditorium of Belmont Hills Elementary.
On the morning of Thursday, Jan. 31, the Bensalem-based school welcomed Barnes, who flew in from his home in Kansas City, Missouri, for a special Author Day presentation.
For the students, his visit was highly anticipated. During the weeks prior, librarian Eliza Savage introduced them to several of his published works, including Crown: Ode to the Fresh Cut. Appearing on every major awards list in children’s literature in 2018, the book touches on confidence, positivity and self-affirmation, all things Barnes practiced, even when the future of his career looked bleak.
While speaking to the students, Barnes was candid and relatable as he chronicled how he recognized his talent for writing. Throughout his youth, Barnes always had a knack for penning lyrics with his friend TJ.
“I wanted to be a rap star,” he said, laughing about his stage name “Dangerous D.”
But things changed in fifth grade when an assignment required him to write a short story. Barnes created an elaborate tale about a dog traveling across the country in search of a magic bone. Though TJ thought it was the dumbest thing he ever read, the rest of Barnes’ class was riveted when he read it aloud.
“They were hanging onto every single word,” he reflected.
It was in that moment Barnes realized he was destined for more than a rap career, and began using all of his spare time to write more short stories, poems and songs. Barnes continued to hone his craft in college, where he managed an advice column in the school newspaper at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, he landed his first job in August 1999 at Hallmark in Kansas City.
“I was the first black man in the history of the company to be hired as a copywriter,” he said.
After three years at Hallmark, a time that saw the publication of his first book Stop, Drop and Chill, Barnes and his wife moved to New Orleans, where she was hired in the medical field. According to Barnes, it was here that he “became a man.”
“I left this cush job and, if you name it in New Orleans, I did it,” he said.
To make ends meet for his wife and four sons, Barnes drove trucks, served as a substitute teacher and worked in an emergency room, all while celebrating the releases of The Making of Dr. Truelove, Ruby and the Booker Boys and We Could Be Brothers. Though each saw some success, his writing career fell flat in 2010. For six years, Barnes was unable to land a publishing deal.
“It was rough,” he said. “But there’s one thing that I did not stop doing. I did not stop writing. Not one time did I put my pen down or stop typing. I was in a really low place, but I did not stop writing.”
In 2016, his luck finally changed. Inspired by a Facebook photo of a friend’s son at the barbershop, he had the perfect idea for what would become his first picture book.
“The poetry’s going to be about not just the majesty and the beauty of haircuts, but black boys and their existence in the world,” he thought at the time.
Barnes began compiling images of black children from across the country, each capturing the confidence felt after their respective barbershop visits. Soon after, he linked up with New York Times best selling author Denene Millner of Denene Millner Books/Agate, and illustrator Gordon James, both of whom helped make his vision a reality.
“I had everything I needed. I was ready to make my grand comeback,” he said.
James used Barnes’ son Silas as a model for the illustrations, portraying him on the cover of Crown exuding an unshakeable sense of swag after a fresh cut. When James showed him the finished product, he was overcome with emotion.
“I just started welling up with tears. I thought back to all those tough days when I didn’t have a book deal. Nobody was asking me to publish anything, and here I was about to release my first picture book,” he said. “I just felt so honored and so privileged to put it out into the world and do this thing.”
Crown was released on Oct. 10, 2017, and quickly became Barnes’ most popular book to date, earning numerous awards last February including the Newbery Honor, Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King Author and Illustrator Honors, Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award and Society of Illustrators Gold Medal. Every day, Barnes receives at least 20 photos a day from fathers and sons reading Crown together at their barbershops.
While continuing to enjoy the unprecedented success of Crown, Barnes has signed seven new book deals, and is currently working on three. For him, it’s still surreal to think about all that’s happened to him over the past year. But he can proudly say that he never lost his positivity. Even on those darkest days, he woke up believing something amazing would happen.
“There will be some great times in your lives, and some not so great times,” he told the students. “But you have to lean on the people that really love and support you. You can’t give up on yourself. You have to believe in what you are. Look in the mirror every morning and remind yourself of who you are — you are great. I had to do that every morning, and I did not give up. Whatever you feel like you do well, you keep on doing that.”
Author Day concluded with a reading of Crown, followed by a Q&A session and book signing. ••
Samantha Bambino can be reached at [email protected]
