Author Kiese Laymon explores the complex literary intersections of Black life in America, regional identity, and Southern geography through his transition from adult prose to children’s literature. According to public media reporting from Outside/In producer Justine Paradis, Laymon’s work navigates a childhood split between Jackson, Mississippi, and a rural hometown, a duality that informs his debut children’s picture book, City Summer, Country Summer.
Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide in Black American Literature
Growing up, author Kiese Laymon thought of himself as a city kid. Yet, his childhood involved maintaining a foot in two distinct worlds, split between his mother’s home in the capital city of Jackson, Mississippi, and his grandmother’s house in a rural town, as documented in an episode originally published in 2025 by Outside/In.
It was not until Laymon left Mississippi that he came to understand that this question of city versus country actually carried much deeper historical weight. According to the broadcast produced by Justine Paradis, the urban-rural dynamic involves significant baggage, including north-south tensions, tectonic historical forces, and the daily contradictions of life in Mississippi.
Did You Know?
Kiese Laymon adapted his debut children’s book, City Summer, Country Summer, directly from a prose-poem essay he originally published in The New York Times in 2020, featuring illustrations by Alexis Franklin and published by Penguin Young Readers.
Adapting Adult Themes for Children’s Picture Books
The transition from complex cultural essays to children’s literature represents a continuation of Laymon’s lifelong exploration of his complicated love for Mississippi. His earlier essay, “Da Art of Storytellin’ (A Prequel),” published in the Oxford American, similarly explored familial bonds, his grandmother, and the texture of Southern life.
Listeners of the Outside/In podcast can access full transcripts and credits via outsideinradio.org. The show encourages audience participation through its listener voicemail hotline at 1-844-GO-OTTER, welcoming feedback and inquiries from the public.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kiese Laymon’s first children’s book?
According to Penguin Young Readers, Kiese Laymon’s first children’s book is titled City Summer, Country Summer, featuring illustrations by Alexis Franklin.
Where did Kiese Laymon adapt his children’s book from?
Laymon adapted City Summer, Country Summer from a prose-poem essay he published in The New York Times in 2020.
Who produced the interview with Kiese Laymon regarding his Southern roots?
The conversation was produced by Justine Paradis for the public media show Outside/In.
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