Concrete Kids

Author Amyra Leon captures what it means to be young, Black, and female in a world where racism, poverty, and violence are significant parts of her life. Growing up in foster care, Leon exposes the challenges she faced while living in Harlem and the negative impacts of racism and poverty through her tumultuous upbringing. A collection of poetry and short prose selections, this book provides an important insight into the complexity of growing up as a Black girl in the foster system, highlighting complex issues that can provide senior-level students with a deeper understanding of the perspectives of a particular group. Additionally, the text could support a poetry unit, and its style may inspire creative writing opportunities that emphasize imagery, voice, and syntax.