1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Myers, Walter Dean. 2004. Here in Harlem. New York, NY: Holiday House. ISBN 0-8234-1853-7
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Here in Harlem: poems
in many voices is a collection of 54 poems all written from different perspectives. While the entire book is written by Myers,
each poem is written from a different person’s perspective. Each poem is headed by the name and age of
the voice of the poem: these voices
range from 12 year old student, Lois Smith to the 83 year old blind veteran,
Homer Grimes. The poems are all
characterized by the individual life experiences and the thoughts of the
individual voices, or characters.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Walter Dean Myers is the recipient of many awards, including
two Newbery Honor Awards, the Printz Award, and five Coretta Scott King
awards. His incomparable ability to create
vivid imagery of a multitude of characters is impressive. Within each poem, the voice of the character
is convincing and clear.
The poem in the voice of the 12 year old girl, Lois Smith,
especially resonates with the empathetic reader. The poem speaks of her desire to have a
school named after her and the assumption of other people that she is “some
rich white lady and not someone cute and a little shady.” At first her words
elicit a feeling of pride at achieving such greatness, but it is immediately
followed by a sense of mirth and comprehension that she views her self as
“shady.” There is no doubt that Myers
captures the young girls thoughts.
The rhythm and rhyme of the words are exquisitely timed for
each individual character. There is no
doubt that each poem is unique to a specific person. Collectively, all of the poems coexist to
create an extraordinary anthology of poems that capture the musings and every
day lives of the people of Harlem.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Lee Bennett Hopkins Award 2005
Claudia Lewis Poetry Award 2005
YALSA Best Book for Young Adults 2005
ALA Notable for older readers 2005
Starred Review in School
Library Journal: “A complexity of experiences comes through
vividly in the varying poetic styles…The rich and exciting text will give
readers a flavor of the multiplicity of times and peoples of Harlem.”
Starred Review in Booklist: “Whether
used as a performance piece or read from cover to cover, this unusual book will
be long remembered.”
Publishers Weekly:
“And Harlem is indeed home, to all
of the people who give voice to its pains and pleasures. Readers will want to
visit again and again.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*Other books written by Walter Dean Myers:
Harlem. ISBN 978-0590543408
Monster. ISBN 978-0064407311
Somewhere in the Darkness. ISBN 978-0545055772
*Books that evoke memories of growing up in African American communities
Wright, Richard. Black Boy. ISBN 978-0061443084
Fisher, Antwone. Who Will Cry for the Little Boy? ISBN 0060549327
*The audio version of the book won the Audie Award for
Distinguished Achievement in Production in 2011.
Myers, Walter Dean. 2011. Here in Harlem. Pine Plains, NY: Live Oak Media. ISBN 978-1430109303
*Other books written by Walter Dean Myers:
Harlem. ISBN 978-0590543408
Monster. ISBN 978-0064407311
Somewhere in the Darkness. ISBN 978-0545055772
*Books that evoke memories of growing up in African American communities
Wright, Richard. Black Boy. ISBN 978-0061443084
Fisher, Antwone. Who Will Cry for the Little Boy? ISBN 0060549327