Melodies of the Weary Blues: Classic Poems Illustrated for Young People
by Langston Hughes; compiled by Shamar Knight-Justice; illus. by various artists
Primary, Intermediate    Harper/HarperCollins    48 pp.
1/26    9780063327054    $19.99

A twenty-three-artist ensemble interprets poems from Hughes’s poetry collection The Weary Blues in an illustrated volume that emphasizes the poems’ musical motifs. The sequencing transitions from cabaret brightness to meditative hush, crafted with a musician’s sensitivity. Islenia Mil’s interpretation of “Jazzonia,” for example, opens with vibrant stage lighting and a swing feel. Dominique Ramsey’s rendering of the titular poem, “The Weary Blues,” uses repetition and shadow to convey the piece’s emotional weight. Frank Morrison’s powerful, turbulent portrayal of “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” precedes Briana Mukodiri Uchendu’s “Sea Calm” and Reggie Brown’s “Sea Charm,” both of which highlight moments of stillness. Compiler Knight-Justice’s illustration for “Danse Africaine” visually interprets the rhythm of drumming. What could have been a patchwork quilt of styles instead becomes a cohesive conversation among individual artists. Full-bleed illustrations, thoughtful text placement, and a careful balance between saturated colors and calm negative space create continuity while preserving individual artistic styles. The anthology serves as a resonant introduction for new readers of Hughes’s work, allowing them to experience the music of his poetry before returning to seek more profound meaning. A “letter from the editor” introduces the collection, framing poetry as an inheritance rather than an assignment. A biography and timeline of Hughes’s life, along with brief bios of the illustrators, are appended.

From the January/February 2026 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.