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Bronzeville Boys and Girls
This classic picture book from Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Gwendolyn Brooks, paired with full-color illustrations by Caldecott Honor artist Faith Ringgold, explores the lives and dreams of the children who live together in an urban neighborhood. In 1956, Gwendolyn Brooks created thirty-four poems that celebrated the joy, beauty, imagination, and freedom of childhood. Bronzeville Boys and Girls features these timeless poems, which remind us that whether we live in the Bronzeville section of Chicago or any other neighborhood, childhood is universal in its richness of emotions and new experiences.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1956
426 people want to read
About the author
Gwendolyn Brooks
125 books563 followersGwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Annie Allen and one of the most celebrated Black poets. She also served as consultant in poetry to the Library of Congress—the first Black woman to hold that position. She was the poet laureate for the state of Illinois for over thirty years, a National Women’s Hall of Fame inductee, and the recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Her works include We Are Shining, Bronzeville Boys and Girls, A Street in Bronzeville, In the Mecca, The Bean Eaters, and Maud Martha.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
August 11, 2020
If there is one poet who has a knack for cheering me up, it is Gwendolyn Brooks. I have a tendency to scroll through the Goodreads pages of my favorite authors to see which of their works I haven’t read yet. For Brooks who over the course of her illustrious career wrote volumes and collections of poems, this task gets trickier with each passing year. During this perusal of her page, I found a volume of poems that Brooks had written for children during the 1950s. There is nothing like the words of Gwendolyn Brooks who brings out the best that humanity has to offer to provide a pick me up for my mood.
Bronzeville Boys and Girls offers snippets into the daily life of children in the Chicago neighborhood that Brooks called home. The poems are illustrated by gifted juvenile artist Faith Ringgold with tender loving care and attention to detail of the time and place. According to Brooks’ daughter Nora Brooks Blakely, she believes that her mother’s poems were beloved and timeless “because these little pieces of life are a ‘that’s me!’ for children and a push of a ‘recall’ button for adults...Bronzeville Boys and Girls connects with our thens and our nows.”
From the 1920s through the 1950s, Chicago's South Side was the center for African-American culture and business. Known as "Bronzeville," the neighborhood was surprisingly small, but at its peak more than 300,000 lived in the narrow, seven-mile strip. James Gentry, a theater editor for the Chicago Bee, gave Bronzeville it’s name. He noted that African Americans' skin color was closer to bronze than black. The name was popularized by the Chicago Defender, a black newspaper with nationwide circulation. This is the neighborhood that Brooks called home and she is still considered one of its most famous residents, earning a plaque on the neighborhood’s walk of fame. While Bronzeville Boys and Girls was written with children in mind, it was yet another example of Brooks paying homage to the place she called home. Here are a few of my favorite selections:
Andre
I had a dream last night. I dreamed
I had to pick a Mother out.
I had to choose a Father too.
At first, I wondered what to do,
There were so many there, it seemed,
Short and tall and thin and stout.
But just before I sprang awake,
I knew what parents I would take.
And this surprised and made me glad:
They were the ones I always had!
John, Who is Poor
Oh, little children, be good to John!-
Who lives so lone and alone.
Whose Mama must hurry to toil all day.
Whose Papa is dead and done.
Give him a berry, boys, when you may,
And, girls, some mint when you can.
And do not ask when his hunger will end,
Not yet when it began.
Eldora, Who is Rich
“A rich girl moved in there,” they said.
And thought to find a golden head,
Almost, with diamond ears and eyes!
But soon there came a nice surprise.
They saw a child run out to see
Themselves. She yelled, “Please play with me!”
And brought her doll, and skipped, and smiled,
Like any other little child.
In this volume, Gwendolyn Brooks made children from all walks of life feel special. Her words and Ringgold’s illustrations brought a smile to my face. By making all humanity feel important, that they matter to the good of society, it is clear that Gwendolyn Brooks was decades ahead of the pulse of the society that she lived in. It is little wonder to me that she was the the poet laureate of Illinois for over thirty years, taking up and coming poets under her wing, and giving special attention to children. As always, reading even few of Brooks’ words brightens my day. Now to find another of her volumes that I haven’t read yet.
