Harlem: A Poem (A Caldecott Honor Picture Book)

An exquisite ode to Harlem penned by the late and acclaimed children's writer Walter Dean Myers, and illustrated by his son, the award-winning Christopher Myers -- now available as a paperback!

They took the road in Waycross Georgia

Skipped over the tracks in East St. Louis

Took the bus from Holly Springs

Hitched a ride from Gee's Bend...

...To a place called Harlem.

So begins this exquisite, award-winning poem about the poet's childhood home. With a few deft strokes, Myers and Myers paint a picture of a cradle of American culture. The text calls on all of Walter Dean Myers' powers as a narrative writer, a poet, and historian, as it moves from the history of the people of Harlem, through their traditions of family, home, and religion, to their turn of the century Renaisaance and their contemporary despairs, joys, and hopes.

Children, parents, and educators alike will be entranced by the rhythmic read-aloud and vibrant collage art.