(1) K-3 Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey & Jarrett Pumphrey. An intriguing photograph of writers Maya Angelou and Amiri Baraka dancing at a party at the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is the springboard for Reynolds's first (traditional) picture book. In 1991, people in Harlem gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Langston Hughes Auditorium and the literary brilliance of its namesake. At the "fancy-foot, get-down, all-out bash," guests boogie to the beats and bops of music as renowned word-makers are pictured leaning in from the spines of books on the shelves, captivated by the dazzling whirlwind of excitement. The master poet, Langston Hughes, was called "the 'word-making king.'" He "could make the word America look like two friends making pinky promises to be cool, to be true" and turn words into laughter, "bringing joy to the little and the big." In his own evocative and kinetic style of word-making, Reynolds exudes reverence for Langston and the festive tempo of the occasion. The Pumphreys' vibrant illustrations, created with digitized handmade stamps, extend the theme of wordsmithing in creative interpretations of text, as in the double-page spread of Angelou and Baraka dancing with the letters of their first names forming the shape of their bodies. A jubilant tribute to the enduring legacy of one of the most prominent voices of the Harlem Renaissance and others whom he has inspired.

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(1) 4-6 In 1940s Chicago, recent Southern transplant Langston discovers Langston Hughes's poetry at the public library. Reading poetry helps the boy keep his late mother's memory alive, find solace from grief, and make a friend. Written in short chapters, this crisply paced book is full of historical details of the Great Migration and African American literary culture, and should resonate with any child who's experienced grief or loneliness.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(2) K-3 Lonnie (Dinner at Aunt Connie's House) and Uncle Bates take a trip back in time to the height of the Harlem Renaissance. The pair visits landmarks in search of writer Langston Hughes--meeting greats such as W. E. B. Du Bois and Madam C. J. Walker along the way. More history lesson than story, the book is also a vehicle for Ringgold's accomplished acrylic paintings. Glos.

Reviewer: Kathleen T. Horning | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2015

(4) YA Voices in Poetry series. In these revised editions, excerpts from each poet's work alternate with biographical passages describing major influences or periods in the artist's life. The arty design calls attention to itself; every page is decorated with a photograph (in Shakespeare's case, a drawing) or a themed illustration: flowers for Dickinson, historical postal stamps for Hughes, leaves for Whitman, etc. The tiny type may put off some readers. Ind. Review covers these Voices in Poetry titles: E. E. Cummings, Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, and Walt Whitman.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) 4-6 Great American Authors series. These straightforward, somewhat banal biographies feature large, easy-to-read texts and archival photos of varying quality. Sidebars provide further information and encourage literary analysis, web exploration, or investigation of graphs and charts. The books are invitingly designed and may appeal to reluctant readers. Back matter includes "Important Dates," "Key Works," and writing prompts. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Great American Authors titles: Langston Hughes, Louisa May Alcott, Emily Dickinson, and Robert Frost.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(4) YA African-American Biography Library series. These accessible (if somewhat simplistic) biographies provide basic information on their subjects. Angelou highlights her careers in writing, entertainment, and civil rights; Washington depicts as a peaceful educator whose nonconfrontational methods drew criticism; Hughes focuses on his world travel, literary relationships, and celebration of African American culture. Numerous archival photographs, drawings, and other materials provide historical context. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these African-American Biography Library titles: Maya Angelou, Booker T. Washington, and Langston Hughes.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Leonard Jenkins. Burleigh tries to convey the creative process by assuming Langston Hughes's voice to describe a ride on a train from Illinois across the Mississippi to Mexico, on which Hughes wrote his famous poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers." The text is unconvincing and wordy, but Jenkins's art is more successful, using mixed media to capture both Hughes's experience of the train ride and the power of his poetry.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke

(4) K-3 Great African Americans series. Each simply written title in this series provides an adequate introduction to a notable African American. Black-and-white photos, often poorly reproduced, extend the text. Large type and short sentences make these books suitable for reluctant readers. Each book includes a timeline, a limited updated bibliography, and a list of websites. There are four other spring 2002 books in this series. Glos., ind. [Review covers these titles: Langston Hughes, Madam C. J. Walker, Mary Church Terrell, Ralph J. Bunche.]

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith

(3) K-3 Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. Fourteen free-verse poems tell some of the life story of Langston Hughes. Subjects addressed in the poems include Hughes's experiences with racist teachers, his father, jazz music, and his love for libraries. Appended biographical notes serve to further contextualize the poems. Acrylic paintings, occasionally somber, accompany this tribute.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Bryan Collier. "Langston / Langston / Langston Hughes / Wrote poems / Like jazz / Sang like love / Cried like blues." A young "Harlem girl," a poet in her own right, reflects on Hughes's life as she and her father tour the poet's home. Chaotic collage and watercolor illustrations feature portraits of Hughes as well as of the narrator and her father. An author's note is included.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Catherine Deeter. In honor of the centenary of Langston Hughes's birth, Alice Walker's first book for children has been reissued as a picture-book biography, with new full-color paintings. Walker knew and revered Hughes, and while this simply told biography is a sympathetic portrait of the man, it doesn't shy away from his difficult childhood and his encounters with racism throughout his life.

Reviewer: Terri Schmitz