“Skipping Stones” is the second poetry book by the young Bangladeshi American poet Anwar Ibrahim Kader. His first book, “Stepping Stones” was released last February 2021 and received wide recognition nationally and was one of the top 10 best sellers of BehulaBangla publications. The author is prolific in his ability to synthesize ideas and bring it to life using daily events, observations and metaphors. The name showcases progress in writing and perpetual evolution. I had the chance to read his first book and the expressions remain universal and a reader can connect with the poems as it manifests universal views of a teenager who is uplifting in his thoughts regardless of short term obstacles. In his name sake poem, “Skipping stones” he encourages risk taking so that you can make a difference like “Roads not taken” by Robert Frost. Anwar set aside a few poems related to his roots to Bangladesh and the images he draws of Bangladesh are patriotic, inspiring and showcase optimism. He understands the importance of language movement in Bangladesh and showcases its importance-”language converts people into a community” in his poem” Prevail and never rest”. I was enamored with his poem “The Wonderful City” in which he recalled his last visit to Bangladesh. Bangladeshi culture and hospitality are intertwined and he fondly remembers the openness of the culture and gastronomy. In “Gram-baro” he crafted a beautiful picture of his village with coconut trees, lush gardens and surroundings. We can also see the natural feelings of Bangladeshi Americans who are connected to their ancestry and often wonder about their belonging and he captured his feelings wonderfully in the “Do I have the Right” poem. The book is a great read for all ages; especially for those who wonder how a young person who grew up in America thinks about the world and current events. The poems are written in modern expressions, prose style, storytelling with metaphors of science and math which are thought provoking, The expression is optimism and inspiring and sees the world from a perspective of lights and what is possible. The author is committed to spend 100 percent of the proceeds to a noble cause to promote education equity in his home district, Chandpur. I would recommend the book to any age. This is a great addition to our genre.
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