How the Boogeyman Became a Poet by Tony Keith Jr.

How the Boogeyman Became a Poet

Tony Keith Jr.

HarperCollins · Print & ebook · February 6, 2024

A Poetry pick for readers exploring How the Boogeyman Became a Poet.

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Who it’s for
A memoir in verse where poetry meets the difficult work of becoming more fully oneself.
Themes
Queer identity and self-discovery, Racism and homophobia, Poetry and self-expression
Genres
LGBTQ+ Biographies, Poetry for Teens, African American U.S. History for Teens

About this book

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.

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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?

Finding a Voice

A memoir in verse where poetry meets the difficult work of becoming more fully oneself.

Come here for

  • Poetry entwined with questions of identity, family, and belonging
  • A coming-of-age story shaped by the search for freedom in language

Expect

  • A candid YA memoir in verse
  • Reflections on race, sexuality, loneliness, and finding a poetic voice

Where it sits

Poetry for Teens73%
African American U.S. History for Teens70%
LGBTQ+ Biographies52%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Lives in History
  • Activist Biographies
  • Sports Lives
  • Women's Lives
Show all 8 publisher categories
  • LGBTQ+ Biographies
  • Boys & Men
  • Humor for Teens
  • African American U.S. History for Teens
Authors
Tony Keith Jr.
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published
February 6, 2024
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Queer identity and self-discovery · Racism and homophobia · Poetry and self-expression
Reading lane
Lives in History