Coming of age--free-verse style: new poetry titles celebrate and encourage the spirits of youngsters.Tough Boy Sonatas By Curtis L. Crisler Illustrations by Floyd Cooper Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press, February 2007 $19.95, ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 1-932-42577-2 Ages 13 and up In this collection, Crisler, a Cave Canem Fellow at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne Academics Synthesis of two university systems IPFW's degrees are awarded by either Purdue University or Indiana University on a program-by-program basis. IPFW's schools and academic divisions are not each identified specifically as Indiana University units or as , interprets the innocence of childhood and the realities of young manhood of boys living in Gary, Indiana. In thought-provoking verses, he portrays the honesty and challenges of the boys' lives in examples such as playing with uncles, encountering a robber and having a crush on a pretty tomboy tomboy Psychology A popular term for a girl whose developmental gender-identity/role is discordant with her genotype. Cf Sissy. . While the verses have a way of stirring familiar images, Cooper's distinctive artistic style perfectly captures the spirit of Crisler's characters and their voices. On My Journey Now: Looking at African American History African American history is the portion of American history that specifically discusses the African American or Black American ethnic group in the United States. Most African Americans are the descendants of African slaves held in the United States from 1619 to 1865. Through the Spirituals By Nikki Giovanni Candlewick can·dle·wick n. 1. The wick of a candle. 2. a. A soft heavy cotton thread similar to that used to make wicks for candles. b. Embroidery made of tufts of this thread. Press, March 2007 $18.99, ISBN 0-763-62885-7 Ages 11-14 "Nobody knows specifically when or where particular spirituals were created and sung," writes Arthur C. Jones, Ph.D., director of the Spirituals Project, in the Foreword of Giovanni's latest book. We do know, however, that spirituals, those sacred and uplifting African American African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. religious folks songs, have been a part of black culture since the 17th century. In On My Journey Now, Giovanni employs her poet's sensibility to examine such well-known songs as "Steal Away" and "This Little Light of Mine "This Little Light of Mine" is a negro spiritual, themed on the importance of unity in the face of struggle. Under the influence of Zilphia Horton, Fannie Lou Hamer and others it eventually became a Civil Rights anthem in the 1950s and 1960s. ." Young Cornrows Cornrows are a traditional style of hair grooming of African origin where the hair is tightly braided very close to the scalp, using an underhand, upward motion to produce a continuous, raised row. Callin' Out the Moon Written by Ruth Forman Illustrated by Cbabi Bayoc Children's Book Press, April 2007 $16.95, ISBN 0-892-39218-5 Ages 4 and up Poet Ruth Forman recalls the summers of her childhood that she spent with her family in South Philly. She celebrates her experiences in this 24-page book, which is one, long poem. The author joyfully recounts playing double Dutch, getting her hair braided and the delight of sharing home-cooked meals. Bayoc's lively, full-page illustrations don't miss a beat; they are right in tune "wit black magic in brownstone brownstone, red to brown variety of sandstone. Its unusual color is caused in some instances by the presence of red iron oxide which acts as a cement, binding the sand grains together. steps." If: A Father's Advice to His Son, A Poem By Rudyard Kipling Photographs by Charles R. Smith Jr. Ginee Seo Books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers, March 2007 $14.99, ISBN 0-689-87799-5 What makes a boy into a man? The question is posed inside this recent publication of If: A Father's Advice to His Son. The revered and inspirational poem If first appeared in 1902. Photographer Charles R. Smith Jr. says the poem British author and poet Rudyard Kipling has stayed with him ever since being introduced to it in the sixth grade. The poem's description of virtues that build character such as self-confidence, patience and integrity are timeless. Now Smith has combined his own photographs of sports games with Kipling's words to present a modern-day inspirational guide. The poem is spread across pages with images of games on baseball diamonds and soccer fields, and the bold type emphasizes the message of being encouraged and motivated. Though the poem ends on a masculine note, readers will find its message is suited for every reader--boys and girls, young and old. Clarence V. Reynolds is the managing editor of Black Issues Book Review. |
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