Poetry
The crown ain't worth much
Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib
811.6 /Willis-Abdurraqib
Poetry, Nonfiction
Added by Melody
They can't kill us until they kill us : essays
Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib
781.66 /Willis-Abdurraqib
Nonfiction, Poetry
"In an age of confusion, fear, and loss, Hanif Abdurraqib's is a voice that matters. Whether he's attending a Bruce Springsteen concert the day after visiting Michael Brown's grave, or discussing public displays of affection at a Carly Rae Jepsen show, he writes with a poignancy and magnetism that resonates profoundly. In essays that have been published by the New York Times, MTV, and Pitchfork, among others--along with original, previously unreleased essays-- Abdurraquib uses music and culture as a lens through which to view our world, so that we might better understand ouselves, and in doing so proves himself a bellwether for out times." --
Added by Melody
Inside out & back again
Thanhha Lai
jFICTION Lai, Thanhha
Kids, Historical Fiction, Poetry
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.
Added by Anne W
The crossover
Kwame Alexander
jFICTION Alexander, Kwame
Kids, 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.
Added by Anne W
Love poems : (for people with children)
John Kenney
811.6 /Kenney
Nonfiction, Poetry
"...John Kenney is back with a brand new collection of poems, this time taking on the greatest "joy" in life: children. Kenney covers it all, from newborns, toddlers, and sleep deprivation, to the terrible twos, terrible tweens, and terrible teens. A parent's love is unconditional, but sometimes that button can't help but be pushed. Between back to school shopping, summer vacations that never end, the awkwardness of puberty, the inevitable post-college moving back in, and more, a parent's job is never done, whether they like it or not."--Amazon.com
These poems are hilarious. They will surely make parents smile--and know someone else knows their pain (and love). -Melody
Here : poems for the planet
811.608 /Here
Poetry, Nature, Science
"HERE: Poems for the Planet is a lovesong to a planet in crisis. Summoning a chorus of over 125 diverse poetic voices, this anthology approaches the impending environmental crisis with a sense of urgency and hopefulness. Now more than ever is the time for this book as it seeks to galvanize readers, students, teachers, philanthropists and everyday people to address the realities of climate change head on and become individual catalysts for change. Here looks at the world with a renewed sense of courage, fighting fear that so often leads to indifference and cynicism. The anthology also includes an activist guide, created in tandem with the Union of Concerned Scientists, and an introduction by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. With these poems, we hope you will see with new eyes what the astronauts saw the first time they peered down from space at our tiny world"--
Added by Candice
Bestiary : poems
Donika Kelly
811.6 /Kelly
Poetry
"Across this remarkable first book are encounters with animals, legendary beasts, and mythological monsters--half human and half something else. Donika Kelly's Bestiary is a catalogue of creatures--from the whale and ostrich to the pegasus and chimera to the centaur and griffin. Among them too are poems of love, self-discovery, and travel, from "Out West" to "Back East." Lurking in the middle of this powerful and multifaceted collection is a wrenching sequence that wonders just who or what is the real monster inside this life of survival and reflection. Selected and with an introduction by the National Book Award winner Nikky Finney, Bestiary questions what makes us human, what makes us whole." (Amazon Summary)
Added by Becky
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