How the Boogeyman Became a Poet

Odyssey Award for Audiobook Excellence Winner

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?

LGBTQ+ Discovery: Navigating secret feelings for boys, 90s AOL chat rooms, and a complicated relationship with his girlfriend, Blu, Tony searches for the language to describe his truth. First-Generation Journey: With no family map to follow, Tony fights to become the first in his family to go to college, facing down academic hurdles and the high cost of his dreams. Finding Your Voice: From private notebooks to the open mic stage, discover how poetry becomes a weapon against the inner “Boogeyman” and a source of ultimate freedom. Social Justice Themes: A raw and unflinching look at the intersections of identity, battling the realities of poverty, racism, and homophobia as a young Black man in America.