Written in first person, present tense, the story tells of Langston Hughes' train ride to see his father, a ride where he wrote his first famous poem, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers." Burleigh states, "My hope is that Langston's Train Ride is not only a historic retelling but also a beacon for other young people with a dream." The illustrations are boldly built of mixed media - collage, pastel, paints, and other materials - and match the story's setting and the rugged history of Langston Hughes. A terrific choice for any classroom studying poetry and wanting to bring a richly diverse history into those studies. ( )

This book was about a man named Langston Hughes and when he discovered that he was a poet. He was on a train ride going to see his father in Mexico and he let the rhythm of the train guide his imagination as he realized that he has known rivers and his soul has grown deep like the rivers. ( )

Burleigh created a very genuine and soulful African American feel of the time Langston Hughes discovered himself as a writer. This book was flooded with symbolism and past occurrences that led to Langston's self-discovery and it captures the minds of those who are chasing their dreams.

This is a children's' book about a poet named Langston Hughes. This book tells us what had happened when his poetry book was published and after he graduated high school. We are going with him on his journey to Mexico as he wants to tell his father who left and told him that he couldn't write poetry, to prove to him that that was what he had prospered in. In this book we hear how he always kept something to write with him when he got his ideas for his poems so that he could remember it, as well as where he got some of his ideas for his biggest and most popular poems that were out there.

I've enjoyed work by Hughes and by Burleigh, so I was excited to check this out.  And it didn't disappoint.  The text has the jazzy rhythms one would expect in a story about one of the most admired poets of the Harlem Renaissance, and the pictures are bright, lively, and syncopated too.  The 'Rivers' poem, Hughes' first, is included, as is a helpful author's note.  Should be in every, um, fifth-grade classroom. ( )