4.5 stars
Bronzeville Boys and Girls offers snippets into the daily life of children in the Chicago neighborhood that Brooks called home. The poems are illustrated by gifted juvenile artist Faith Ringgold with tender loving care and attention to detail of the time and place. According to Brooks’ daughter Nora Brooks Blakely, she believes that her mother’s poems were beloved and timeless “because these little pieces of life are a ‘that’s me!’ for children and a push of a ‘recall’ button for adults...Bronzeville Boys and Girls connects with our thens and our nows.”
From the 1920s through the 1950s, Chicago's South Side was the center for African-American culture and business. Known as "Bronzeville," the neighborhood was surprisingly small, but at its peak more than 300,000 lived in the narrow, seven-mile strip. James Gentry, a theater editor for the Chicago Bee, gave Bronzeville it’s name. He noted that African Americans' skin color was closer to bronze than black. The name was popularized by the Chicago Defender, a black newspaper with nationwide circulation. This is the neighborhood that Brooks called home and she is still considered one of its most famous residents, earning a plaque on the neighborhood’s walk of fame. While Bronzeville Boys and Girls was written with children in mind, it was yet another example of Brooks paying homage to the place she called home. Here are a few of my favorite selections:
Andre
I had a dream last night. I dreamed
I had to pick a Mother out.
I had to choose a Father too.
At first, I wondered what to do,
There were so many there, it seemed,
Short and tall and thin and stout.
But just before I sprang awake,
I knew what parents I would take.
And this surprised and made me glad:
They were the ones I always had!
John, Who is Poor
Oh, little children, be good to John!-
Who lives so lone and alone.
Whose Mama must hurry to toil all day.
Whose Papa is dead and done.
Give him a berry, boys, when you may,
And, girls, some mint when you can.
And do not ask when his hunger will end,
Not yet when it began.
Eldora, Who is Rich
“A rich girl moved in there,” they said.
And thought to find a golden head,
Almost, with diamond ears and eyes!
But soon there came a nice surprise.
They saw a child run out to see
Themselves. She yelled, “Please play with me!”
And brought her doll, and skipped, and smiled,
Like any other little child.
In this volume, Gwendolyn Brooks made children from all walks of life feel special. Her words and Ringgold’s illustrations brought a smile to my face. By making all humanity feel important, that they matter to the good of society, it is clear that Gwendolyn Brooks was decades ahead of the pulse of the society that she lived in. It is little wonder to me that she was the the poet laureate of Illinois for over thirty years, taking up and coming poets under her wing, and giving special attention to children. As always, reading even few of Brooks’ words brightens my day. Now to find another of her volumes that I haven’t read yet.
4.5 stars
February 5, 2017
Thanks to one of my Goodreads' friends, I was suggested the author Faith Ringgold. My class will be reading all her picture books that my library has because they are great for our Black History Month unit.
This book was written as individual poems. My students found it very confusing and boring. They couldn't understand what was going on at all.
This book was written as individual poems. My students found it very confusing and boring. They couldn't understand what was going on at all.
December 14, 2018
If at all possible, find the original with illustrations by Ronni Solbert. Yes, they will reveal that this is not a new book. However, it's not dated, either, imo. It's timeless. Funny at times, poignant at others, with a great understanding of what it means to be a child, esp. a child of the city. I'd love to quote several poems here, but it's short, so only one is 'fair use' I imagine.
*Charles*
Sick-times, you go inside yourself,
And scarce can come away.
You sit and look outside yourself
At people passing by.
(Yay for universities for not weeding important books.)
*Charles*
Sick-times, you go inside yourself,
And scarce can come away.
You sit and look outside yourself
At people passing by.
(Yay for universities for not weeding important books.)
March 6, 2017
Ugly, childish illustrations - these are definitely not an improvement on Ronni Solbert's original black-and-white drawings. I was disappointed to see that Solbert's name is entirely absent from this new edition. She doesn't even get a mention in the "about the book" historical bit.
The illustration for Timmy and Tawanda seems to miss the point. While Solbert has chosen a very straightforward portrayal of "Free to raid Mom's powder jar; Free to tackle Dad's cigar," Ringgold has the kids outside playing ball with the dog. I suppose this is "Let our leaping Rover loose," but the presence of an adult couple (the kin arriving in their Sunday best) doesn't really fit. The point is that the kids are left on their own. The illustration doesn't convey what the poem is about.
