---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That’s all you really hope for from a…"
description: "\"That’s all you really hope for from a book – that it’s going to resonate with young people and empower them in some way. I believe poetry can get kids..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/kwame-alexander-35371_believe_that-s-all-you-really-hope-for-from-a-bo_730240.jpg"
---

#  That’s all you really hope for from a book – that it’s…

![“That’s all you really hope for from a book – that it’s going to resonate with young people and empower them in some way. I believe poetry can get kids reading.” quote by Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/kwame-alexander-35371_believe_that-s-all-you-really-hope-for-from-a-bo_730240.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/kwame-alexander-35371_believe_that-s-all-you-really-hope-for-from-a-bo_730240.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/kwame-alexander-35371_believe_that-s-all-you-really-hope-for-from-a-bo_730240.jpg)

> “That’s all you really hope for from a book – that it’s going to resonate with young people and empower them in some way. I believe poetry can get kids reading.”

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The hope is that books, especially poetry, will connect with young readers and give them confidence and voice.

**In simple terms:** Books should inspire and empower kids.

Key Takeaway

Use poetry to engage reluctant readers.

Themes

education empowerment literature youth confidence

Mood

hopeful inspirational

Type

educational motivational

When to use this quote

- classroom reading
- after‑school programs
- library events
- parent‑child reading sessions

Key Concepts

Poetry reading motivation identity formation

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we ensure poetry resonates across diverse youth?
- What barriers prevent kids from engaging with poetry?

A Different Perspective

Poetry may not reach all demographics equally.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-poetry-1725014/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Empowering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowering/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Kids Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids-reading/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poetry Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-kids-724485/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/)

## Related quotes

> [I would read the Shel Silverstein poems, Dr. Seuss, and I noticed early on that poetry was something that just stuck in my head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-would-read-the-shel-silverstein-poems-dr-seuss-and-i-noticed-early/)

[Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/)

> [The big problem is just this kind of gigantic piece, of kids reading less and liking it less and so getting worse at it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/the-big-problem-is-just-this-kind-of-gigantic-piece-of-kids-reading/)

[Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/)

> [I've nothing against kids reading anything they please, but I do have a problem with pink books for girls and black books for boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/i-ve-nothing-against-kids-reading-anything-they-please-but-i-do-have/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [Of course I always like going to bookstores, but at stores, you're mostly meeting kids who are already into reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/of-course-i-always-like-going-to-bookstores-but-at-stores-you-re/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [For a lot of kids, reading is not magical. It's really hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/for-a-lot-of-kids-reading-is-not-magical-it-s-really-hard-work/)

[Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/)

> [The best way to get kids reading more is to give them books that they'll gobble up - and that will make them ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/the-best-way-to-get-kids-reading-more-is-to-give-them-books-that-they/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [Avoid demonizing television, computer games, and new technologies. Electronic media may compete for kids' attention, but we're not going to get kids reading by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/avoid-demonizing-television-computer-games-and-new-technologies/)

[Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/)

> [“I learned that the way governors projected the numbers of beds they'd need for prison facilities was by examining the reading scores of third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/i-learned-that-the-way-governors-projected-the-numbers-of-beds-they-d/)

[Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/)

> [I think, oh my god, kids are reading, and they care about a book enough to come over and talk to me about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/i-think-oh-my-god-kids-are-reading-and-they-care-about-a-book-enough/)

[Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/)

> [Jeff Kinney's 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' series and Stephenie Meyer's 'Twilight' books got 49,323,701 kids reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/jeff-kinney-s-diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-series-and-stephenie-meyer-s/)

[Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/)

> [“Teachers assign it, and parents are happy because their kids are reading something of 'quality.' But it's forcing kids to read books like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/teachers-assign-it-and-parents-are-happy-because-their-kids-are/)

[Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/)

> [I've tried to tell my kids: If you're reading something engrossing, you'll never, ever be bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elin-hilderbrand/i-ve-tried-to-tell-my-kids-if-you-re-reading-something-engrossing-you/)

