There Was a Party for Langston

By Jason Reynolds, Jerome Pumphrey (Illustrator), Jarrett Pumphrey (Illustrator)

Celebrate a legendary wordsmith whose legacy inspired a literary revolution.

4.5/5 Goodreads · 1,901 ratings

56 pages· 816 words· Est. 14 min read

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Join the vibrant celebration of Langston Hughes, the King of Letters, whose words sparked a literary movement. At a lively party in Harlem, luminaries like Maya Angelou and Amiri Baraka gather to honor his legacy. Feel the rhythm of his influence as poets and writers pay tribute, dancing and reciting in a joyous homage. Discover how Hughes's powerful words continue to inspire generations, igniting creativity and breaking barriers. What stories will his word-children tell next? Experience the magic of a literary giant whose heart beats through the pages of history.

From the publisher

A Caldecott Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds’s debut picture book is a snappy, joyous ode to Word King, literary genius, and glass-ceiling smasher Langston Hughes and the luminaries he inspired. Back in the day, there was a heckuva party, a jam, for a word-making man. The King of Letters. Langston Hughes. His ABCs became drums, bumping jumping thumping like a heart the size of the whole country. They sent some people yelling and others, his word-children, to write their own glory. Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka, and more came be-bopping to recite poems at their hero’s feet at that heckuva party at the Schomberg Library, dancing boom da boom, stepping and stomping, all in praise and love for Langston, world-mending word man. Oh, yeah, there was hoopla in Harlem, for its Renaissance man. A party for Langston.