Reading is a scary prospect for many children, who often find going back to school a stressful event.
So Iowa-based barber Courtney Holmes had the brilliant idea of inviting children — from kindergartners to fifth-graders — to read books to him in exchange for a free back-to-school haircut.
While some children breezed through their chosen book, others struggled.
“The kids would come in, and I would say, ‘Go to the table and get a book you might like, and if you can’t read it, I’ll help you understand and we can read it together,'” Holmes told USA TODAY.
The father of two took a day off from his job at Spark Family Hair Salon to take part in an annual community event that helps children and parents prepare for the school year.
“To be honest, I was amazed,” he said. “The line started with four kids, and next thing I knew it was like 20 kids, all waiting for a haircut and eager to read.”
By the time the event ended, Holmes had at least 10 children who still needed haircuts. He handed out vouchers for free cuts and reminded the kids to bring a book.
The owner of Spark salon is now considering starting a monthly event in which kids can receive free haircuts if they read. “We don’t have books at the salon, so I’m going to bring books from my house, and people have started sending me free books,” Holmes said.