Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat [With CD (Audio)]

By Kristen Balouch and Nikki Giovanni

Book Overview

Where words move, voices rise, and poetry becomes power--this is the beat of learning for a new generation.

Hip Hop Speaks to Children, edited by acclaimed poet Nikki Giovanni, is a vibrant celebration of rhythm, rhyme, and cultural roots. Blending the power of hip hop with the depth of classic and contemporary poetry, this New York Times Bestseller delivers an unforgettable spoken-word journey--designed for young readers but resonant for all ages.

Featuring over 50 powerful poems and lyrics, this collection brings language to life in a way kids can hear, feel, and understand.

Why Kids, Parents, Teachers, and Librarians Love it:

A Tapestry of Voices: Poets and performers from Nikki Giovanni, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Queen Latifah, Tupac Shakur, Common, Mos Def, Lucille Clifton, Sterling A. Brown, Nikki Grimes, A Tribe Called Quest. and many more Multicultural and Cross-Generational: Connects kids to the literary, social, and musical voices that shaped today's world.Includes a CD with 30+ Read-Aloud Performances: Featuring original artists or dynamic interpretations.Gift-Ready: Perfect for young writers, music lovers, and students discovering their voice.

If you want kids to feel the power of language, understand the richness of culture, and discover their own creative voice--Hip Hop Speaks to Children is more than a book. It's a movement you can hold in your hands.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1402210485
• ISBN13: 9781402210488
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Explore
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 9.7" x 10.8"
• Age Range: 7 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 2 and higher

Customer Reviews

Not a fan!

it's not hip-hop music appreciation-worthy.

Hip Hop Speaks to children

This was one of the best investments I have made for my Pre-School class. They love it and in the mist of Black History month staff and children used it as a teaching tool.

would definitely recommend

nice poetry book with good illustrations. the perfect connection for parents who were apart of the original hip hop generations (when hip hop was real poetry and not full of violence and misogony)

A Kids Introduction to Poetry!

Opening up the world of creative writing in a form that children are familiar with is a successful process. This book and CD does just that in a very positive way.

One of the BEST Children's Books of the Year!

Hip hop is more than gangsta rap. Hip hop is rhythm. Hip hop has soul. Hip hop will be here forever. Giovanni captures the essence of hip hop in this collection of "poetry with a beat". The poems are skillfully illustrated. There are over 30 performances recited by the poet on the accompanying CD. The poets include: A Tribe Called Quest, Kanye West, Sugarhill Gang, James Berry, Queen Latifah, Nikki Grimes, Jill Scott, Mos Def, Common, Gwendolyn Brooks, and many more. Young and old alike will identify with the poems that flow like lyrics on top of beats that will make you groove. A few favorite poems are: Dat Dere, The Rosa Parks, and Hip Hop Rules the World. There are also a few excerpts from some of our favorite rappers. This is definitely a book for everyone. There are more than 50 poems written by 42 different poets along with 30 performances on the CD. Share your past with your kids, by giving your children the opportunity to hear real lyrics and experience poetry at its finest. This promises to be the BEST Children's books of the YEAR! Deltareviewer

Great book for everyone!

Hip Hop Speaks to Children is a delightful and enlightening collection of poetry from various Poets, several performed by the authors themselves, on the included audio CD. With beautiful pictures depicting the poems and the contagious beat that the words pound out, this is a collection sure to capture the interest of all ages. Geared toward the 9 - 12 age group, this easily goes beyond that. As an adult, I greatly enjoyed each poem and as I read them out loud to my 6 year old daughter, she bopped around to the rhythm of my voice just reading the words. She was delighted with the rhyming, which easily draws the reader into the words. While some of the poems within Hip Hop Speaks to Children are fun and playful, others speak of deep emotion. One that I found especially fun is as follows: Funky Snowman by: Calef Brown Funky Snowman loves to dance. You'd think he wouldn't have much chance without two legs or even pants Does that stop Funky Snowman? No!! Turn up the music with the disco beat, when you're in the groove, you don't need feet. Crowds come out and fill the street. Kick it. Funky Snowman!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Another favorite that is more on the serious side and geared toward helping a child's self esteem, I feel, is as follows: The Rose that Grew from the Concrete by: Tupac Shakur Did u hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete Proving nature's laws wrong it learned 2 walk without having feet Funny it seems but by keeping its dreams it learned 2 breathe fresh air Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else even cared! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Loneliness, anger and sadness are feelings that every child knows. More often than not, however, a child is not given or taught an appropriate way to express these strong emotions. The written word is a powerful tool ,that perhaps if given to children, would allow them to positively cleanse themselves and possibly even spark that creative fire that smolders within each soul. Hop Hop Speaks to Children is a positive collection of such emotional expressions. It does not matter what color your skin is, what nationality, race, economic position, size or shape a person is, the written word transcends each and every boundary. With Hip Hop Speaks to Children, you can introduce and excite children to celebrate within the written expression and beat and rhythm of words. I greatly enjoyed this collection and highly recommend it to everyone.