Looking for your kid’s next inspirational read? A new book, Exquisite, featuring the story and poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks just might be it. Brooks, the first black person to win the Pulitzer Prize, Chicago mom and Illinois’ long-time poet laureate, is famous for capturing life in her Chicago neighborhood.
In doing research for the book, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera of Evanston, author Suzanne Slade of Libertyville discovered an unpublished poem, “Clouds,” in Brooks’ handwritten childhood journals, which is included in the book.
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This article originally appeared in Chicago Parent’s May 2020 magazine. Read the rest of the issue here.