The poem Dave also has an odd illustration. Solbert shows a boy about four or five giving candy to his "baby sister" who appears to be one year old. Ringgold shows the girl as six or seven and the brother as a teenager (or older). Any girl who is that old shouldn't need to be "soothed." And what is with Ringgold's use of the constantly outstretched arms - arms and hands that are creepily huge? They are everywhere in this book.
Of course, the poems are just as wonderful.
The illustration for Timmy and Tawanda seems to miss the point. While Solbert has chosen a very straightforward portrayal of "Free to raid Mom's powder jar; Free to tackle Dad's cigar," Ringgold has the kids outside playing ball with the dog. I suppose this is "Let our leaping Rover loose," but the presence of an adult couple (the kin arriving in their Sunday best) doesn't really fit. The point is that the kids are left on their own. The illustration doesn't convey what the poem is about.
The poem Dave also has an odd illustration. Solbert shows a boy about four or five giving candy to his "baby sister" who appears to be one year old. Ringgold shows the girl as six or seven and the brother as a teenager (or older). Any girl who is that old shouldn't need to be "soothed." And what is with Ringgold's use of the constantly outstretched arms - arms and hands that are creepily huge? They are everywhere in this book.
Of course, the poems are just as wonderful.
Read
July 30, 2022Gwendolyn Brooks wrote this collection of poems to honor the children of Bronzeville, her neighborhood in South Side Chicago. I love that each poem is named for a child "Maurice" "Beulah at Church""Andre" "Robert, Who is Often a Stranger to Himself" "Mirthine at the Party." Brooks eases into the point of view of each child without any condescension:
Robert, Who is Often a Stranger to Himself
Do you ever look in the looking-glass
And see a stranger there?
A child you know and do not know
Wearing what you wear?
Many reviewers have the new edition with illustrations by Faith Ringold. Mine is an early edition from the library, illustrated with cozy line drawings by Ronni Solbert.
I am fascinated by the bio on the back cover. After listing Gwendolyn Brooks's many accolades (as of 1956, they include a Pulitzer, two Guggenheims, an award from the Academy of Arts and letters and election as the Illinois Poet Laureate who succeeded Carl Sandburg) the author bio concludes thus: "Miss Brooks is Mrs. Henry L. Blakely in private life." I've thought about all the conventions expressed in that line for weeks now.
Interesting to read this collection next to Maud Martha. I wish Gwendolyn Brooks had written more novels to go with her poetry!
Robert, Who is Often a Stranger to Himself
Do you ever look in the looking-glass
And see a stranger there?
A child you know and do not know
Wearing what you wear?
Many reviewers have the new edition with illustrations by Faith Ringold. Mine is an early edition from the library, illustrated with cozy line drawings by Ronni Solbert.
I am fascinated by the bio on the back cover. After listing Gwendolyn Brooks's many accolades (as of 1956, they include a Pulitzer, two Guggenheims, an award from the Academy of Arts and letters and election as the Illinois Poet Laureate who succeeded Carl Sandburg) the author bio concludes thus: "Miss Brooks is Mrs. Henry L. Blakely in private life." I've thought about all the conventions expressed in that line for weeks now.
Interesting to read this collection next to Maud Martha. I wish Gwendolyn Brooks had written more novels to go with her poetry!
January 20, 2016
It is a random week in the middle of a random month. You're looking around and your eye alights on a child. Suddenly, a short bit of poetic musing about the child pops into your head.
That is what this book feels like to me. I could imagine the neighborhood, the people, the feeling. In such short spaces of time, the characters were fully realized. The artwork is simple but not simplistic, carrying a lot of emotion in a few lines and swaths of color.
Very nice collection of short poetry for ANYONE. I wouldn't limit this to children. Yes, they are short poems, but while a child will feel satisfied with what the words say, an adult can think about what the words leave unsaid, and the stories that happen *after* the poems are over, and that is the best part, in my opinion!
That is what this book feels like to me. I could imagine the neighborhood, the people, the feeling. In such short spaces of time, the characters were fully realized. The artwork is simple but not simplistic, carrying a lot of emotion in a few lines and swaths of color.
