Langston Hughes: Great American Poet

by Patricia C. McKissack, Fredrick L. McKissack

Describes the life and accomplishments of poet Langston Hughes.

32 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 1992

About the author

Patricia C. McKissack was the Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Award-winning author of The Dark-Thirty and Porch Lies an ALA Notable Book. She collaborated with Jerry Pinkney on Goin' Someplace Special (Coretta Scott King Award winner) and Mirandy and Brother Wind (Coretta Scott King Award winner and Caldecott Honor Book).

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading these with my fourth grader. I loved Langston Hughes when I was young and was happy to find this introduction of him. Much of Langstons childhood was new to me, as well as the photographs. These books give enough information that it makes the reader want to learn more rather than turning off young readers.

[Krissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short biography of “Harlem’s Poet,” Langston Hughes. From his difficult early family life with his father in Mexico and his grandmother in Kansas to his short stint in college, time as a sailor to West Africa, and then world travels, Langston Hughes wrote poetry to express his feelings and experiences. When he settled in Harlem, he found his "true home," and his poetry reflected the struggles of those around him who faced poverty, racism, and joblessness.

This short book was a wonderful introduction to Hughes as a man and as a poet. A few poetry samples were included and could definitely encourage a reader to seek out more. There is also a helpful “words to know” section in the back, defining difficult or new words and phrases.

[Dominique Woodbridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I personally really liked this book. I thought it was very informative and easy to read. It is a short chapter book, and students would love that. I would allow my students to read this book independently. It would be extremely useful if a student was studying Langston Hughes and writing a paper about him. It would not take the student long to read, and it is extremely informational. The students who read this book will probably be in third grade. The text on the pages is a good size, but at the same time it does not have many pictures which older students may like. One thing that is useful about this book is that we are given a table of contents in the beginning. I think this is useful for students so they can track what they're reading about or how far they have gotten. At the end of the book there is a glossary and an index, which can help guide the students through the book. The images that are in the book are also captioned, the captions can give the students more information on the image and Langston's life. Overall, I thought this book was great. It uses language that isn't too difficult for children but at times challenges them. I would recommend this book to students in my classroom if they were studying particular people, and I would recommend it to other teachers.

[Hanna Mammo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the life of the late great poet Langston Hughes. This book describes his life in detail form the time he was born in 1902 til the day he passed away in 1967, detailing all his greatest achievements as well as the struggles he faced as an African-American born in the days of segregation. I would use this book in my class room a an example to show and read to my students of an autobiography.

[Carman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short biography that tells of Hughes' youth. Describes his travels, relationships, and inspirations. This book is an easy read and really hits highlights of Hughes' contributions during the Harlem Renaissance.

[Carrie Donohue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I need to find a more grown up biography.. Lol I did not know it was a kids book when i requested it. Lol