FINDING LANGSTON

In a light Southern drawl, narrator Dion Graham delivers the achingly mournful story of 11-year-old Langston. This first novel gracefully explores many themes of post-WWII African-American life through the first-person narrative of its young protagonist. Langston’s beloved mother has died, and in an attempt to escape both memories and discrimination, his father joins the Great Migration, moving them from Alabama to Chicago. Graham’s immersive performance, with his finely tuned accents and measured pacing, connects listeners to Langston’s anguish. He misses his mother and grandmother, and feels out of place and bullied at school. But he finds joy at a public library that celebrates the heroes of African-American literature, introducing him to the poetry of his namesake, Langston Hughes. An excellent choice for family listening. S.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphone Award, 2018 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2018]