Amanda Gorman
Amanda Gorman has published 6 books across 3 series. The recommended reading order starts with Change Sings: A Children's Anthem (2021).
Amanda Gorman is an American poet and author who became the youngest poet to read at a presidential inauguration when she delivered The Hill We Climb at Joe Biden’s January 2021 ceremony. Her poetry and writings explore themes of oppression, feminism, race, marginalization, and the experiences of people of African descent in the United States. Gorman’s debut as a published author arrived in 2021 with the release of The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country. She previously served as the first Youth Poet Laureate of the United States, an honor that marked her emergence as a significant voice in contemporary poetry. Her work has since been recognized on national bestseller lists, and she continues to address vital social issues through her writing.
Shelf & Shadows
Order of Anthologies
- DescriptionThe Moth has been teaching people to tell their stories for over twenty years. They've filled stages from New York to Tokyo with ordinary people sharing extraordinary moments. This book distills everything they've learned into a practical guide. You'll find no fluff here. Just clear, actionable advice on how to find your story, shape it, and deliver it with impact. The Moth's directors break down their process step by step—how to identify the moment that matters, build tension, find your throughline. They show you what works and what doesn't. The book draws on real stories from The Moth's archives. You'll see how storytellers transformed messy life experiences into compelling narratives. How they found humor in hardship. How they made audiences lean in. Each example illuminates a principle you can apply to your own stories. Whether you're preparing for a stage, a job interview, or just want to hold your own at dinner parties, this guide gives you the tools. The Moth believes everyone has a story worth telling. They've proven it thousands of times over. Now they're handing you the blueprint. Your stories matter. This book shows you how to make them unforgettable.Publication date2022Amazon rating4.6/5LanguageEnglishPublisherRandom House Audio
Order of Children's Books
- TagschildrenDescriptionHope hums in the air. Change is coming, and it starts with a song. Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, brings her gift for stirring words to the picture book world with a lyrical celebration of possibility and action. This isn't a quiet bedtime story. It's a call to arms wrapped in rhythm and light. A young girl leads us through her world, showing how change ripples outward when we dare to use our voices. She sings, and the song becomes a movement. Gorman's verse pulses with the same energy that captivated millions during the presidential inauguration—accessible yet profound, simple yet soaring. The message is clear: change isn't something that happens to us. It's something we create together, note by note, voice by voice. Perfect for young readers ready to believe they can shape the world around them, this anthem reminds us that even the smallest among us can spark something extraordinary. It's a book that begs to be read aloud, shared in classrooms and living rooms, wherever children are learning that their voices matter.Publication dateSeptember 21, 2021Amazon rating4.9/5Print length32LanguageEnglishPublisherViking Books for Young Readers
- TagschildrenDescriptionA child stands at the threshold of possibility, dreaming of all the things they might become. Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, turns her luminous voice toward the youngest readers in this picture book that pulses with hope and ambition. The pages unfold like a series of promises—something to build, something to discover, something to change. Someday. It's a word that hums with potential, and Gorman wields it like a key, unlocking futures both grand and intimate. This isn't a book that lectures or instructs; it invites. Gorman's verse moves with the rhythm of a child's imagination, leaping from one vision to the next with the kind of boundless energy that refuses to be contained. The central question here isn't what you will be, but what you might dare to imagine. It's a celebration of aspiration itself, of the quiet power in believing that the future is something you help create. For young readers just beginning to understand their place in the world, Gorman offers not a map, but a mirror—one that reflects back all the wonder and possibility they carry within them. Something, Someday is a gentle rallying cry, a reminder that the dreams we nurture today shape the world we'll inhabit tomorrow.Publication dateSeptember 26, 2023Amazon rating4.8/5Print length40LanguageEnglishPublisherViking Books for Young Readers
- TagschildrenDescriptionThis is a book that believes in the power of young voices—and insists you believe in them too. Amanda Gorman, the poet who commanded the world's attention at a presidential inauguration, turns her gaze toward girls everywhere who are finding their own strength, their own words, their own way forward. With the lyrical precision that has become her signature, she crafts a rallying cry that's both tender and fierce, a reminder that rising isn't a solitary act but a collective awakening. Gorman's verses pulse with urgency and hope, celebrating the girls who speak up, stand tall, and refuse to be diminished. She weaves together imagery of light and growth, of voices that start as whispers and build into choruses. This isn't just poetry to be read—it's poetry to be felt, to be carried, to be shared with the young people in your life who need to hear that they matter, that their dreams are valid, that their time is now. It's a book that understands the weight of the world these girls inherit, but also the brilliance they bring to it. Short enough to read in one sitting, powerful enough to linger long after.Publication dateJanuary 7, 2025Amazon rating4.8/5Print length32LanguageEnglishPublisherViking Books for Young Readers
Order of Poetry Books
