Named one of the best books of 2017 by NPR, the Huffington Post, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Horn Book Magazine, the News & Observer, BookPage, Chicago Public Library, and more The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother’s hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices. A fresh cut makes boys fly. This rhythmic, read-aloud title is an unbridled celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel when they leave the barber’s chair—a tradition that places on their heads a figurative crown, beaming with jewels, that confirms their brilliance and worth and helps them not only love and accept themselves but also take a giant step toward caring how they present themselves to the world. The fresh cuts. That’s where it all begins. Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the beautiful, raw, assured humanity of black boys and how they see themselves when they approve of their reflections in the mirror.

The controversial Netflix series The Crown covers the tumultuous period from the Queen’s accession in 1952 to the present day, and so does this book, which explores the rise, decline and—to some—unexpected rebound of the historic UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand alliance. While a post-Brexit and post-Elizabethan Britain seeks a new role in today’s volatile world, its traditional partner countries also recognise the logic of reinvigorating their relationship, based on a multitude of still-strong cultural, economic, political, and military ties, including the monarchy as a uniquely shared global, and not merely British, institution. But this wasn’t always the case. Although in the 1950s commentators spoke of a new "Elizabethan Age" with much postwar hope across the Commonwealth, that optimism quickly faded. By the 1970s, many thought Britain washed up and that Crown and Commonwealth ties and allegiance were becoming obsolete. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the four countries increasingly went their separate ways. So, a groggy time-traveller from that period appearing in London, Toronto, Sydney, or Auckland today would be taken by surprise by the durability of the Crown, even as it has passed to King Charles, and the growing reconvergence of the four "CANZUK" realms in terms of trade, defence, foreign policy coordination, freedom of movement, mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and other new or revived links. This book evocatively tells the whole story of where we are, what’s possible for the future, and not least how we got here. In today’s age of global instability and raw power politics, this renewed Anglosphere Crown Commonwealth alliance is more important and relevant than ever.

Fiction, Reading Recovery Level 10, F&P Level F, DRA2 Level 10, Theme, Stage Early, Character N/A

The Cross and Crown is a religious poem by Thomas Day Curtis that touches upon themes of salvation, repent, morality and other Christian values. Excerpt: "Not idle was the Nazarene the while; He marshaled on the other side of life The hosts of gentle truth and reason mild, Swaying with love the heart of man and child To long for freedom and the rights that guile Had trampled down amid intolerant strife. The work was one of love, the progress slow, For hell contended every inch of ground, And, through the church, assaulted every thing That wrought for good, and cat-like watched to spring Upon whoever rose to strike a blow To break the chains with which men's souls were bound."

The capital city lay in ruins. Portia helps rebuild it, one smashed building at time. But it’s not enough. She cannot forget those trapped on the other side of the closed portal. To get her people back, Portia must find a way around overwhelming forces determined to leave things as they are. Powerful queens and kings, strange invaders, magic, and beautiful young people, The Jack of Magic series has it all. Portia finds her ultimate destiny in the final book, Gold Crown.

Relationships between live and dead crown weight and d. b. h. (ranging from 0 to 40 inches), crown length, tree height, and crown ratio are presented for 11 conifer species in the Rocky Mountains.