Poet, writer, and hip-hop educator Tony Keith Jr. makes his debut
with a powerful YA memoir in verse, tracing his journey from being a
closeted gay Black teen battling poverty, racism, and homophobia to
becoming an openly gay first-generation college student who finds
freedom in poetry. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, George M.
Johnson, and Jacqueline Woodson.
Tony dreams about
life after high school, where his poetic voice can find freedom on
the stage and page. But the Boogeyman has been following Tony since
he was six years old. First, the Boogeyman was after his Blackness,
but Tony has learned It knows more than that: Tony wants to be the
first in his family to attend college, but there’s no path to
follow. He also has feelings for boys, desires that don’t align
with the script he thinks is set for him and his girlfriend, Blu.
Despite a supportive
network of family and friends, Tony doesn’t breathe a word to
anyone about his feelings. As he grapples with his sexuality and
moves from high school to college, he struggles with loneliness while
finding solace in gay chat rooms and writing poetry. But how do you
find your poetic voice when you are hiding the most important parts
of yourself? And how do you escape the Boogeyman when it's lurking
inside you?