Captivating, touching, and sincere, “Pansy Boy” tells the story of a thoughtful young boy who is tormented by his classmates because they perceive him as being different. With whimsical, thoughtful rhymes and a mixture of colorful imagery painted against a grayscale canvas, author and illustrator Paul Harfleet shows us how a seed planted by hate can bloom into a garden filled with love. the main characters optimism and hope in the face of ignorance shows the incredible strength of compassion, and after reading, will surely inspire others to go out into the world and cultivate their own spaces of love.

I was struck by the juxtaposition of Harfleet’s art style—the pops of bright colors in a sea of varying shades of gray; the unflattering expressions of the homophobic classmates versus the soft features of the main character. It adds to the depth and thoughtfulness that went into his words, weaving a beautiful narrative within the images themselves. “Pansy Boy” is not simply a story. It is a call for action, a kindling of fires, an offering of hope for those who need a reminder that there is always a way to rise above the hate.

This review was written by Takoma Bookstore Supervisor Melanie Kates

PHOTO 2024 02 01 07 10 14

For Langston Hughes on His 123 Birthday

Speech given on February 1, 2024 in Havana, Cuba In 1927 Langston Hughes walked into a Cuba amid an emerging community of artists, intellectuals, and radicals.  He saw a “sunrise in a new land [– a day – in his words]sic – full of brownskin surprises, and hitherto unknown contacts in a world of color.”  … Continued

PALESTINE WEEK 1920 x 1080 px 2

Palestine Week 2024

January 18, 2024 – January 25, 2024 In keeping with our ongoing mission of uplifting racial and cultural connections, Busboys and Poets is hosting Palestine Week (January 18 through January 25, 2024). This week-long series of events will offer a diverse range of programming featuring Palestinian food, music, dance, poetry, discussions, and other enriching events. … Continued

156921001 10157983852332555 2656631468027643476 o

The Nepal Chronicles #3

March 3, 2021 (in transit)… My layover in Doha was the shortest in history. 45 minutes to get from one end of the airport to the other. Luckily no customs or security checks. Just run! The onboard safety videos are interesting. In one there is a men’s soccer team acting like passengers and the coach … Continued

Busboys and Poets Book Review: Solo

Busboys and Poets Book Review: Solo

Written entirely in verse, Newbery Medalist (Crossover) and New York Times Bestselling Author Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess team up to bring us Blade Morrison in the most pivotal time of his life. When you’re seventeen, graduating from high school, in love with the prettiest girl in your class, and is the son of … Continued

On Censorship by Salman Rushdie

On Censorship by Salman Rushdie

No writer ever really wants to talk about censorship. Writers want to talk about creation, and censorship is anti-creation, negative energy, uncreation, the bringing into being of non-being, or, to use Tom Stoppard’s description of death, “the absence of presence.” Censorship is the thing that stops you doing what you want to do, and what writers want to talk about is what they do, not what stops them doing it.