Very nice collection of short poetry for ANYONE. I wouldn't limit this to children. Yes, they are short poems, but while a child will feel satisfied with what the words say, an adult can think about what the words leave unsaid, and the stories that happen *after* the poems are over, and that is the best part, in my opinion!
April 18, 2015
My two-year-old loves this book. I wasn't sure if he'd be into it -- most of the other books he likes are rollicking fantasies, like Dr. Seuss etc. Also we live in India, so the setting is a little foreign. But he asks for "Bronzeville" all the time and pays a lot of attention. At the end he asks a lot of questions -- some simple ones, and some pretty complicated ones.
"What are Bon-Bons?"
"What does 'Get about your business!' mean?"
"What does poor mean? Why is John poor?"
"Why Narcissa doesn't want to play ball?"
"How is she going to taste the cloud?"
It's also very refreshing to find a book with illustrations full of kids that are brown like him and his neighbors.
A wonderful, wonderful read.
"What are Bon-Bons?"
"What does 'Get about your business!' mean?"
"What does poor mean? Why is John poor?"
"Why Narcissa doesn't want to play ball?"
"How is she going to taste the cloud?"
It's also very refreshing to find a book with illustrations full of kids that are brown like him and his neighbors.
A wonderful, wonderful read.
June 7, 2016
I thought by reading this book it brought back memories because I grew up around the Bronzeville Neighborhood. Looking through the book it show exactly what was going on back then people sitting on the porch, looking out the window and children playing outside. The illustrator Faith Ringgold is an author of fifteen children books and won the Caldecott Honor Award in 1992. I like how the author put into the poems each named for a child or children come across as verbal snapshots of the Bronzeville young residents back in 1956.
The pictures in the book are colored illustrated and I love how she detailed the pictures on each page. Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African Woman to publish poems for children in 1958.
The pictures in the book are colored illustrated and I love how she detailed the pictures on each page. Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African Woman to publish poems for children in 1958.
May 27, 2008
Endearing and engaging poems, each titled with a different child’s name, reflect universal themes of childhood. From tea-party fun to disappointing Christmas gifts, Brooks shares the world through children’s eyes without ever striking a patronizing tone or slapping in a didactic line. Her rhymes feel relaxed and not coerced into place; similarly, her rhythm speaks lightly and reflects the bounce and lilt of children’s voices. While many people praise the illustrations of Faith Ringgold, I felt her pictures oversimplified the imagery in their rough black-marker outlines—cartoonish and far too two-dimensional for the richness of Brook’s poetry.
February 13, 2015
This is truly two stars for me but I am giving it three because of Faith Ringgold's illustrations. I love poetry but I dislike poetry that are designed for little kids and either do not make sense or its too whimsical and annoying.
This book deals about inner city kids in this particular neighborhood and describing either every child or what they are currently doing on a normal day. By the time I reach twenty pages into this book I wanted to shoot myself in the foot. I am actually shocked by it because so far I have enjoyed every children picture book so far until now.
I highly wouldn't recommend it unless your child like poetry that rhymes.
This book deals about inner city kids in this particular neighborhood and describing either every child or what they are currently doing on a normal day. By the time I reach twenty pages into this book I wanted to shoot myself in the foot. I am actually shocked by it because so far I have enjoyed every children picture book so far until now.
I highly wouldn't recommend it unless your child like poetry that rhymes.
May 4, 2015
What I Thought– This is a nice multicultural poetry book that takes place in the 1950’s (or sometime around then). The poems take place in the Bronzeville section of Chicago, but could be anywhere where there are kids. They are simple poems, narrating from a character’s view. I like how it shows how people thought back then (in one poem, a girl is lamenting that she won’t be able to run anymore because it’s unladylike). Ms. Ringgold’s illustrations add a nice, warm feeling to the poetry. Altogether, they are a great team for this book.
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
February 6, 2016
I'm surprised I didn't love this book more. A few of the poems- the one about the clock and the one about the snow- were great, but a lot of them were just kind of there. This is the first time I've been underwhelmed by Gwendolyn Brooks. One thing I absolutely loved, though, was Faith Ringgold's illustration. She always impresses.
