Talent Night

Rating:
Summary: A must read for the aspiring APA "rapper" and artist!!!!
Review: There is something to be said for a book that succeeds in being widely circulated (in a near guerilla tactic-like fashion) among the young APA artist community as a "must read." With the ever-increasing popularity of hip-hop and spoken word among our nation's youth, Talent Night proves to be a book which introduces a positive, albeit for aspiring APA artists- somewhat ironic, perspective on the impact poetry and rhyme can have. Talent Night's failure in providing a more connected depiction of the aspiring APA artist, APA youth and hip hop is in actuality, a reaffirming indication of the complex, often peripheral and challenging position APA youth have growing in a hip hop, pop-culture, media induced generation. Okimoto adequately succeeds in synthesizing the numerous themes of acceptance, identity, adolescent love and ethnicity into a coherent, surprisingly intricate story. It's clear that the accolades that Talent Night has garnished with adults and young readers alike are not merely derived from the, "oh so touching story of a boy in search of acceptance, love and his calling," but more importantly, a deeper recognition and challenge for the reader and author alike to redefine the boundaries of race and art for the next generation. I am still trying to understand why the cover art was changed with the second edition. The new cover art looks like it should adorn a horrendous, "100 of the world's most beautiful love poems" anthology. The old cover art of the Asian boy, the main character, on stage with microphone in hand, distinguished it from the other books when I first picked it up. For a story that demands the acceptance of the young Asian Pacific American, it is disapponting not to see the Asian protaganist on the cover.

Rating:
Summary: A must read for the aspiring APA "rapper" and artist!!!!
Review: There is something to be said for a book that succeeds in being widely circulated (in a near guerilla tactic-like fashion) among the young APA artist community as a "must read." With the ever-increasing popularity of hip-hop and spoken word among our nation's youth, Talent Night proves to be a book which introduces a positive, albeit for aspiring APA artists- somewhat ironic, perspective on the impact poetry and rhyme can have. Talent Night's failure in providing a more connected depiction of the aspiring APA artist, APA youth and hip hop is in actuality, a reaffirming indication of the complex, often peripheral and challenging position APA youth have growing in a hip hop, pop-culture, media induced generation. Okimoto adequately succeeds in synthesizing the numerous themes of acceptance, identity, adolescent love and ethnicity into a coherent, surprisingly intricate story. It's clear that the accolades that Talent Night has garnished with adults and young readers alike are not merely derived from the, "oh so touching story of a boy in search of acceptance, love and his calling," but more importantly, a deeper recognition and challenge for the reader and author alike to redefine the boundaries of race and art for the next generation. I am still trying to understand why the cover art was changed with the second edition. The new cover art looks like it should adorn a horrendous, "100 of the world's most beautiful love poems" anthology. The old cover art of the Asian boy, the main character, on stage with microphone in hand, distinguished it from the other books when I first picked it up. For a story that demands the acceptance of the young Asian Pacific American, it is disapponting not to see the Asian protaganist on the cover.