Lullaby

by Langston Hughes, Sean Qualls (Illustrator)

“My little dark baby, / My little earth-thing, / My little love-one, / What shall I sing / For your lullaby?" With a few simple words as smooth as a song, the poet Langston Hughes celebrates the love between an African American mother and her baby.

The award-winning illustrator Sean Qualls’s painted and collaged artwork captures universally powerful maternal moments with tenderness and whimsy. In the end, readers will find a rare photo of baby Hughes and his mother, a biographical note, further reading, and the complete lullaby. Like little love-ones, this beautiful book is a treasure.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Childrens, African American, Love, Cultural, Family

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 19, 2013

About the author

Through poetry, prose, and drama, American writer James Langston Hughes made important contributions to the Harlem renaissance; his best-known works include Weary Blues (1926) and The Ways of White Folks (1934).

People best know this social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist James Mercer Langston Hughes, one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry, for his famous written work about the period, when "Harlem was in vogue."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langsto...

Reviews

[Luisa Knight · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wasn't a fan of the writing style.

Ages: 2 3

Here’s a few of our bedtime favs: watch my reel!

Content Considerations: baby in diaper only.

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[Ariel Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lullaby (For a Black Mother) is a work of poetry by Langston Hughes that was illustrated and turned into a children's book. It is, simply put, a lullaby that a Black mother could sing to her child. It doesn't really tell a story but it is beautiful nonetheless. It's nicely illustrated and the quality is good. It is a perfect marriage of words and illustrations. While this book may seem very simple, its effect is profound. I how it shows the love between a mother and child, especially love between a Black mother and child. The love between a Black mother and child is not often shown, much less in children's books. This book fills that gap nicely. This book would be perfect for younger children, Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tender poem written by Langston Hughes is just as touching now as it was when he first wrote it. Although the poem is short, it describes vividly the connection between a mother and a son. The exquisite acrylic, pencil, and collage illustrations speak volumes about special moments shared by the two. The facial expressions and eyes of the mother and her son seem to be communicating messages of tenderness, love, and steadfastness. Back matter including information about the poet's own childhood and mother adds poignancy to the poem. I am pleased that the poem is reprinted in its entirety at the end of the book as well as having its lines woven throughout the illustrations.

[Laurie]

I really love this book it focuses on the love between an African American Mother and her baby. Which is what Langston Hughes pictured as he wrote this poem when his mother would sat him on her lap and read poems too him. So he decided to create this wonderful African American Poem book. That shows great watercolor photos.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Qualls turns Langston Hughes's poem into a beautiful picture book perfect for bedtime reading.

[Ivan Rainey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: Here we read a poem about a mother singing a lullaby to her baby. The mother wonders what she should sing about so she starts singing about the night. She sings about the stars and the moon. How she would make a necklace of stars for her baby if she could. Mother describes her baby as a “beautiful black baby”, and “dark baby”. She wants to make sure from an early age the baby knows she/he is beautiful how they are. Also, mother recognizes that her baby is beautiful and wishes to profess her love in any way she can. A mother’s love is something no one can replicate.
Artistic/Literary: The illustrator uses watercolor for the pictures. Working with red, yellow, navy, blue and a number of other colors they create a beautiful picture of the bond the mother and baby have. My favorite is probably the picture where the mother is holding the baby in the air, arms stretched out for the stars. It is truly beautiful.
Rating: I’m a sucker for poems, so when you incorporate the aspect of love then I can’t help but give it a 5/5. Children will be able to easily read this story with its simplistic style and wording. Beautiful story, beautiful language, and beautiful poem.

[Ella Nighswander · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is all about an African American mother and her love for her child. There are many mother moments throughout this book. This book explains the importance of a mother loving her baby and the different experiences that they have together. The illustrations are beautiful throughout the book and are created through collage. The pictures are a big part of this book to show the emotion and love that the mother and her baby have throughout the book.
I chose to give this book four stars because of the illustrations. They are very cool to look at and children would be interested in looking at them. I gave this book four stars because the topic of this book could be hard and touchy for some students. Some students have different family lives and this book could be hurtful or hard to read for the students who might not have mothers.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awards: none
Grade level: Birth-K
Summary: Based off a poem by Langston Hughes, this book has beautiful illustrates that shows the special relationship between mother and child.
My Review: I would not recommend this book for the classroom, more of a at-home bedtime story book. I loved the illustrations because they were acrylics and collages and they brought the story to life.
In Class: For a class activity, we can pick out a poem and have each student illustrate a line of the poem to create a class book. This book could be read during Black History Month and/or during a poetry unit to show the different types of poetry.

