J.D. and the Hair Show Showdown Read online

  Kokila

  An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, New York

  First published in the United States of America by Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2021

  Text copyright © 2021 by John Dillard

  Illustrations copyright © 2021 by Akeem S. Roberts

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  Kokila & colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

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  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

  Hardcover ISBN 9780593111581

  Paperback ISBN 9780593111604

  Ebook ISBN 9780593111598

  Design by Jasmin Rubero, adapted for ebook by Michelle Quintero

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

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  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1: The Send-Off

  Chapter 2: The Great Metropolis

  Chapter 3: Big Time

  Chapter 4: Starstruck

  Chapter 5: Action Packed

  Chapter 6: The Amazing Show

  Chapter 7: Head of the Class

  Chapter 8: Barber Pros

  Chapter 9: Junior Barber Showcase

  Chapter 10: Li’l Eazy Breezy Up Close

  Chapter 11: Hot Sauce

  Chapter 12: J.D., the Kid Celebrity Barber

  Chapter 13: Showtime!

  Chapter 14: Meridian on the Map

  CHAPTER 1

  The Send-Off

  “J.D., give me a hand with this table shade,” my grandfather called out as he set up a row of white folding tables. My family and friends were coming over for dinner to wish me luck! I was getting ready to fly to Atlanta for the Beauty Brothers Hair Expo.

  It all started when my older sister, Vanessa, and I posted a video of us doing hair on YouTube and entered it in a contest at the local TV station. We won and got to do a live interview, which was a lot of fun. I thought that was the biggest prize we could get, but then a woman from the hair show called after she saw the segment and asked Mom if I could come to the expo as a “Social Media Sensation.” Mom talked it over with my grandparents—they always make big decisions together—and they agreed, so long as Mom could go, too. Now it’s about to happen!

  Granddad and I put up the shade just as some cars pulled into the driveway. The minivan belonged to my and my sister’s friend Jessyka. My other peewee football buddies, Xavier and Eddie, weren’t far behind with their parents.

  My best friend, Jordan, didn’t have to drive with his folks because they lived next door. Each guest brought a different dish to our party, and I couldn’t wait to taste everything! The last time we got together like this was when my mom graduated with her business degree. She had been in school a lot since she, Vanessa, my baby brother, Justin, and I moved in with my grandparents. She tried nursing first, but now she was happy working as the mayor’s top aide.

  I sat between Vanessa and Jordan at one of the long tables as we munched on homemade fish sticks made from the catfish Xavier’s dad had caught. I pushed around the potato salad on my plate and kept my eye on the glazed butter pound cake Granddad had made. He was the baker in the family.

  “Come here, J.D., and finish off the spoon!” he’d tell me after he dumped the batter into the Bundt mold. He was usually pretty strict, except when he was baking.

  “So, what are you going to do in Atlanta, J.D.?” Jordan asked. “Are you going to see your dad? Is Li’l Eazy Breezy really going to be there?”

  My dad knew I was going to be in Atlanta for the Beauty Brothers Hair Expo. But he had just started a new job as something called an auditor, and he had to travel a lot.

  “It’s kinda like I make sure everybody’s math problems are correct. I show up to different companies around the country and check that they’ve added up their money right,” Dad had told me when I asked what an “auditor” did. I liked to imagine him strolling up to office buildings with a huge calculator, solving everyone’s word problems for them.

  “I think my dad might have to work, but he told me he’d call me to cheer me on,” I told Jordan.

  I reached into my pocket to pull out the brochure the Beauty Brothers had mailed. “And yes, Li’l Eazy Breezy is supposed to be there.”

  Li’l Eazy Breezy was the country’s best kid rapper. His songs had millions of views on YouTube. Even grown-ups liked to dance to them.

  I flattened the three-sided brochure in front of my sister and Jordan.

  “Look,” I said, “there’s me!” I pointed to a small photo of myself smiling.

  The headline read:

  SOCIAL MEDIA RISING STARS:

  J.D. THE KID BARBER AND ISABEL IS INCREDIBLE

  Two young hair prodigies display their skills for the audience. Sponsored by Smooth Cuts Razors.

  The bio my mom and I had worked on together was printed underneath.

  J.D. the Kid Barber is eight years old (almost nine!) and lives in Meridian, Mississippi. He got his start with hair by cutting his own, then his friends’ hair, before winning a barber competition against seasoned barber Henry Hart Jr. He went to work in Mr. Hart’s barbershop, Hart and Son, and started a YouTube channel with his sister, Vanessa. He has appeared on regional television. This is his first hair show.

  “Who is Isabel Is Incredible?” Vanessa asked aloud. “I saw her come up one time in my YouTube feed, but I didn’t watch the video.”

  Vanessa grabbed the brochure and read Isabel’s bio to all of us.

