Rise!: From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, this beautiful biography of Maya Angelou describes how she rose above a childhood of trauma and emotional pain to become one of the most inspiring voices of our lifetime.
Writer, activist, trolley car conductor, dancer, mother, and humanitarian--Maya Angelou's life was marked by transformation and perseverance. In this comprehensive picture-book biography geared towards older readers, Bethany Hegedus lyrically traces Maya's life from her early days in Stamps, Arkansas, through her work as a freedom fighter to her triumphant rise as a poet of the people.
A foreword by Dr. Angelou's grandson Colin Johnson, describes how a love of literature and poetry helped young Maya overcome childhood trauma and turn adversity into triumph. Coupled with Tonya Engel's metaphorical and emotive illustrations, this biography beautifully conveys the heartaches and successes of this truly phenomenal woman, and in a powerful tribute to the written word.
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Bethany Hegedus is an award-winning author of picture books and middle-grade novels, including Grandfather Gandhi and Alabama Spitfire. A former educator, she teaches widely and enjoys mentoring young writers. Hegedus is owner and creative director of the Writing Barn, a writing workshop and retreat center. She lives with her family in Austin, Texas. You can find her online at www.bethanyhegedus.com.
Tonya Engel is a self-taught painter and children's book illustrator, including the pictures for Our Lady of Guadalupe and the jacket art for Hurricane Child. Her work is inspired by southern folk artists. Early in her career she explored abstract painting, but soon began to concentrate on figurative form mixed with emotion and expressionistic narrative. This art style was the perfect complement to Maya Angelou's lyrical storytelling. Engel lives in Houston, Texas. You can see more of her work at www.tonyaengel.com.
* "An important and powerful addition to any biography collection." -- School Library Journal, starred review
"In propulsive free verse and vibrant illustrations, Hegedus and Engel present the life and legacy of Maya Angelou. . . Engel's warm, swirling acrylic and oil paintings illustrate the various moods of the story, from the anticipation of journey and discovery to the looming shadow of the young girl's abuser to the passionate work of the civil rights movement--and the metaphorical cage Angelou finds herself in after tragedy. The thoughtful back matter includes a detailed biographical timeline, photographs, an author's note, websites of sexual assault organizations, selected bibliography, and quotation sources." -- The Horn Book
"This deeply important story will foster further discussion around racism, sexual abuse, and courage." -- Kirkus Reviews
"In Engel's colorful paintings, strong women are rooted like trees, injustices are weighed in scales, and words soar and fly, representing the magical realities, emotional expressiveness, and deep resonance of Angelou's poetic vision." -- Publishers Weekly
"In merely 48 pages, Maya Angelou's remarkable life is presented in full, through rhythmic free verse that emphasizes her formative years." -- Booklist
Amelia Bloomer Book List - American Library Association (ALA)
Best Children's Books of the Year - Bank Street College of Education
Dogwood Readers Award - Missouri Association of School Librarians
Editors' Choice - Booklist
Notable Books in the Language Arts - National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
Notable Poetry and Verse Novels - National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
Septima Clark Book Award - National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
