Quiet Storm

Children's Literature - Christopher Moning

The term African Diaspora has been used to describe the spread of Africans to all corners of the globe. Ms. Okutoro, herself a native Nigerian, sent out an international call for submissions by young poets with African roots. This compilation is the result, a fine selection from poets in America, Canada, Jamaica, Barbados, Haiti, and Uganda. The poems are divided into eight categories, such as The Struggle Continues, After Tomorrow, and To Our Elders. Leading off each section are verses by noted literary figures including Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou. But the real strength of this book lies in the passionate voices of the young poets. As one young woman puts it, "Take a trip to my soul and you will find me."

School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up-An anthology that celebrates the African Diaspora. The selections were written by teenagers and display an "awareness of parallel cultures while acknowledging a common-if distant-heritage." Individual chapters include selections about Black pride, the "...Poet as Keeper of the Oral Tradition," home and homelessness, spirituality, love, freedom, the future, and "...Our Elders." Many of the poems will have relevance to their audience and the book could be a helpful tool when approaching the genre thematically. Unfortunately, while giving young poets a place to sound their voice is important, a weak collection of poetry, no matter the nobility of its intent, is still a weak collection of poetry. This anthology suffers from the homogeneity of its voices, many sounding like imitators of Maya Angelou and Nikki Giovanni. Reading these 61 poems could give the impression that all young Black poets are exactly alike. Certainly this isn't true.-Herman Sutter, Saint Pius X High School, Houston, TX Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.