dear Knucklehead,perhaps you are like me:always figuring out if your soul and your skinare thick enough to protect your body from sticky stonesthrown from the mouths of those who knowthat spoken words...
dear Knucklehead,
perhaps you are like me:
always figuring out if your soul and your skin
are thick enough to protect your body from sticky stones
thrown from the mouths of those who know
that spoken words have the power to spit out freedom
and break-in bones.
While society often assigns the label “knucklehead” to kids with attitude problems, this brilliant and electric poetry collection by spoken word poet and hip-hop educator Tony Keith Jr. subverts that narrow way of thinking... Read More
dear Knucklehead,perhaps you are like me:always figuring out if your soul and your skinare thick enough to protect your body from sticky stonesthrown from the mouths of those who knowthat spoken words...
dear Knucklehead,
perhaps you are like me:
always figuring out if your soul and your skin
are thick enough to protect your body from sticky stones
thrown from the mouths of those who know
that spoken words have the power to spit out freedom
and break-in bones.
While society often assigns the label “knucklehead” to kids with attitude problems, this brilliant and electric poetry collection by spoken word poet and hip-hop educator Tony Keith Jr. subverts that narrow way of thinking... Read More
Description
dear Knucklehead,
perhaps you are like me:
always figuring out if your soul and your skin
are thick enough to protect your body from sticky stones
thrown from the mouths of those who know
that spoken words have the power to spit out freedom
and break-in bones.
While society often assigns the label “knucklehead” to kids with attitude problems, this brilliant and electric poetry collection by spoken word poet and hip-hop educator Tony Keith Jr. subverts that narrow way of thinking and empathizes with young people who are misunderstood and unheard.
There are poems about the power of language to transcend the racist and homophobic constructs of a society prejudging Black boys. There are poems that serve as a salve for a world that inflicts hurt, poems that offer a beacon of hope for the curious and questioning, and poems that transform the way people love Black gay boys and men.
This is a journey of self-discovery through history, family, friendship, and falling in love. Knucklehead is a breathtaking work, full of black-and-white illustrations and unforgettable poetry that will heal, provoke, and inspire.
Details
Pages: 128
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Quill Tree Books
Publication Date: 25th February 2025
Trim Size: 5.5 x 8.25 in
Illustration Note: b&w
ISBN: 9780063296053
Reviews
A poignant, hip-hop-fueled collection of poetry that’s equal parts memoir, love letter, and rallying cry to Black boys. Searing language and palpable messaging permeate this dazzling, from-the-heart poetry collection that’s sure to inspire the eponymous knuckleheads and beyond to find their voice and use it for liberation. — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
A love letter in verse to Black boys and men. Will resonate deeply with readers and poets on a path of self-discovery. — Kirkus Reviews
Keith addresses himself, his readers, and society the same—all knuckleheads, bumbling to adulthood in an attempt to individualize and define ourselves. These poems are prescient and relevant when socioeconomic injustice and blatant racism have come to the forefront of the country’s political landscape. — School Library Journal
This is an ambitious work delivered in a triumphantly easy-to-read package for both the devoted poetry lovers and the young poetry-curious. — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Keith's perspective on growing up a Black man in America is an excellent addition to all YA shelves. — Booklist
Author Bio
Tony Keith Jr. is a Black American gay poet, spoken word artist, and hip-hop educational leader from Washington, DC. He is author of the YA memoir in verse How the Boogeyman Became a Poet. Tony’s writings have appeared in the International Journal of Critical Media Literacy, the Journal of Black Masculinity, and many others. A multiyear Fellow of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities with a PhD in education from George Mason University, Tony is CEO of Ed Emcee Academy and lives with his husband, Harry Christian III, in his DC hometown. Visit him at tonykeithjr.com.
are thick enough to protect your body from sticky stones
thrown from the mouths of those who know
that spoken words have the power to spit out freedom
and break-in bones.
While society often assigns the label “knucklehead” to kids with attitude problems, this brilliant and electric poetry collection by spoken word poet and hip-hop educator Tony Keith Jr. subverts that narrow way of thinking and empathizes with young people who are misunderstood and unheard.
There are poems about the power of language to transcend the racist and homophobic constructs of a society prejudging Black boys. There are poems that serve as a salve for a world that inflicts hurt, poems that offer a beacon of hope for the curious and questioning, and poems that transform the way people love Black gay boys and men.
This is a journey of self-discovery through history, family, friendship, and falling in love. Knucklehead is a breathtaking work, full of black-and-white illustrations and unforgettable poetry that will heal, provoke, and inspire.
Pages: 128
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Quill Tree Books
Publication Date: 25th February 2025
Trim Size: 5.5 x 8.25 in
Illustrations Note: b&w
ISBN: 9780063296053
A poignant, hip-hop-fueled collection of poetry that’s equal parts memoir, love letter, and rallying cry to Black boys. Searing language and palpable messaging permeate this dazzling, from-the-heart poetry collection that’s sure to inspire the eponymous knuckleheads and beyond to find their voice and use it for liberation. — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
A love letter in verse to Black boys and men. Will resonate deeply with readers and poets on a path of self-discovery. — Kirkus Reviews
Keith addresses himself, his readers, and society the same—all knuckleheads, bumbling to adulthood in an attempt to individualize and define ourselves. These poems are prescient and relevant when socioeconomic injustice and blatant racism have come to the forefront of the country’s political landscape. — School Library Journal
This is an ambitious work delivered in a triumphantly easy-to-read package for both the devoted poetry lovers and the young poetry-curious. — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Keith's perspective on growing up a Black man in America is an excellent addition to all YA shelves. — Booklist
Tony Keith Jr. is a Black American gay poet, spoken word artist, and hip-hop educational leader from Washington, DC. He is author of the YA memoir in verse How the Boogeyman Became a Poet. Tony’s writings have appeared in the International Journal of Critical Media Literacy, the Journal of Black Masculinity, and many others. A multiyear Fellow of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities with a PhD in education from George Mason University, Tony is CEO of Ed Emcee Academy and lives with his husband, Harry Christian III, in his DC hometown. Visit him at tonykeithjr.com.