- DescriptionThere's something about poetry that lands differently when the world feels fractured. Amanda Gorman knows this. She writes from the center of upheaval, from pandemic isolation and political unrest, from grief that doesn't announce itself but seeps in slowly. These poems don't shy away from the weight of recent years. They meet it head-on. "The Hill We Climb" became a cultural moment, yes, but here it sits alongside quieter, equally powerful work. Gorman moves between the public and the intimate, between collective mourning and personal reckoning. She writes about what we carry—loss, hope, resilience, rage—and how those burdens shape us. Her language is both accessible and elevated, grounded in the present while reaching for something transcendent. She's unafraid of earnestness, of believing that words can still matter. This collection captures a specific moment in American history, but it also feels timeless in its exploration of survival and renewal. Gorman's voice is young but assured, urgent but measured. She writes like someone who understands that poetry isn't decoration—it's necessity. For readers who need to feel less alone in what they've endured, or who want language that honors both the struggle and the stubborn act of continuing, this is it. Raw. Hopeful. Necessary.Publication dateDecember 7, 2021Amazon rating4.8/5Print length240LanguageEnglishPublisherViking Books
- DescriptionWhat does it mean to rise from the ashes of division and find hope in the climb itself? Amanda Gorman's "The Hill We Climb" is the inaugural poem that stopped a nation in its tracks on January 20, 2021. This slender volume captures the words she delivered on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, a moment when a young Black woman in a yellow coat became the voice of a fractured country searching for unity. Her verses don't shy away from the darkness—they acknowledge the broken, the grieving, the battle-scarred—but they insist on light anyway. Gorman's language is both accessible and soaring, weaving together imagery of dawn, hills, and bridges with a rhythm that feels like a heartbeat steadying itself. She writes with the urgency of someone who knows poetry can be a lifeline, not just decoration. This isn't abstract meditation; it's a call to action wrapped in hope. The poem asks us to be brave enough to see each other, to do the hard work of repair, to believe that the climb—steep and unfinished—is worth it. It's a slim book, yes, but one that carries weight. You'll read it in minutes and think about it for much longer.Publication dateMarch 30, 2021Amazon rating4.9/5Print length32LanguageEnglishPublisherViking Books
Frequently Asked Questions about Amanda Gorman
Amanda Gorman's books can be read in any order. Her works span different forms, including poetry collections, children's books, and anthologies. While there is no required reading order, some readers prefer to start with her poetry collections to experience the work that brought her wider recognition. Her poetry collections include Call Us What We Carry / The Hill We Climb and Other Poems and The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country. Her children's books are Change Sings: A Children's Anthem, Something, Someday, and Girls on the Rise. She also contributed to How to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from The Moth.
A good place to start with Amanda Gorman is with her poetry collections. Call Us What We Carry / The Hill We Climb and Other Poems, published in 2021, offers a substantial body of her work. Also from 2021 is The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country, which gained significant attention. These collections showcase her distinct voice and thematic concerns. Her children's books, such as Change Sings: A Children's Anthem, are also accessible starting points for readers interested in her work for younger audiences.
No, you do not have to read Amanda Gorman's books in any specific order. She writes in multiple genres, including poetry and children's literature, and her published works are largely independent of each other. Each poetry collection and children's book can be understood and enjoyed on its own. While reading her poetry collections might offer a deeper appreciation of her stylistic development and recurring themes, there is no narrative continuity that necessitates a particular sequence.
Amanda Gorman writes poetry collections and children's books. She does not write standalone novels or series in the traditional sense of a continuous narrative that carries across multiple books. Her poetry collections, such as Call Us What We Carry / The Hill We Climb and Other Poems, are distinct works. Similarly, her children's books, like Change Sings: A Children's Anthem and Something, Someday, are individual stories. She has also contributed to anthologies.
Amanda Gorman has written at least six books. This includes two major poetry collections: Call Us What We Carry / The Hill We Climb and Other Poems (2021) and The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country (2021). She has also authored three children's books: Change Sings: A Children's Anthem (2021), Something, Someday (2023), and the forthcoming Girls on the Rise (2025). Additionally, she contributed to the anthology How to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from The Moth (2022).
The first book Amanda Gorman published was The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country, released in 2021. This collection features the poem she delivered at the 2021 U.S. presidential inauguration. Shortly after, in the same year, her poetry collection Call Us What We Carry / The Hill We Climb and Other Poems was also published. Her children's book debut, Change Sings: A Children's Anthem, also appeared in 2021.
Amanda Gorman's most recent book is Something, Someday, a children's book published in 2023. Her forthcoming children's book, Girls on the Rise, is scheduled for release in 2025. Her poetry collection Call Us What We Carry / The Hill We Climb and Other Poems was published in 2021, alongside her inaugural poem.
Amanda Gorman writes poetry and children's books. Her work often explores themes of identity, justice, hope, and healing. Her poetry collections, like Call Us What We Carry / The Hill We Climb and Other Poems, delve into personal and collective experiences with lyrical depth. Her children's books, such as Change Sings: A Children's Anthem, use accessible language and uplifting messages to inspire young readers. She also contributed to an anthology focused on storytelling.
Elizabeth Gilbert
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We verified the reading order for Amanda Gorman's books by cross-referencing official publication dates, ISBN databases, and publisher catalogs.
Last verified: May 2026
Shelf & Shadows. (…). “Amanda Gorman Books in Order.” Retrieved …, from https://www.shelfandshadows.com/authors/amanda-gorman