Visiting Langston - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805067442 ISBN 13: 9780805067446

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 2002

Synopsis

A wonderful picture book introduction to a legendary American writer.

"Today I'm going to wear
My favorite pink blouse
I'm going with my daddy
To visit Langston's house."

It's a special day when a little girl and her father go to visit the house where the great poet Langston Hughes lived-especially when the little girl is a poet herself!

This rhythmic tale is a wonderful introduction to the work and world of Langston Hughes, who was a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance and an American cultural hero.

About this title

About the Author

Willie Perdomo was raised eight blocks away from Langston Hughes's house. Mr. Perdomo's first book, Where a Nickel Costs a Dime, was selected by the ALA as a Popular Paperback for Young Adults. Visiting Langston is his first book for children.

Bryan Collier grew up in Pocomoke City, Maryland, where he began painting at the age of fifteen. His first book, Uptown, won the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration and the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award. Mr. Collier now lives in Harlem, New York.

Reviews

Grades 2-4--A rhythmic poem in praise of Langston Hughes and the writer's craft. The poem is presented by a young girl who is off to visit Hughes's Harlem home with her father. It begins, "Today I'm going to wear/My favorite pink blouse/I'm going with my daddy/To visit Langston's house." Readers quickly learn that, like Hughes, the girl is a writer and resident of Harlem. Powerful in its simplicity, the text explores the child's special connection to the famous man. "He can tell you why my/Dreams run wild/Why Daddy says I'm like/Langston's genius child." Text and illustrations complement one another perfectly as the pages of the book come to life with energetic purpose and delight. Done with a mixture of collage and watercolor with dramatic results, Collier's artwork uses muted shades of green, purple, and brown and yet shines with brilliant bits of patterns and textures. While this is obviously an urban landscape, the girl's enthusiasm and talent have universal appeal. Be sure to use this impressive collaboration to introduce young readers to the life and work of the poet (a brief author's note with some dates and titles is included) but be sure it reaches young writers as well.
Alicia Eames, New York City Public Schools
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Perdomo (Where a Nickel Costs a Dime) captures the excitement of an African-American girl anticipating a visit to the Harlem brownstone of Langston Hughes. The narrator, an aspiring writer, expresses her enthusiasm from the opening lines: "Today I'm going to wear/ My favorite pink blouse/ I'm going with my daddy/ To visit Langston's house." Throughout, Collier's (Uptown) heady blend of watercolor and mixed media collage evokes the history of the writer's life and times. In the opening spread, a black-and-white painting depicting Jazz Era scenes hangs on the wall as the girl sits smiling on a couch, clutching a notebook and pen. In a kind of meditation on the poet, subsequent spreads incorporate elements of that painting, which hangs in the girl's living room: for instance, bass players and a pianist inhabit the space behind Langston at his typewriter ("Langston/ Langston/ Langston Hughes/ Wrote poems/ Like jazz"). Collier then shows the girl kneeling to read the paper in Hughes's typewriter. In the end, Perdomo adds a twist: the girl and her father stand before the doors of Langston's house and the opening lines repeat; she sits on the couch in the next spread but, this time, her notebook is open. "Langston/ Langston," says the girl. "I write poetry/ Just like Langston Hughes." Is she writing about the trip she just made? Or is she imagining the visit to come? An opening note provides a brief biographical sketch. An inspired and inspiring introduction to the legendary writer. Ages 4-8. (Feb.)February 1. This and two other titles commemorate his life and work: Love to Langston by Tony Medina, illus. by R. Gregory Christie (Lee & Low, reviewed Dec. 17, 2001) and Langston Hughes: American Poet by Alice Walker, illus. by Catherine Deeter (HarperCollins/Amistad, reviewed Nov. 19, 2001).

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 2-4. In Visiting Langston, Perdomo offers a poetic tribute that celebrates Hughes' legacy rather than the events of his life. "Today I'm going to wear / My favorite pink blouse / I'm going with my daddy / to visit Langston's house," begins the rhymed text, written in an unnamed girl's voice. The child tells a bit about Hughes in a few oblique lines but mostly talks about herself--her likes and dislikes, her poetry, and the affinity she feels for Hughes. The brief lines sometimes scan awkwardly, interfering with the poem's momentum, but the girl's fierce pride, excitement, and curiosity will grab readers, as will Collier's exquisite collages, which mix rich textures, urban scenes, and contemporary people celebrating the impact of a legend's words. A page of facts and a listing of Hughes' works provide the only standard biographical information. The picture-book format may deter some older children, but many will be drawn to the book by its vibrant, sophisticated images, strong voice, and the speaker's powerful invitation to find oneself within the work and lives of legendary artists. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0805067442
• ISBN 13: 9780805067446
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Collier Bryan
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32