Receive read and review copies of Poor by Caleb Femi and Citizen by Claudia Rankine

Penguin Press is delighted to offer teachers the opportunity to read and review two powerful poetry collections: Poor by Caleb Femi and Citizen by Claudia Rankine.

In Poor, Caleb Femi combines poetry and original photography to explore the trials, tribulations, dreams and joys of young Black boys in twenty-first century Peckham. He contemplates the ways in which they are informed by the built environment of concrete walls and gentrifying neighbourhoods that form their stage, writes a coded, near-mythical history of the personalities and sagas of his South London youth, and pays tribute to the rappers and artists who spoke to their lives. Above all, this is a tribute to the world that shaped a poet, and to the people forging difficult lives and finding magic within it. Suitable for ages 13+ (contains some sexual references).

In her moving, critical and fiercely intelligent collection of prose poems, Claudia Rankine examines the experience of race and racism in Western society through sharp vignettes of everyday discrimination and prejudice, and longer meditations on the violence – whether linguistic or physical – which has impacted the lives of Serena Williams, Zinedine Zidane, Mark Duggan and others. Citizen weaves essays, images and poetry together to form a powerful testament to the individual and collective effects of racism in an ostensibly ‘post-race’ society. Suitable for ages 13+

Penguin Press would like to give teachers access to both collections via NetGalley links in return for reviews on the online platform of their choice (e.g. Amazon, Goodreads etc.). Once the offer has closed, all you will need to do to access the books is register for free and request to read the titles, which the publisher will approve.

To take part in this offer, please email [email protected] with your full name, the name of your school and the email address you will use to create your NetGalley account by Wednesday 30 September. You will be expected to share reviews online and send send links to these to the above email by Friday 20 November. Please don’t get in touch if you cannot commit to this.