Hip Hop Speaks to Children

Hip Hop Speaks to Children

By: Nikki Giovanni

Illustrated by: Kristen Balouch

Publishing Company: Sourcebooks

Copyright Date: 2008

# of Pages: 72

I chose this particular poetry collection while working at my practicum school. I needed something new and exciting to share with these children to get them interested in literature. So this is what I found. A book full of amazing poetry that has a diverse selection of African-American artists. These artist include those from the Harlem Renaissance to today's hip hop scene. There is even a CD that goes along with the book. Kanye West is an artist on the CD and he preforms a poem titled ''Hey Mama". I have yet to here it but I imagine it is wonderful.

  

  The illustrations are done in watercolor. The colors really bring power and passion to the book.

Pictures of love and faith fill the pages and tugs at your heart strings.

Teachers should definitely start encouraging children to place their words into song and poetry. Hopefully there will be some teachers who will feel encouraged to share this wonderful, motivating poetry with the children. Rhythm and  rhyme are both in poetry and those are two big stepping stones for children in kindergarten. Hopefully this book will allow children to become interested in reading  and poetry as well. Language arts, literature, reading and social studies could all be touched using this text. Hip Hop Speaks is a New York Times Best Seller.