Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade, Cozbi A. Cabrera

Gwendolyn grew up with poetry.  Her father read it in the evenings.  It didn't take long until she was writing her own...

Abrams young readers allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on April 7th.

When she sends her poetry in to a newspaper, they print it.  So does the magazine she sends it to.  Then the depression hits and no one is paying for printing anymore.  Then she gathers a pile of poetry and sends it to a book publisher.  He wants twice as much to make a book.  She sends him more.  He prints it.

She begins writing poetry about growing up in Chicago and sends that to the publisher.  He prints another book.

One day when she's without heat, the phone rings.  It's journalist who tells her she has won the Pulitzer prize for her second book!

She always had big dreams.  Now they are starting to come true.