[Hannah Lewczynski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an illustrated poem from Langston Hughes, and boy is it beautiful. The illustrations do the beautiful poem justice and I love the added effect of having newspaper cut outs with paint over it in the photos. The photos illustrate an undying love between a mother and son and the poem is laid out perfectly on the pages. I would recommend this book to people trying to get kids involved with poetry while still being entertained by images. At the end the illustrator also includes information about Langston Hughes. Overall beautiful book, but would recommend a person start off by reading it to the child because poetry is a little confusing.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lullaby is a fun book to read children right before they go to bed! As you can tell it is probably about lullabies. This book deals with an African-American family with a mother and a daughter whom love each other very much. The book is the mother talking to her baby wondering what she should sing to her tonight for her lullaby. The baby mother always sings to her every night because it helps the baby fall asleep.

Rated this book with 4 stars because I think it teaches children the importance of family and what they do for one another.

[Emilee]

Synopsis: Lullaby (for a Black Mother) by Langston Hughes is a poem that expresses a Black mothers love and need to protect her child as she sings to him.

Why I selected this book: The illustrations are beautiful and are a wonderful companion to the poem and I love that the book focused on Black Motherhood.

Activity: Students should choose questions from one of the chapters in Charlotte Huck's Literature for Children to answer based on their tags in their review.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations by award-winning illustrator Sean Qualls are used to turn this song by poet Langston Hughes into a wonderful picture book. At the end of the book is the lullaby in full as well as additional background information.

[JoEllen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love picture books that illustrate beautiful poetry and complement the powerful words of writers like Langston Hughes. I'm a huge Sean Qualls fan and he never disappoints. Beautiful illustration of the bond/love between mother and child.

[Phyll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it would've been nice if they had included different depictions of black motherhood with regards to shade, hair, sexuality, etc. Lovely illustrations and I love the poem and especially the positing of dark as beautiful.

[Lois Dunahoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to have this in my classroom. It will be great for black history month. It was simple and sweet, yet had a strong message. This will be very beneficial for my students to read and listen to. I really like the smooth, comparisons of the poem. I also think it has great illustrations!

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple and lovely.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet words by Hughes, and great artwork by Qualls. I especially like the "Moon, Moon, Great diamond moon" page.

[Alaase Mahalah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautifully illustrated book based on a Langston Hughes poem. With the added bonus if being a love poem to beautiful black babies.

[Darby McGaffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meant for people with black babies, also not the best rhymes

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know why I've never heard this poem until now!

[Hendrix Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous

[Miss Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Langston Hughes poem on black mothers and babies set to loving illustrated portraits of the two. Baby and up

[Octavia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This very Sweet book is written as a lullaby. Most importantly, it will always allow me to Cherish the Memorable moment of reading this Langston Hughes Poem to my Granddaughter. She loved it!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Langston Hughes' poem paired with collage illustrations. I liked the text better than the illustrations, but both were calming. A nice bedtime read, but not a great group read aloud.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful!!! Beautiful illustrations.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mother sings her baby to sleep.

“My little dark baby, / My little earth-thing, / My little love-one, / What shall I sing / For your lullaby?"

This picture book beautifully illustrates the poem "Lullaby" by Langston Hughes and movingly depicts a mother's love for her child.

This would make an excellent bedtime ritual book.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated picture book of the poem by Langston Hughes. Poem below:

Lullaby
(for a black mother)

My little dark baby,
My little earth-thing,
My little love-one,
What shall I sing
For your lullaby?
Stars,
Stars,
A necklace of stars
Winding the night.
My little black baby,
My dark body's baby,
What shall I sing
For your lullaby?
Moon,
Moon,
Great diamond moon,
Kissing the night.
Oh, little dark baby,
Night black baby,
Stars, stars,
Moon,
Night stars,
Moon,
For your sleep-song lullaby!

[Norah Almusharraf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book!
The poem itself is soft and musical . It raised up the heart beats. The crafted illustrations stand up beside the beauty of poem words. The harmony combination between the words and collage illustrations elaborate the endless love between the black mother and her baby.
This book could be taught to young children. They will learn the strongest love in the world. They will learn the beauty of words and how these word carry out the greatest love .Teacher also may ask children to write their pure love towards their mothers .

[Mother Goose Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Qualls has used acrylics and collage to beautifully illustrate Langston Hughe's poem night-time lullaby poem. Large font, spare text per double-page spread. Includes a "note about the poet," suggestions for further reading, and the poem in its entirety in the endpapers. This title is appropriate for all age levels, including families as well as middle and high school students who are studying poetry and/or the poet.

[Katie Logonauts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lullaby (for a Black Mother) is a poem by Langston Hughes published as a picture book in 2013 illustrated by Sean Qualls. The illustrations are a wonderful enchanting combination of realistic and imaginative, including scenes of the mother and child getting ready for bed but also scenes of pure abstraction and joy. The end notes about the poet even include a photograph of him as a young baby with his mother. A precious book for any new mother.