...this writing thing was some kind of magic trick I didn't yet understand... Nikki Grimes discovered the power of writing at the tender age of six, when, alone in her room, she poured her fears, anger, and tears onto a piece of paper - and felt sweet relief. Words and faith were her most enduring companions as life flung her headlong from one harrowing experience to the next through her childhood and teenage years. Words, spilled into notebook after...

"Poet Renée Watson looks back at her childhood and urges readers to look forward at their futures with love, understanding, and celebration in this fully illustrated poetry collection"--

A biography of African American poet, Gwendolyn Brooks.

A biography of an African girl brought to New England as a slave in 1761 who became famous on both sides of the Atlantic as the first Black poet in America.

Provides a fictional account of the slave who arrived in Boston unable to read, write, or speak English, but overcame these obstacles to become a published poet.

Filled with broken hearts and black ravens, Edgar Allan Poe's ghastly tales have delighted readers for centuries. Born in Boston in 1809, Poe was orphaned at age two. He was soon adopted by a Virginia family who worked as tombstone merchants. In 1827 he enlisted in the Army and subsequently failed out of West Point. His first published story, The Raven, was a huge success, but his joy was overshadowed by the death of his wife. Poe devoted his life...

A brief biography of African American poet Amanda Gorman, discussing her childhood, education, and work as a poet and activist.

"The Queens of STEAM series explores the life and work of women who've made a big impact in a specific area of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). In this edition, newly independent readers meet Mary Oliver, one of America's most influential and bestselling poets. All hail, Mary Oliver! Each title in the Queens of STEAM ends with a glossary and activities for aspiring STEAMERS."--provided by publisher.

Chronicles the life of Dave, a nineteenth-century slave who went on to become an influential poet, artist, and potter.

On a September morning in 1814, an eyewitness to the British bombing of Fort McHenry scribbled a poem about the American flag on the back of an envelope. The sight of the flag waving through the battle told this poet and lawyer that the Americans were holding strong. Francis Scott Key put the pride he felt into the words of this poem, which later became The Star-Spangled Banner. Today most Americans know Key s words and sing them as their national

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