February 10, 2017
There are some absolutely beautiful ones in here. "Beulah in Church" is particularly good. Brooks has a great sense of poetic rhythm. Ronni Solbert's pictures are understated and subtly humorous - I dislike what I have seen of the newer illustrations by Faith Ringgold with their cartoon-like garishness.
June 23, 2017
Read this book after taking a literary tour of Gwendolyn Brooks important sites in Chicago. I loved the poetry and the illustrations by Faith Ringgold. The poems are delightful for children and adults. Each poem is about a different character and a different topic. Most of the topics but some also relate childhood concerns such as being afraid of a storm. None of the topics are heavy.
June 18, 2017
Fun quick read that functions on several levels: poetry book for those who don't like poetry, graphic novel, children's book, and/or adult book to reflect upon ones' childhood. Quite nice for children to see diversity of characters in the artwork.
November 18, 2011
These poems are about children every where - what they think about and how they see the world. Very nice.
July 24, 2023
3.5 stars
A collection of short poems of children living in the city and their various thoughts and experiences. Scenes depict taking care of baby sister, slightly envying a tree because it doesn’t have to move, snow, church, playing with a new girl and the like.
Sweet illustrations throughout of each of the children the poems are about.
Ages: 4+
Cleanliness: one poem talks about liking when the relatives come because then the children are dismissed - and they play with mother’s powder and smoke on dad’s cigar.
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A collection of short poems of children living in the city and their various thoughts and experiences. Scenes depict taking care of baby sister, slightly envying a tree because it doesn’t have to move, snow, church, playing with a new girl and the like.
Sweet illustrations throughout of each of the children the poems are about.
Ages: 4+
Cleanliness: one poem talks about liking when the relatives come because then the children are dismissed - and they play with mother’s powder and smoke on dad’s cigar.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
August 23, 2018
Review of 2007 edition.
The pictures are flat, two dimensional and a bit ugly. The poems are at times clever and delightful (Narcissa), and at other times they are simply uninteresting and dull (Charles). I would like to read a 1957 edition originally illustrated im black and white by Ronni Solbert
The pictures are flat, two dimensional and a bit ugly. The poems are at times clever and delightful (Narcissa), and at other times they are simply uninteresting and dull (Charles). I would like to read a 1957 edition originally illustrated im black and white by Ronni Solbert
May 30, 2017
Kirkus: "They show a Bronzeville that bustles with activity, single-family homes sharing the streets with apartment buildings and the occasional vacant lot. The children run, braids and arms out straight, and contemplate in turns, their exuberance tempered by the solemnity of childhood. While it’s regrettable that occasionally the specificity of the illustration robs a verse of its universality—the “special place” referenced in “Keziah” is shown to be underneath the kitchen table, for instance—the overall ebullience of the images more than compensates."
This book contains poetry that Gwen Brooks wrote in 1956; in this collection, the illustrator added her illustrations to the poems for children. Now, whether these poems were meant for children, I'm not sure. But the feature is that each poem corresponds to different boys and girls in the Bronzeville neighborhood.
The poetry is general is great. In the context of the book, it makes you feel like you know boys and girls of the neighborhood -- and they are all going around and doing everyday things. It corresponds directly to the African American child experience during the 50s & 60s in this neighborhood. However, because it is poetry, it would be meant for an older audience who could understand it better. Also, the collection is not relatable now, but could be used for historical context. I'm curious about the poem "Narcissa" - maybe she's a special needs child? Or perhaps just a shy girl? It's not quite clear, but the reader understands that there are a variety of children that live in Bronzeville.
The illustrations are outlined in marker, then colored in with pencil and marker; it makes it seem like an older child put the illustrations together. But with the bright colors and the illustrations being stylized, it makes the whole thing work.
This book contains poetry that Gwen Brooks wrote in 1956; in this collection, the illustrator added her illustrations to the poems for children. Now, whether these poems were meant for children, I'm not sure. But the feature is that each poem corresponds to different boys and girls in the Bronzeville neighborhood.
The poetry is general is great. In the context of the book, it makes you feel like you know boys and girls of the neighborhood -- and they are all going around and doing everyday things. It corresponds directly to the African American child experience during the 50s & 60s in this neighborhood. However, because it is poetry, it would be meant for an older audience who could understand it better. Also, the collection is not relatable now, but could be used for historical context. I'm curious about the poem "Narcissa" - maybe she's a special needs child? Or perhaps just a shy girl? It's not quite clear, but the reader understands that there are a variety of children that live in Bronzeville.