  Isabel Is Incredible started learning how to style hair at age five (kindergarten!). Isabel is from Los Angeles, California, and specializes in wigs, extensions, man units, and hairpieces for hair loss. She was a baby model for Gap, has her own YouTube channel, and has appeared as a guest on several Nickelodeon shows. She is the daughter of Amy and Sam Light, both full-time haircare professionals.

  “Hmm, looks like she got started doing hair before you, J.D.,” Vanessa said. “Good luck.”

  “It’s not a competition, Vanessa,” I said. “It’s a showcase. We both have talents to show the audience.”

  I took the brochure back. Then I pointed to the last page and held it up to Jordan’s face.

  “See, look here,” I said. “Li’l Eazy Breezy is performing on Saturday night.”

  Li’l Eazy Breezy’s image had been designed into the background of the page.

  “I dare you to take a picture with him,” Vanessa said with a smile on her face.

  The gears in her mind were always working. She was always thinking of a new challenge. If she hadn’t convinced me to start a YouTube channel with her, I never would have been invited to this hair show. Sometimes she pushed me in good ways.

  Snapping a selfie with Li’l Eazy Breezy probably wouldn’t happen, but I was excited
to learn from some of my favorite barbers I’d seen on Instagram, like Colorful Kris. I was sure I could take some new ideas back to Meridian. I loved to draw and cut designs into people’s heads, but Colorful Kris was way better than me! He even had his own line of colored pencils.

  Just then, my grandfather tapped a fork on his glass of iced tea with lemon and stood up.

  “Thanks, everyone, for coming out to support my grandson and wish him well on his big trip to Atlanta to attend the Beauty Brothers Hair Expo!

  “I don’t know who the Beauty Brothers are, or what even happens at a hair show—as you can see, I don’t have much use for hair products.” Granddad pointed to his bald head, and people laughed at his joke. “But I can’t wait for J.D. to get back to Meridian and tell us all about it.”

  Everyone paused to clap and look at me. My family and neighbors always had my back.

  “Keep digging in! The dessert table is now available!” Granddad took the cover off his pound cake.

  “J.D., you get the first slice,” he finished.

  As the sun started to go down, people slowly began to leave. I overheard Mom tell a neighbor that I had to go to bed soon because we had a long day ahead.

  I ran over to say goodbye to Jessyka, Eddie, Xavier, and Jordan.

  “I’ll tell you about everything when I’m back on Monday,” I said.

  “I went to Atlanta once for a track meet,” Jessyka said. “There’s so much to do there. I bet you won’t wanna come back!”

  Jessyka was a super athlete, and her parents put her in almost every sport. But she was just as interested in computer graphics and editing. She helped us edit our contest-winning YouTube video.

  “Nah,” I said. “We have football practice starting up next week. I’d never miss it.”

  It was true. I was having a hard time imagining the weekend without my friends, Granddad, Grandma, Vanessa, and Justin. I wished they could all fly with me!

  CHAPTER 2

  The Great Metropolis

  “Seat belts on and tray tables up! We are now preparing for our descent into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport,” the flight attendant said as I stared out the window.

  It was hard to believe what I saw a few minutes later. The cars driving around the city below looked like ants. And the tall buildings reminded me of a scene from Spider-Man, when he perched on the Brooklyn Bridge and looked out at Manhattan.

  Back home, Granddad had to drive us to the airport in Jackson, Mississippi, to take the one-hour flight to Atlanta.

  “What’s flying going to feel like, Mom?” I had asked as we boarded the plane. This was my first flight. My stomach was already twisting.

  “I think you’ll like it, my brave son. Your ears may pop a little, but we’ll be fine. It’s a short flight.”

  I think I was nervous because of what Jordan had told me. He flew all the time to go on vacation with his family.

  “J.D., when you take off and go up in the air, the plane shakes hard, like you’re about to go down, almost,” he had said. “It’s better than any roller coaster!”

  When I asked my mom about it, she explained that the shaking happens because we’re slicing through the clouds and that it wouldn’t last the whole flight.

  She was right. Once we got to what the flight crew called “cruising altitude,” the flight was smooth. It was even fun! I’d spent half the time watching cartoons on the little TV screen on the back of the seat in front of me and half peeking out the window, watching the clouds. The world looked different from this high up.

  A flight attendant had even come down the aisle and offered free earbuds to whoever wanted them.

  Mom had grabbed a pair for both of us and put hers into her ears first.

  “Try them on,” she had told me. “It’ll help you with the cabin pressure.”

  It was like flying had its own language. Who ever heard of cabin pressure?

  As the plane glided closer to the airport, I got even more excited. For the whole weekend, I’d be surrounded by people who loved cutting hair as much as I did. There was only one barbershop in Meridian, but there’d be hundreds of barbers and stylists at the hair show. And I’d be one of them! As great as my first plane ride was, I couldn’t wait to put my feet back on the ground.

