James Mercer Langston Hughes, an acomplished poet, novelist, fictional writer, and playwright, was born and raised in Joplin, Missouri. Hughes is most well known for his role of artistic contributions in the Harlem Renaissance. However what serperates Hughes from the rest of other black poets at the time is he is known to mix between his personal experieces and his common experiences as a black American in the 1920s. Hughes was able to capture and reflect the soul of his people and put it into a book with wonderful poetry, as well as illustrations from the brilliant Benny Andrews. In this work he is able to simplify his big ideas to the point where youth can absorb the messages he wishes to convey. This book contains many poems highlighting the highs and lows of black childhood and is a wonderful read for young readers.