The illustrations are outlined in marker, then colored in with pencil and marker; it makes it seem like an older child put the illustrations together. But with the bright colors and the illustrations being stylized, it makes the whole thing work.
April 21, 2017
Brooks, Gwendolyn. Bronzeville: Boys and Girls (2007). Gwendolyn Brooks originally published her anthology of poems in 1956, but this reillustrated edition featuring the beautiful paintings of Caldecott Honor artist Faith Ringgold makes her poetry accessible to a new generation of children. Bronzeville refers to a section of Chicago, but this anthology refers to the children that fill many neighborhoods. Each poem is named after a child or two and shares their emotions and childhood experiences that all readers can enjoy. Mexie and Bridie play tea-party “beneath the clouds and sun.” Charles stays in bed during “sick-times.” Nine year old Michael is afraid of the storm and still hopes to touch his mom’s hand, “Perhaps no one will see.” Its shares poems of new kids coming to the neighborhood and of moving away too, like Maurice. Maurice realizes he can pack his toys to move to his new home but, “Not Bill and Hess and Sam,” his neighborhood friends. Each poem is well written with clear voice and rhythm. Ringgold’s illustrations add a tremendously positive layer of understanding and enjoyment to each poem. The images are vibrant, colorfully illustrating the children playing, with family, friends and neighbors. The reader can easily enjoy Gwendolyn Brook’s anthology of children’s poems over and over as many little readers do with a good book. The target audience is children ages 6-9. Teachers can use it to teach themes about childhood, neighborhood, and family or to teach poetry.
October 11, 2017
Gwendolyn Brooks is a Chicago staple, and when I saw her book on the shelf I jumped at the chance to read it. This book is a love song to the children of Brooks’ beloved haunt, the Bronzeville neighborhood in Chicago. It features numerous poems about numerous kids in the neighborhood, some who have more money than others, some who are braver or happier than others. It’s a landmark poet writing a landmark book, further promoting the diversity she so happily embodies as a black writer.
Brooks was a great advocate for the sharing of poetry, and had a lifelong commitment to sharing poetry and teaching writing. This book, I feel, is a great physical manifestation of that! By writing to/for the children of her neighborhood, Brooks encourages readers to talk about the poems, to find ones that they identify with perhaps by name, or perhaps by traits. Students enjoy poetry that they can relate to, so what’s better than this, especially when it comes to children of the inner city? Who gives them a voice? Brooks does, as do many other poets that emerge from these communities. And in this they cast a wide net of influence that affects the children who read them.
There is nothing overly complex about this collection of poetry, but there is a lot of heart. I would absolutely recommend that a parent pick up this book for home.
Brooks was a great advocate for the sharing of poetry, and had a lifelong commitment to sharing poetry and teaching writing. This book, I feel, is a great physical manifestation of that! By writing to/for the children of her neighborhood, Brooks encourages readers to talk about the poems, to find ones that they identify with perhaps by name, or perhaps by traits. Students enjoy poetry that they can relate to, so what’s better than this, especially when it comes to children of the inner city? Who gives them a voice? Brooks does, as do many other poets that emerge from these communities. And in this they cast a wide net of influence that affects the children who read them.
There is nothing overly complex about this collection of poetry, but there is a lot of heart. I would absolutely recommend that a parent pick up this book for home.
October 23, 2013
Genre- Poetry
This is a fun collection of poems reflecting the children in the Bronzeville portion of Chicago, but the author states that the children in the city neighborhood could be from any city, any neighborhood. Each poem's title consists of the name of the child it describes, and each poem is a little unique- appropriate to demonstrate that all children are a little different from each other. For instance, some poems follow an ABAC pattern, others follow an AA BB CC. Some alternate in their syllables, but all have some sort of rhyme and rhythm pattern. Essentially, the poems are about kids and written for kids.
The text actually reminds me of the Spoon River Anthology- a series of poems that describe the deceased from Spoon River, although this work by Gwendolyn Brooks is accompanied by cartoon paintings of children playing in the neighborhood. The illustrator, Raith Ringgold, expertly reveals the details of trees and buildings as well as clothes and facial expressions, but keeping the form in 2-D. This style keeps the child-like feel of the text because in fact many of the poems describe childish things that children would contemplate.
