POEMHOOD: OUR BLACK REVIVAL

A rich thoughtful anthology exploring centuries of Black poetry. —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)This deep and complex assemblage of Black poetry culminates in a joyful painful and emotionally rich experience. —Publishers Weekly (starred review)An eclectic mix of Black experiences fills this unmatched anthology that features both modern poets such as Nikki Giovanni and Ibi Zoboi and 'the brilliant Black poets who are now ancestors'... A fresh canon for poetry studies.—ALA Booklist (starred review)An excellent collection of poetry that is an insightful read on the Black experience—School and Library JournalStarring thirty-seven poets with contributions from acclaimed authors including Kwame Alexander Ibi Zoboi and Nikki Giovanni this breathtaking Black YA poetry anthology edited by National Book Award finalist Amber McBride Taylor Byas and Erica Martin celebrates Black poetry folklore and culture.Come claim your wings.Lift your life above the earthreturn to the land of your father’s birth.What exactly is it to be Black in America?Well for some it’s learning how to morph the hatred placed by others into love for oneself; for others it’s unearthing the strength it takes to continue to hold one’s swagger when multitudinous factors work to make Black lives crumble. For some it’s gathering around the kitchen table as Grandma tells the story of Anansi the spider while for others it's grinning from ear to ear while eating auntie’s spectacular 7Up cake.Black experiences and traditions are complex striking and vast—they stretch longer than the Nile and are four times as deep—and carry more than just unimaginable pain—there is also joy.Featuring an all-star group of thirty-seven powerful poetic voices including such luminaries as Kwame Alexander James Baldwin Ibi Zoboi Audre Lorde Nikki Giovanni and Gwendolyn Brooks this riveting anthology depicts the diversity of the Black experience by fostering a conversation about race faith heritage and resilience between fresh poets and the literary ancestors that came before them.Edited by Taylor Byas Erica Martin and Coretta Scott King New Talent Award winner Amber McBride Poemhood will simultaneously highlight the duality and nuance at the crux of so many Black experiences with poetry being the psalm constantly playing.A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection pick!