[Elin Hilderbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elin-hilderbrand/)

> [One of the series I like is D.M. Cornish's 'Monster Blood Tattoo,' in which he creates a whole language. Kids who are reading that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-tobin-anderson/one-of-the-series-i-like-is-d-m-cornish-s-monster-blood-tattoo-in/)

[Matthew Tobin Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-tobin-anderson/)

> [Let's face it: Most of us don't realize it, but we are failing our kids as reading role models. The best role models are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/let-s-face-it-most-of-us-don-t-realize-it-but-we-are-failing-our-kids/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [There are a lot of things we as individuals can't do much about. We can't solve global warming as individuals, or health care problems,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/there-are-a-lot-of-things-we-as-individuals-can-t-do-much-about-we/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

## More by Kwame Alexander

> [“The heart is a small and lonesome place she is a country her eyes hold the river I used to swim her skin, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/the-heart-is-a-small-and-lonesome-place-she-is-a-country-her-eyes/)

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

> [“It's just hard to love someone who cancels the cable right before the Walking Dead marathon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/it-s-just-hard-to-love-someone-who-cancels-the-cable-right-before-the/)

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

> [We expect kids to go straight from Shel Silverstein to William Shakespeare. There needs to be a bridge of relatable, fun, rhythmic verse that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/we-expect-kids-to-go-straight-from-shel-silverstein-to-william/)

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

> [“Basketball Rule #8 Sometimes you have to lean back a little and fade away to get the best shot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/basketball-rule-8-sometimes-you-have-to-lean-back-a-little-and-fade/)

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

> [“Do they even have soccer in Kentucky?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/do-they-even-have-soccer-in-kentucky/)

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

> [You can't have a dream come true if you don't have a dream. You can't write a book if you don't write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/you-can-t-have-a-dream-come-true-if-you-don-t-have-a-dream-you-can-t/)

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

> [“Basketball Rule #4 If you miss enough of life's free throws you will pay in the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/basketball-rule-4-if-you-miss-enough-of-life-s-free-throws-you-will/)

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

> [There are places and spaces for black writers to write about race as a central thing. It's important. We're still dealing with the remnants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/there-are-places-and-spaces-for-black-writers-to-write-about-race-as/)

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

> [“The mind of an adult begins in the imagination of a child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/the-mind-of-an-adult-begins-in-the-imagination-of-a-child/)

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

> [“I think being an adult must be confusing as hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/i-think-being-an-adult-must-be-confusing-as-hell/)

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

> [If your father, who is known for carrying around a belt, told you to read a book, you went and did it. I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/if-your-father-who-is-known-for-carrying-around-a-belt-told-you-to/)

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

> [“From Playbook Sometimes a player's greatest challenge is coming to grips with his role on the team.-Scottie Pippen, six-time NBA champion with the Chicago…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/from-playbook-sometimes-a-player-s-greatest-challenge-is-coming-to/)

[Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

[Explore all 13 Kwame Alexander quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

[Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "That’s all you really hope for from a book –  that it’s going to resonate with young people and empower them in some way. I believe poetry can get kids reading.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Kwame Alexander"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/that-s-all-you-really-hope-for-from-a-book-that-it-s-going-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/that-s-all-you-really-hope-for-from-a-book-that-it-s-going-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/kwame-alexander-35371_believe_that-s-all-you-really-hope-for-from-a-bo_730240.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/kwame-alexander-35371_believe_that-s-all-you-really-hope-for-from-a-bo_730240.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/kwame-alexander-35371_believe_that-s-all-you-really-hope-for-from-a-bo_730240.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“That’s all you really hope for from a book – that it’s going to resonate with young people and empower them…” — Kwame Alexander",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Kwame Alexander",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "That’s all you really hope for...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/that-s-all-you-really-hope-for-from-a-book-that-it-s-going-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/that-s-all-you-really-hope-for-from-a-book-that-it-s-going-to/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
