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 the most successful rock star, what more could you ask for? Blade soon realizes that he does want more in the life he thought he was living when it all comes crashing down with a family secret that sends him on an excursion of self discovery.

I enjoyed imagining what each song would sound like and the pages felt like a layer peeled off of someone. It’s said that the best music comes from what you go through and overcome and the reader gets a chance to really see Blade come into himself. Following in his father’s footsteps of being a rockstar, we get to witness his heart pour into his lyrics as the plot unfolds.

The music in this novel represents growth and Blade’s journey from boyhood to something more. Kwame and Mary give a life lesson that sometimes the people closest to you are the ones who hurt you the most but help you realize your true essence.

This review was generously provided by Taren Stewart. To find this book and more, check out any of our six locations.

The Making of Busboys and Poets

A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets

We’re proud to announce A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets, the new memoir from our CEO and Founder, which reveals the vision, challenges, and triumphs behind opening Busboys and Poets. Packed with misadventures, unexpected triumphs, and insights on race, business and politics, Andy Shallal’s memoir takes us on a “How I Built … Continued

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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

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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

Busboys and Poets Books Review: Love Poems

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Rising Artist Frank Ocean did something important

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“We can thank Frank Ocean, not only for making a public statement that sweeps aside shadows and offers young fans another powerfully vulnerable star to admire and emulate, but for reminding us that while proudly declaring an identity can be a politically crucial gesture, often the human heart is not so sure-footed. The process of becoming and unbecoming, loving and losing, is what often makes for the most meaningful art.” – Ann Powers, NPR

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Watch Angela Davis in conversation with Amy Goodman

Last night a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock opened for a conversation with activist and scholar Angela Davis with Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman at Busboys – 450K.  The private events room at 450K is named after Angela Davis and she signed a photo of herself on the mural created by our founder/CEO Andy … Continued