Poetry
Is was
Deborah (Deborah Jane) Freedman
jE Freedman
Picture Books, Poetry
Takes a look at change, from the innocent and everyday to the gigantic and irreversible, as well as how some things remain the same.
Say her name
Zetta Elliott
811.6 /Elliott
Poetry
"Inspired by the #SayHerName campaign launched by the African American Policy Forum, these poems pay tribute to victims of police brutality as well as the activists insisting that Black Lives Matter. Elliott engages poets from the past two centuries to create a chorus of voices celebrating the creativity, resilience, and courage of Black women and girls." -- amazon.com
Added by Beth
The Hill We Climb: an Inaugural Poem for the Country
Amanda Gorman
811.6 /Gorman
Poetry, Black Lives Matter
"On January 20, 2021, Amanda Gorman became the sixth and youngest poet, at age twenty-two, to deliver a poetry reading at a presidential inauguration. Her inaugural poem, "The Hill We Climb," is now available to cherish in this special edition."--
I missed the live reading of "the Hill We Climb", but when I watched the video after it was one of the few that lived up to the Twitter hype. I had not felt that sort of hope in a LONG time. Reading the text is a great way to revisit what might have been an initial flood of emotions, sit with them, and digest the words with thorough consideration. -Frannie
Second space : new poems
Czesław Miłosz
891.85 /Milosz
Poetry
I'll likely sit with Milosz more than once this spring. Maybe some of his larger collected works too. -Casey
An American sunrise : poems
Joy Harjo
A stunning new volume from the first Native American Poet Laureate of the United States, informed by her tribal history and connection to the land.
Celebrate National Poetry Month! This collection is simply wonderful, I'm looking forward to finding and being found within it again. -Casey
Our little kitchen
Jillian Tamaki
jE Tamaki
Picture Books, Diverse Characters, Poetry
"A crew of resourceful neighbors comes together to prepare a meal for their community. Includes a recipe and an author's note about the volunteering experience that inspired the book"--
Picture book perfection, made to be shared! -Casey
The crossover : a basketball novel
Kwame Alexander
eBOOK
Black Lives Matter, Read Woke, Sports, Poetry
Fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health.
Poetry that is devastatingly beautiful and fabulous storytelling make this 2014 Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award winner a powerful read. Pick this one up, you'll be glad you did. -Casey
Brown girl dreaming
Jacqueline Woodson
jBIOGRAPHY Woodson, Jacqueline
Black Lives Matter, Read Woke, Biographies, Poetry, Literary Nonfiction, Memoir
"The author shares her childhood memories and reveals the first sparks that ignited her writing career in free-verse poems about growing up in the North and South"--
Pick this one up, especially now, even if you've read it before. Woodson's story resonates with quiet truth, resiliency, and hope. -Casey
Inside out & back again
Thanhha Lai
eAUDIO
Read Woke, Poetry, Diverse Characters, Historical Fiction
Through a series of poems, a young girl chronicles the life-changing year of 1975, when she, her mother, and her brothers leave Vietnam and resettle in Alabama.
Achingly beautiful poetry combined with a powerful immigration story make this a Middle Grade novel not to miss. Great for reading aloud as a family as well. -Casey
Aimless love : new and selected poems
Billy Collins
Called "the most popular poet in America" by the New York Times and the US Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2003 Billy Collins is a true national treasure. If all that loftiness isn't recommendation enough, honestly I just appreciate Collins' humor. There are no "Ode on a Grecian Urn" or "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" here, but instead delightful diversions of language. These poems are great to read a few over breakfast, when you can't focus while you're attempting to work from home, or just chill at the end of the day. -Frannie
This is a high concept book presented in the most accessible of ways, and I can't wait to share it in storytimes. Be sure to read the dedication at the end, as the poetry and illustrations come together fully realizing the larger concept here. Simply lovely. -Casey