  CHAPTER 3

  Big Time

  When the plane landed, Mom said we could go straight to the ground transportation area because we didn’t check any bags. We only brought one small carry-on suitcase each. I also had a backpack for my barber gear. The instructions Beauty Brothers had emailed us asked us to look for a man in a black hat and black suit carrying a sign that said j.d. and veronica jones.

  I grabbed Mom’s hand as we walked over to a tall brown-skinned man with a friendly smile on his face.

  Mom reached out and shook the man’s hand.

  “Hello there, I’m Gus with Atlanta Limos,” he said. “I’ll be in charge of making sure you get to and from the airport safely this weekend.”

  We rolled our carry-ons out to the curb while Gus pulled up in a real-life limousine!

  This was another first for me—a limo ride! The inside was even cooler than the outside, with blinking neon lights on the ceiling and beverages and snacks in the back seat. I wasn’t sure if I could take a bag of chips, but Gus insisted. I looked up at my mom just in case, and she nodded and smiled. This was already the best day ever!

  After about a fifteen-minute drive, Gus parked in front of a giant building that said four seasons hotel. It was way taller than anything I’d ever seen in Meridian! A massive arch sat above the entrance topped by six flags, each from a different country. I imagined what the new Mississippi state flag with the magnolia in the middle would look like next to the American flag. Gold revolving doors sparkled as people went through them.

  A couple of guys in gray uniforms took our bags and instructed us to check in at the desk in the lobby.

  “Just give them your name, ma’am, and they’ll take care of everything,” one of the guys told my mom.

  Mom said thank you and handed him a ten-dollar bill as a tip. I wondered if the hotel employees kept a tip jar somewhere like I did.

  The lobby was just as amazing as the outside of the building. There was shiny marble everywhere and a grand staircase as soon as you walked in. I wondered what it would be like to sprint up the stairs like the high school football team ran up the bleachers. Then I’d slide down the bannister from the very top!

  We got checked in and headed up to our room on the tenth floor. It was almost as big as my whole house in Meridian! There were two big beds and a giant TV.

  I immediately hopped on one of the beds and moved my arms up and down, as if they were wings. Then I noticed a box wrapped up in a ribbon on the nightstand. I opened it. Inside, there were hair supplies and brand-new Smooth Cuts clippers!

  I turned to show Mom. “I can’t believe it!” I shouted.

  “Well, I can!” she said. “You’re a star, J.D., and I’m glad this organization is treating you as such.”

  Mom held out her hand and motioned for me to give her the printout of the schedule we were emailed.

  “It says here that we are entitled to room service and meals at the hotel restaurant,” Mom said. “The hotel also has a business center, gym, pool, and spa with steam rooms.”

  I knew I forgot to bring my swim shorts, but I asked Mom if we could go to the pool anyway.

  “I’m afraid we won’t have time. Look at this schedule!” Mom read the description of an event that afternoon where we’d meet the convention sponsors, industry leaders, special guests, and the Beauty Brothers executives. It was called a meet-and-greet.

  I wondered why they wouldn’t have it at the pool. That seemed like a great idea.

  “Okay, now, go ahead and shower, change your clothes, and then we’ll head down to the convention cente
r,” Mom said. “While you’re in there, I’ll let your grandparents know we’re settled in.”

  We had just landed, and it already felt like the best weekend of my life. How could it possibly get better?

  CHAPTER 4

  Starstruck

  I put on my Sunday best for the meet-and-greet, which was always black shiny shoes, black pants, and a white button-down shirt. But somehow, I still felt a little underdressed. Most adults were in work clothes, wearing what looked like nicer versions of my church clothes and the clothes Granddad wore to his burial insurance business meetings. I wondered what Jordan would say. He was the one who gave me fashion advice.

  The first person to come over to us was a lady with straight shoulder-length hair, who introduced herself as Holly Williams, the marketing director who had reached out to me on YouTube.

  “Oh my goodness, it’s nice to meet you, J.D.!” she said. She shook my mom’s hand, and then she shook mine. “How was your trip? Did everything go smoothly?”

  “Everything was perfect, Ms. Williams,” my mom replied. “Thank you for taking good care of us. This should be an eye-opening experience for my son.”

  People in even fancier dress clothes walked around offering everyone water, wine, or soda. There were also little trays with pigs in blankets, chicken fingers, and pita bread with something I’d read about called hummus. I ate everything they offered.

  After about thirty minutes, the doors opened and I could see a big ballroom. There were tables with white cloths on them surrounding a big stage.Was there going to be more food? I guess I didn’t need those extra snacks from the limo.

  As we entered the room, a greeter asked for our last name and ushered us to our assigned table. Mom and I sat down. We were the first ones at our table.

  Suddenly, there was a loud gasp followed by a squeal and a shriek.