Hip Hop Speaks to Children with Audio CD: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat (A Poetry Speaks Experience)
Reading level: Ages 7-12
Hardcover: 80 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; Har/Com edition (October 1, 2008)
Just as the title suggests, Hip Hop Speaks to Children is a celebration of poetry with a beat, and will open up a new world for boys and girls alike. It gives a great starting point for encouraging an appreciation of poetry through music
Nikki Giovanni – a National Book Award nominee, Spoken Word Grammy nominee and New York Times
best-selling author – has put together a collection of 51 pieces in this colorful and lively book, including 30 performances on the CD. The audio CD includes contributions from: Nikki Grimes, Queen Latifah, Langston Hughes, Sugarhill Gang, Charles R. Smith, Jr., Stetsasonic, James Berry, A Tribe Called Quest, Gary Soto, and Eloise Greenfield. … Some tracks on the CD are performed by the artists who created them,
others are unique interpretations by admiring poets and artists. …
The wonderful combination of audio and illustrations make this collection a great teaching tool. My favorite pieces include: Funky Snowman by Calef Brown, and From Rappers Delight by The Sugarhill Gang (which will have you and your kids grooving, I know I was). We learn from Nikki that … bands like the Sugarhill Gang drew their inspiration from beats developed when slaves had to creatively overcome the rules imposed on them by their owners. … This diverse collection shows poetry at its ‘coolest’!
Links: A review by The School Library Journal
Poetry Friday by Becky’s Book Reviews.
A review by The Friendly Book Nook.
