Welcome to the Cypher
by Khodi Dill
Publication Date: Nov 30, 2021
List Price: $18.95
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
Classification: Fictiom
Target Age Group: Picture Book
ISBN13: 9781773215631
Imprint: Annick Press
Publisher: Annick Press
Parent Company: Annick Press
Words burn bright in this joyful celebration of rap, creativity, and self-expression.
"Welcome to the cypher!
Now huddle up nice and snug.
You feel that circle around you?
Well, that’s a hip hop hug!"
Starting with beatboxes and fingersnaps, an exuberant narrator introduces kids in his community to the powerful possibilities of rap, from turning "a simple phrase/into imagery that soars" to proclaiming, "this is a voice that represents me!" As Khodi Dill’s rhymes heat up, the diverse crew of kids—illustrated in Awuradwoa Afful’s bold, energetic style—gain self-confidence and a sense of freedom in this wonderful picture book debut that is perfect for reading aloud.