Poetry for Young People: Maya Angelou by Maya Angelou, Edwin Graves Wilson (Editor), Jerome Lagarrigue (Illustrator)

Title: Poetry for Young People: Maya Angelou
Author: Maya Angelou, Edwin Graves Wilson, Jerome Lagarrigue
Published by: Sterling, Sterling Children's Books
Release Date: September 1st 2007
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 48
Genres: Poetry
Source: Library
Reading Challenges: CC's Goodreads Reading Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon
My rating:

Blurb:

Award-winning poet, author, playwright, historian, songwriter, singer, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, and civil rights activist: Dr. Maya Angelou needs no introduction. She is a true American icon—and now she is the first living poet included in Sterling’s celebrated Poetry for Young People series. Twenty-five of her finest poems capture a range of emotions and experiences, from the playful “Harlem Hopscotch” to the prideful “Me and My Work” to the soul-stirring “Still I Rise.” While her writings deal with the historic struggles of African-Americans, they all resonate with spiritual strength and hope for the future that everyone can relate to. A special inclusion in this volume is “A Brave and Startling Truth,” written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. Award-winning artist Jerome Lagarrigue masterfully illustrates each verse with evocative, stunning pictures. Dr. Edwin Graves Wilson, the Provost Emeritus of Wake Forest University and a longtime colleague of Dr. Angelou, has written the book’s introduction, the introductions to the individual poems, and the annotations. 

My Review:

Poetry has always been an abstract concept for me. I am too literal for it I think. It’s difficult for me to enjoy because of that. I did enjoy this short book of poems even though I wasn’t able to really comprehend most of them.

I figured if I start small, ie in the children’s section for these kinds of things they may be easier to understand.  Also, if I end up not liking it, I can still finish it without wasting a lot of time ya know?

This is my first poetry book ever.  I liked it well enough, but I don’t think this genre is one that will be one of my favorites any time soon.

My favorite poems were Preacher, Don’t Send Me, Life Doesn’t Frighten Me and Harlem Hopscotch.  I also enjoyed Still I Rise but I think it was abridged.  All in all is was an interesting collection and I will be reading more of this series Poetry for Young People so my daughter and I can get a small taste of this genre.