Langston Hughes

School Library Journal

Gr 6-10This look at the poet's life and times includes the same basic facts that many other biographers have recorded and does so in a clear, easy-to-read narrative. The text flows smoothly and is written in an engaging style that will hold students' interest. Good-quality, black-and-white photographs add to the presentation; the captions are largely informative with the exception of a portrait of Hughes with an unidentified statue. Although this book is functional, it is not as attractive or as encompassing as Milton Meltzer's more complete Langston Hughes (Millbrook, 1997). Far less intimidating than that title, particularly for reluctant readers, Hill's book is a suitable addition.Marilyn Fairbanks, East Junior High School, Brockton, MA