How the Boogeyman Became a Poet

De: Tony Keith Jr.

Narrado por: Tony Keith Jr.

Odyssey Award for Audiobook Excellence Winner

Poet, writer, and hip-hop educator Tony Keith Jr. makes his debut with a powerful YA memoir in verse, tracing his journey from being a closeted gay Black teen battling poverty, racism, and homophobia to becoming an openly gay first-generation college student who finds freedom in poetry. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, George M. Johnson, and Jacqueline Woodson.

Tony dreams about life after high school, where his poetic voice can find freedom on the stage and page. But the Boogeyman has been following Tony since he was six years old. First, the Boogeyman was after his Blackness, but Tony has learned It knows more than that: Tony wants to be the first in his family to attend college, but there’s no path to follow. He also has feelings for boys, desires that don’t align with the script he thinks is set for him and his girlfriend, Blu.

Despite a supportive network of family and friends, Tony doesn’t breathe a word to anyone about his feelings. As he grapples with his sexuality and moves from high school to college, he struggles with loneliness while finding solace in gay chat rooms and writing poetry. But how do you find your poetic voice when you are hiding the most important parts of yourself? And how do you escape the Boogeyman when it's lurking inside you?

©2024 Tony Keith (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Spoken word style the entire book!

You could listen to Tony all day no matter what he’s talking about! But this is excellent, inspiring content as well. Will make a difference in many people’s lives for sure!

Representation

Dr. Tony's poetic memoir is a book that provides a glimpse into his life and provides relatable moments and moods. The representation is for those of the Black community, LGBTQIA+ community, college students, those individuals who feel like outcast, those who dare to dream beyond their realities, and those who love and know hip-hop.

Outstanding Book Written Poem-Style

This audible book was amazing!! It's unlike anything I've read/listened to before. I didn't want to turn it off. Tony kept me engaged with his story which was written in the form of a poem. He took me back with the "handshake" sound, and WHUR, and the titles of the songs I remember from my teenage years. Superb job, Tony Keith!! I'm already looking forward to the next one.