Book description
Robert Burleigh's inspiring text captures the magical moment when Langston Hughes came to believe in himself as a writer, as he first wrote "The Negro Speaks of Rivers."
Clackety clack clack clack...
Can you hear the rhythm of the train?
Langston Hughes did. Traveling to see his father in 1920,…
Why read it?
1 author picked Langston's Train Ride as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
If you doubt poetry’s power to sweep you up and bring you to tears, you must read Burleigh’s deep dive into Langston Hughes’ inspiration for his famous poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”. You’ll take this story to heart and keep it there. I got the chills from the author’s note, which explains that Burleigh’s goal was to explore “the moment when Langston Hughes came to believe in himself as a writer” – and have that moment inspire others. In vibrant, poetic prose perfect for reading aloud, Burleigh begins with Hughes celebrating his first book.
In a flashback, Hughes, on…
From Lisa's list on biographies to inspire young poets.
If you love Langston's Train Ride...
Scout and the Rescue Dogs
The summer holidays have finally arrived and Scout can’t wait for her adventure in the big rig with Dad. They’re on a mission to deliver donations of dog food to animal rescue shelters right across the state. There’ll be dad-jokes, rock-collecting, and a brilliant plan that will make sure everyone’s…
Want books like Langston's Train Ride?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Langston's Train Ride.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,276
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like Langston's Train Ride, you might also like...
From Cells to Ourselves
4.5 billion years ago, Earth was forming - but nothing could have survived there…
From Cells to Ourselves is the incredible story of how life on earth started and how it gradually evolved from the first simple cells to the abundance of life around us today. Walk with dinosaurs, analyse…
Believing In Horses
First the move to Maryland. Then Dad's deployment to Afghanistan. Sadie is in trouble.
Then she gets Lucky, a new, young horse who proves to be a handful. But that's just the beginning.
Together they encounter horse thieves, Maryland storms, and unwanted horses destined for auction and uncertain futures. Sadie…
