Hip-Hop Reading

Picture Books

Boogie Boogie, Y'all by C.G. Esperanzaa

Breaking to the Beat! by Linda J. Acevedo; illustrated by Frank Morrison

Daddy and Me and the Rhyme to Be by Chris Bridges and Halcyon Person; illustrated by Parker-Nia Gordon

Darryl's Dream by Darryl "DMC" McDaniels with Shawnee & Johnny Warfield and Adam Padilla; illustrated by Tristan Tait  

Hip and Hop in the House! by Jef Czekaj

Hip-Hop Lollipop by Susan Montanari and Brian Pinkney

I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison; illustrated by Frank Morrison

Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe

The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Frank Morrison

Welcome to the Cypher by Khodi Dill; illustrated by Awuradwoa Afful 

What Is Hip-Hop? by Eric Morse and George Nelson; art by Anny Yi

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill; illustrated by Theodore Taylor III

Middle Grade

A Child's Introduction to Hip-Hop: The Beats, Rhymes, and Roots of a Musical Revolution by Jordannah Elizabeth; illustrated by Markia Jenai

Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat edited by Nikki Giovanni

Hip-Hop: The Beat of America by Jarrett Williams

Simon B. Rhymin' by Dwayne Reed

The Rhythm of Time by Questlove with S. A. Cosby 

Young Adult

After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop edited by Kevin Coval

Break Beats in the Bronx: Rediscovering Hip-Hop's Early Years by Joseph C. Ewoodzie, Jr.

Can't Stop Won't Stop: A Hip-Hop History (Young Adult Edition) by Jeff Chang and Dave "Davey D" Cook

The Come Up: An Oral History of the Rise of Hip-Hop by Jonathan Abrams

Fresh Fly Fabulous: 50 Years of Hip Hop Style edited by Elizabeth Way & Elena Romero; forward by Slick Rick

Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

Rana Joon and the One and Only Now by Shideh Etaat

Spin by Lamar Giles

The Rap Year Book by Shea Serrano

Find these and more reading recommendations that celebrate hip-hop at your local library through World Cat.