Poetry

Gingerbread Days ~ Joyce Carol Thomas

This is a collection of poems celebrating the seasons of a family's love. There are twelve poems, one for each month of the year.

Ashley Bryan’s ABC of African American Poetry ~ Ashley Bryan

This is an alphabet book based around the theme of African American poets. Each letter of the alphabet has lines from a poem written by an African American poet.

The Friendly Four ~ Eloise Greenfield

Drummond declared that summer’s a bummer because there were no kids on his block to play with. Little by little everything changed when Dorene moved in, and then Louis, and then Rae.

My People ~ Langston Hughes

This is a beautiful book of faces set to the words of Langston Hughes' poem, "My People." The sepia portraits depict the beauty and the soul of the African-American culture!

Brothers & Sisters: Family Poems ~ Eloise Greenfield

This is a wonderful collection of poems about brothers and sisters. The poems deal with all kinds of family related topics including sibling rivalry and having a new baby sister.

These Hands ~ Hope Lynne Price

This is a poetic picture book about the power and beauty of our hands and all of the wonderful things that can come from our hands. "These hands can touch. These hands can feel. These hands create. These hands can build."

Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton ~ Don Tate

Despite being a slave, George Moses Horton taught himself to read as a boy. Horton loved words and was drawn to the lyrical sound of poetry.

Langston’s Train Ride ~ Robert Burleigh

This historic retelling details the moments on a train crossing the Mississippi River that led to poet Langston Hughes writing his poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers."

My America ~ Jan Spivey Gilchrist

his book is an illustrated poem that celebrates the the beauty and diversity of America's people, landscape, and wildlife.

The Blacker the Berry ~ Joyce Carol Thomas

This is a wonderful collection of poems written by Joyce Carol Thomas. The poems celebrate the beauty found in the many shades of "black."

Love to Langston ~ Tony Medina

Love to Langston is a tribute to poet, Langston Hughes. It is a biography of poems written by Tony Medina that capture glimpses into the life of Langston Hughes based on Hughes' own poetry and Medina's own imagination of what Hughes' life was like.

Bronzeville Boys and Girls ~ Gwendolyn Brooks

Bronzeville Boys and Girls is a collection of poetry by Gwendolyn Brooks that celebrates childhood! While it was inspired by a Chicago neighborhood, it reflects the joy, imagination, and freedom of being a child in most any neighborhood.

A Poem for Peter ~ Andrea Davis Pinkney

This book is a beautiful poem about the life of author, illustrator Ezra Jack Keats and how his renowned book, The Snowy Day, came to be.

‘Twas the Night B’fore Christmas ~ Melodye Rosales

Based on the original poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas" by Clement C. Moore, this African-American version has characters living on a small dairy farm in North Carolina near the turn of the century.

Carol of the Brown King ~ Langston Hughes

This is a beautifully illustrated compilation of five Nativity poems by Langston Hughes. The five poems included are "Carol of the Brown King," "Shepherd's Song at Christmas," "On a Christmas Night," "On a Pallet of Straw," and "The Christmas Story."

Under the Christmas Tree ~ Nikki Grimes

This is a collection of twenty-three poems about the many wonders of the Christmas season, told from an African-American perspective.

My Daddy Rules the World ~ Hope Anita Smith

This a collection of poems celebrating dads, pops, fathers, poppas, and daddies! This book would make an excellent Father's Day gift!

In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall ~ Javaka Steptoe

This is a collection of poems celebrating African American fathers and the influence that they have over their families. The poems are coupled with the artwork of Javaka Steptoe.

The Palm of My Heart ~ Davida Adedjouma

This is a collection of poems written by African American children. While the color black is often associated with negativity, darkness, and evil, these poems celebrate the beauty of being Black!