April is National Poetry Month, and this is my third poetic post of the month.  It features one of my absolute favorite books that has come out in 2019.  Did you catch that?  Not just a favorite poetry book, but a favorite book PERIOD.  Watch the book trailer to get in the groove, then discover the power of spoken word.

"A generation voicing 
stories, hopes, and fears
founds a hip-hop nation.
Say holler if you hear."

The Roots of Rap by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison (January 8, 2019)
J  782.4216  WEA
The roots of rap and the history of hip-hop have origins that precede DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash. Kids will learn about how it evolved from folktales, spirituals, and poetry, to the showmanship of James Brown, to the culture of graffiti art and break dancing that formed around the art form and gave birth to the musical artists we know today. Written in lyrical rhythm by award-winning author and poet Carole Boston Weatherford and complete with flowing, vibrant illustrations by Frank Morrison, this book beautifully illustrates how hip-hop is a language spoken the whole world 'round.