Tag Archives: Harlem

Elem. – There Was A Party For Langston

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Reynolds, Jason. There Was A Party For Langston. Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-1-534-43944-3. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-3.

There Was A Party For Langston is a celebration of Langston Hughes and his words as well as the people that he inspired. It celebrates his poetry and showcases how he was able to use language and create things that made other people create things. It shows how he inspired Maya Angelou to create her stories. The way the illustrations add to the story will cause the reader to go back through this book several times to find different things that they missed.

THOUGHTS: This is Jason Reynolds’ debut picture book, and he hits it out of the park (which isn’t surprising). This is an excellent introduction to Langston Hughes, as well as other authors. The author’s note in the back of the book will make the reader want to know more about all of the authors that are featured in this book, as well as more about Jason Reynolds himself. Must own for every elementary, and even a middle school collection (even though the book is clearly for younger readers).

Back in 1991, there was a party in the Schomburg Library in New York City, a party for a man who had a way with words: Langston Hughes. In attendance was writer Maya Angelou and dancer Amiri Baraka who boogied amongst the rows of books featuring names of Black authors like Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston, and Octavia Butler. When Langston Hughes wrote, the power of his words made people want to dance, jump, and shout. His words also had the power to unite and inspire, as they did with Angelou and Baraka. Perhaps Langston’s words will inspire the reader, too.

THOUGHTS: Jason Reyolds’ first picture book does not disappoint. Based on a photo of Maya Angelou and Amiri Baraka dancing together at the opening of the Langston Hughes Auditorium at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, this story demonstrates the power and joy of the written word. The Pumphrey brothers’ illustrations take Langston’s powerful words and turn them into a beautiful depiction of Black culture. 

Picture Book

Elem. – Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood

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Hillery, Tony, and Jessie Hartland. Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood. Simon & Shuster Books for Young Readers, 2020. 978-1-534-40231-7. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-2.

Food deserts are real inner city problems for some, but a food oasis can grow with opportunity and effort. Such is the case in Harlem, where a run down and empty lot across from PS 175 elementary school became something more. With the author, Tony Hillery’s inspiration, volunteers helped clear the land, create a garden space, and grow a community closer together. With some learning and further developing the space, they created a rainbow of vegetables, fruits, and herbs which could be harvested and used by the local families. The story is simple and true, with easy to read aloud text and colorful gouache illustrations to keep youngsters attention. With endnotes and extra resources, this meaningful dream became reality to those who needed to see something good grown in an urban farm.

THOUGHTS: The process and steps from farm to table are quickly taken for granted by many, in both urban and rural areas. Researching where food comes from and travels to reach a market is a valuable citizenship lesson. This book could inspire many other community gardens to grow!

635 Agriculture          Dustin Brackbill, State College Area SD

Young Naveah attends school at PS 175 in Harlem, across from an abandoned lot so filled with clutter that she thinks of it as “the haunted garden.” Mr. Tony volunteers at the school and decides to make a change which will impact the lot, the kids, and the community. Mr. Tony invites Naveah along with other students to participate in the building, planting, and tending of a youth garden. Together, they plant four hundred seedlings to represent each of the children who help. Things get off to a good start until Naveah notices her plants wilting. With a growth mindset attitude, Mr. Tony helps the community try again, this time building raised beds. Finally, locally grown produce makes its way to the family dinner table. Gouache illustrations throughout add vibrance to the story, particularly with spreads showing the transformation from a littered gray lot to bustling green space. Both of the main characters are Brown-skinned and wear glasses. While Navaeh styles her hair in braids with a variety of bows and barrettes, Mr. Tony is bald except for his beard. Neighborhood scenes depict a diverse array of community members. Based on the true story of  Harlem Grown, a farm which has provided thousands of pounds of food to youth and families in Harlem without charge. Backmatter includes a letter from the author and Founder Tony Hillery, a step-by-step guide to starting a garden, and a list of additional resources.

THOUGHTS: A nice read aloud introduction to community gardening and overview of Harlem Grown for young learners.

Picture Book          Jackie Fulton, Mt. Lebanon SD
635 Agriculture