Who Was Langston Hughes?

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

Find out how a young boy from the Midwest became one of the most important writers and activists of the Harlem Renaissance in this addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling series!

Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri, and was raised by his grandmother, who told him many stories of the Black American experience and taught him to be proud of his race from a young age. With her guidance, Langston went on to become a talented writer in high school, creating dramatic plays, poetry, and articles for the school paper. His career as a writer would continue to blossom. Langston pioneered Jazz Poetry and published nearly twenty poetry books during his lifetime as well as novels, books for children, nonfiction books, and plays. He was an activist and a major figure of the Harlem Renaissance period, alongside Zora Neale Hurston and Countee Cullen. Young readers can learn about Langston's beloved writing, including some of his most famous poems "Dreams" and "The Weary Blues," and his long-lasting legacy in this middle-grade biography.

Series Overview: The #1 New York Times Best-Selling series of illustrated biographies for young readers includes artists, athletes, scientists, and world leaders.

About the Author

Billy Merrell is an author and poet. His works include Talking in the Dark, Vanilla, and the Infinity Ring Secrets series. Billy is the co-editor of The Full Spectrum: A New Generation of Writing About Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Other Identities, which received the Lambda Literary Award.

Author Residence: Brooklyn, NY