This is a fun collection of poems reflecting the children in the Bronzeville portion of Chicago, but the author states that the children in the city neighborhood could be from any city, any neighborhood. Each poem's title consists of the name of the child it describes, and each poem is a little unique- appropriate to demonstrate that all children are a little different from each other. For instance, some poems follow an ABAC pattern, others follow an AA BB CC. Some alternate in their syllables, but all have some sort of rhyme and rhythm pattern. Essentially, the poems are about kids and written for kids.
The text actually reminds me of the Spoon River Anthology- a series of poems that describe the deceased from Spoon River, although this work by Gwendolyn Brooks is accompanied by cartoon paintings of children playing in the neighborhood. The illustrator, Raith Ringgold, expertly reveals the details of trees and buildings as well as clothes and facial expressions, but keeping the form in 2-D. This style keeps the child-like feel of the text because in fact many of the poems describe childish things that children would contemplate.
October 29, 2012
This is a cute collection of poems from children all around the same area. It's a unique display of childhood in the purest essence. It shows the variety of experience kids have at young ages. This could be a cool book to use as a read a loud. I think it would be fun for kids to read to practice their fluency. They could even do a reader's theater type thing, and have kids act out the story as its read. The text is clear and precise, and helps readers create a clear mental image of the story for each poem.
March 26, 2015
In a collection of poems dedicated to her two children, Gwendolyn Brooks discusses life in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. The colorful and simplistic illustrations add to the poets words and help the reader imagine the words in the authors poetry. This book would be a great resource to introduce poetry to children ages preschool- 3rd grade or to introduce children to the amazing works of this fantastic poet.
January 16, 2009
Gwendolyn Brooks’ collection of poems characterizes children from not only Bronzville but any neighborhood. Brooks’ vibrant words and Faith Ringgold’s illustrations bring the characters in each poem to life and offer the reader a glimpse of childhood again. This text will provide enjoyment and illuminate the American experience.
March 29, 2011
This book is great because it shows diversity. The rhymes/poem are short and sweet, and often funny. If not funny, they portray real life situations, and are authentic in themselves. Many inner city students would be able to relate to these short poems. Would recommend to 3-5 graders, good for readers to practice their fluency with.
May 9, 2021
I could say the same thing that I said when I read this book almost 4 years ago---"What a delightful book!--for children AND adults! I love the poems and Faith Ringgold is one of my favorite illustrators."
July 6, 2017: What a delightful book!--for children AND adults! I love the poems and Faith Ringgold is one of my favorite illustrators.
July 6, 2017: What a delightful book!--for children AND adults! I love the poems and Faith Ringgold is one of my favorite illustrators.
July 15, 2017
Poetry: 5 stars
Illustrations: 3 stars
You can't go wrong with the poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks, and these poems were created specifically for children. While originally published in 1956, these poems are timeless and just as relevant today. Kids will recognize themselves in the children on these pages. And revel in Brooks's rhymes. This edition was published in 2007 with modern illustrations.
Illustrations: 3 stars
You can't go wrong with the poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks, and these poems were created specifically for children. While originally published in 1956, these poems are timeless and just as relevant today. Kids will recognize themselves in the children on these pages. And revel in Brooks's rhymes. This edition was published in 2007 with modern illustrations.
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November 20, 2013AR Reading Level: 3.7
Interest level 1st to 5th
This collection of poems shows our everyday heroes. The poems talk about African American children growing up in large cities and the challenges they face. This text will help bring multicultural education and diversity into the classroom.
Interest level 1st to 5th
This collection of poems shows our everyday heroes. The poems talk about African American children growing up in large cities and the challenges they face. This text will help bring multicultural education and diversity into the classroom.
April 14, 2014
Great for a Chicago school librarian's collection, or a classroom poetry section. Ms. Brooks wrote the poems with kids in mind, and they would be great to analyze.
Favorite Poems
- "Cynthia in the Snow"
- "Eppie"
- "Luther and Breck"
- "Otto"
Favorite Poems
- "Cynthia in the Snow"
- "Eppie"
- "Luther and Breck"
- "Otto"
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