Hip hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat

Bibliography

Giovanni, Nikki. Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat. Nashville: Sourcebooks, 2008.

Review

Editor, Nikki Giovanni, introduces an anthology of “poetry with a beat” in a vibrant and well put together set of poems. Giovanni presents a background of how rhythm, rap, and hip hop have been in place for years and years. The reader gains a better understanding of how rhythm has been a part of various cultures and crosses barriers.

The book also includes a CD in which many poets read their own poems and an index that includes a brief description of each poet. The illustrations are perfectly paired with poems that contrast subtle and vibrant colors and display purposefully smudged pictures.

Some poems use rhyme such as “Allow Me to Introduce Myself” by Charles R. Smith Jr. using stopper and dropper or Man and Slam in consecutive lines. (Giovanni, pg. 24) Imagery created through senses is pivotal to Gary Soto’s “Music for Fun and Profit” in which the sense of hearing is provoked. From a rubber band to kicking leaves and bars of a crib to the rattling of a newspaper, the character realizes he has his own band (Giovanni, g. 24)

Poem & Connection

Oh, Words

By Eloise Greenfield

“Oh, I love those wacky words

those crazy words that crack me up,

like dibbily-doobily-doo and such,

they don’t mean much,

but oh, I love them so….”

(Giovanni, pg. 14)

I would introduce this poem before teaching a writing lesson on word choice. This poem is just what is needed to trigger an explosion of ideas from students on words that are interesting and exciting instead of dull and boring. Writing can seem empty and scary, but “Oh, Words” creates an image that words can be wildly fun and engaging.