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48 pp.
| HarperCollins/Harper
| September, 2022
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-287158-9$19.99
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Bryan Collier.
In free-verse poems, Watson describes key experiences in Maya Angelou's life. She highlights influential family members, such as Maya's brother (a source of strength) and Momma (grandmother and shrewd store owner) as well as historical figures such as Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., close friends in her adult life who invite her to speak, write, and work toward the cause of freedom for all. Watson doesn't shy away from addressing tough topics, including Maya at age seven being attacked by her mother's boyfriend, which left her mute for years. Collier's accomplished illustrations have a strong narrative pull. Two spreads are particularly compelling. "Caged In" zooms in on the top half of Maya's face, enlarged to show eyes full of pain, with a cage and shadow of a bird, while the following spread shows the bottom half of that same face with her mouth encircled by a lotus-like flower and that cage imprisoning her words. Both illustrations are drenched in the blue of sadness that Collier describes in his illustrator's note. This eloquent picture book is a portrait of a resilient woman with a deep capacity for using words to find hope in the world.
Reviewer:
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2022
48 pp.
| Lee
| August, 2019
|
TradeISBN 978-1-62014-587-6$20.95
(2)
4-6
Illustrated by
Tonya Engel.
Foreword by Colin Johnson. In propulsive free verse and vibrant illustrations, Hegedus and Engel present the life and legacy of Angelou (1928–2014). She survived childhood instability, anguish, and abuse to thrive and to triumph, becoming a performer, dancer, journalist, activist, poet, mother, and humanitarian. Warm, swirling acrylic and oil paintings illustrate the various moods of the story. Photographs, an author's note, and websites of sexual assault organizations are appended. Timeline. Bib.
104 pp.
| Enslow
| January, 2013
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7660-3992-6$26.60 New ed. (2006)
(4)
YA
African-American Icons series.
These accessible, simplistic biographies trace the lives of contemporary African American leaders in the arts. The uncomplicated prose may appeal to report writers who are also reluctant readers. While the books' original design was uninspired, it did include plenty of photos--which these new editions have oddly omitted. Discography (Smith), filmography (Berry; Smith). Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these African-American Icons titles: Maya Angelou, Walter Dean Myers, Toni Morrison, Halle Berry, Will Smith, and Oprah Winfrey.
104 pp.
| Lucent
| October, 2009
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-4205-0092-9$32.45
(4)
YA
People in the News series.
Harry Potter actor Radcliffe and writer, civil rights activist, and performer Angelou are the latest subjects of this biography series. Providing background on her life more than her writing, the Angelou biography gives historical context about growing up in the segregated South. For Radcliffe, the focus is his acting career and "regular kid" status. Each volume is illustrated with many photographs. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these People in the News titles: Daniel Radcliffe and Maya Angelou.
150 pp.
| Greenhaven
| February, 2008
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7377-3901-5$36.20
(3)
YA
Social Issues in Literature series.
Each volume presents brief, thoughtful essay reprints (primarily written by literary critics and academics) arranged into three sections that explore the author's life, identify relevant social issues, and discuss current cultural applications. Although the pieces are sometimes awkwardly truncated, they usually present ideas that go well beyond superficial critique, inviting readers to consider fiction as a vehicle for analyzing American identity. Reading list, timeline, Bib., ind. Review covers these Social Issues in Literature titles: Class Conflict in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Racism in Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Racism in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, and Women's Issues in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club.
48 pp.
| Sterling
| October, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4027-2023-9$14.95
(3)
4-6
Poetry for Young People series.
Illustrated by
Jerome Lagarrigue.
After a four-page introduction about Angelou's life and work, twenty-five of her poems are presented, each with a few explanatory sentences preceding them. Some selections are heavy, resonating with the penetrating philosophical stance from which Angelou views the world; others show a lighter side of the world-renowned wordsmith. Dark abstract paintings create mood and atmosphere. Ind.
128 pp.
| Enslow
| August, 2006
|
LibraryISBN 0-7660-2469-5$31.93
(4)
YA
African-American Biography Library series.
These accessible (if somewhat simplistic) biographies provide basic information on their subjects. Angelou highlights her careers in writing, entertainment, and civil rights; Washington depicts as a peaceful educator whose nonconfrontational methods drew criticism; Hughes focuses on his world travel, literary relationships, and celebration of African American culture. Numerous archival photographs, drawings, and other materials provide historical context. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these African-American Biography Library titles: Maya Angelou, Booker T. Washington, and Langston Hughes.
122 pp.
| Chelsea
| October, 2006
|
LibraryISBN 0-7910-9224-0$30.00 New ed. (1994)
(3)
YA
Black Americans of Achievement, Legacy Edition series.
Each of these biographies details a well-known figure's rise from adversity to national and/or international recognition. The books go beyond the typical personal information to provide some social history relevant to the subject's time. Captioned photographs and boxed inserts enhance the conversational texts, most of which have been completely revised. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these Black Americans of Achievement, Legacy Edition, titles: Maya Angelou, Jimi Hendrix, Scott Joplin, Bob Marley, Oprah Winfrey, Josephine Baker, and Chris Rock.
(4)
YA
Giants of Art and Culture series.
The books in this series competently describe the life and achievements of these notable aritists. Only the chronology appears updated in Angelou; text and a time line bring readers to the late 1990s in Baryshnikov. The black-and-white photos are dark, grainy, and not always appropriately placed in relation to the text. A time line is included in each volume. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Giants of Art and Culture titles:Duke Ellington, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Maya Angelou.]
40 pp.
| Child's
| March, 1999
|
LibraryISBN 1-56766-570-5$$24.21
(4)
4-6
Slick, glossy pages illustrated with sepia photos (some of which are used in more than one book) lend these slim biographies a magazine-like look. A general understanding of African-American history emerges from volume to volume while the individual is the focus of each. The at-times graphic photos are themselves a visual history. Bib., glos., ind.
112 pp.
| Lerner
| May, 1999
|
LibraryISBN 0-8225-4944-1$$25.26
(4)
YA
A & E Biography series.
Illustrated with black-and-white and color photographs, these are serviceable biographies--based primarily on magazine and newspaper sources--of three well-known individuals. Each book provides clearly written accounts of its subject's childhood and young adult years, before moving on to discuss accomplishments and past and present difficulties and challenges. Bib., ind.