edited by Wade Hudson & illustrated by Floyd Cooper ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1993
Chosen for their appeal to the elementary age, 19 short poems, mainly by such standards as Paul Laurence Dunbar, Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, Eloise Greenfield, and Nikki Giovanni. The majority deal with the universal activities and preoccupations of childhood; a few (most poignantly, Cullen's ``Incident,'' describing a small black boy offering a smile to a white boy on a bus and receiving an epithet in return) are specific to the African-American experience. Cooper's luminous full-bleed oil paintings provide a context for each poem and suggest an identity for its narrator. An excellent resource for extending Black History studies into literature. Thumbnail sketches of the 14 poets are included. (Poetry/Picture book. 6-10)
Pub Date: March 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-590-45770-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1993
Share your opinion of this book
More by Wade Hudson
BOOK REVIEW
by Wade Hudson ; illustrated by Don Tate
BOOK REVIEW
by Wade Hudson
BOOK REVIEW
by Wade Hudson ; illustrated by E.B. Lewis
by Willie Perdomo & illustrated by Bryan Collier ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2001
A little girl is going with her daddy to visit the home of Langston Hughes. She too is a poet who writes about the loves of her life—her mommy and daddy, hip-hop, hopscotch, and double-dutch, but decidedly not kissing games. Langston is her inspiration because his poems make her “dreams run wild.” In simple, joyful verse Perdomo tells of this “Harlem girl” from “Harlem world” whose loving, supportive father tells her she is “Langston’s genius child.” The author’s own admiration for Hughes’s artistry and accomplishments is clearly felt in the voice of this glorious child. Langston’s spirit is a gentle presence throughout the description of his East 127th Street home and his method of composing his poetry sitting by the window. The presentation is stunning. Each section of the poem is part of a two-page spread. Text, in yellow, white, or black, is placed either within the illustrations or in large blocks of color along side them. The last page of text is a compilation of titles of Hughes’s poems printed in shades of gray in a myriad of fonts. Collier’s (Martin’s Big Words, 2001, etc.) brilliantly complex watercolor-and-collage illustrations provide the perfect visual complement to the work. From the glowing vitality of the little girl, to the vivid scenes of jazz-age Harlem, to the compelling portrait of Langston at work, to the reverential peak into Langston’s home, the viewer’s eye is constantly drawn to intriguing bits and pieces while never losing the sense of the whole. In this year of Langston Hughes’s centennial, this work does him great honor. (Poetry. 6-10)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-8050-6744-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2002
Share your opinion of this book
More by Willie Perdomo
BOOK REVIEW
by Willie Perdomo & illustrated by Bryan Collier
edited by Bobbi Katz & illustrated by Marylin Hafner ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2004
With an eye toward easy memorization, Katz gathers over 50 short poems from the likes of Emily Dickinson, Valerie Worth, Jack Prelutsky, and Lewis Carroll, to such anonymous gems as “The Burp”—“Pardon me for being rude. / It was not me, it was my food. / It got so lonely down below, / it just popped up to say hello.” Katz includes five of her own verses, and promotes an evident newcomer, Emily George, with four entries. Hafner surrounds every selection with fine-lined cartoons, mostly of animals and children engaged in play, reading, or other familiar activities. Amid the ranks of similar collections, this shiny-faced newcomer may not stand out—but neither will it drift to the bottom of the class. (Picture book/poetry. 7-9)
Pub Date: March 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-525-47172-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2004
Share your opinion of this book
More by Bobbi Katz
BOOK REVIEW
by Bobbi Katz and illustrated by Jane Manning
BOOK REVIEW
by Bobbi Katz & illustrated by Deborah Zemke
BOOK REVIEW
by Bobbi Katz & illustrated by LeUyen Pham
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.