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Title details for I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou - Available

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

by Maya Angelou
Oprah Winfrey
ebook
4 of 12 copies available
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4 of 12 copies available
Here is a book as joyous and painful, as mysterious and memorable, as childhood itself. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right. Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide.
 
Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local “powhitetrash.” At eight years old and back at her mother’s side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age—and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors (“I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare”) will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned.
 
Poetic and powerful, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings will touch hearts and change minds for as long as people read.

“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings liberates the reader into life simply because Maya Angelou confronts her own life with such a moving wonder, such a luminous dignity.”—James Baldwin

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 21, 2009

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781588369253

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9781588369253
      • File size: 1023 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • ATOS Level: 6.7
    • Lexile® Measure: 860
    • Interest Level: 9-12(UG)
    • Text Difficulty: 4-5

  • Reviews

    • School Library Journal

      April 12, 2024

      Gr 10 Up-Brave and poignant, this is a moving account that explores identity, racism, trauma, and rising above severe adversities while triumphing over challenges. It begins with three-year-old Maya and her four-year-old brother Bailey Jr. traveling by train from Long Beach, California. Wearing tags on their wrists and adorned with a sign that reads, "To Whom It May Concern," they were sent to segregated Stamps, Arkansas, to reside with their religious and strict grandmother after their parents' divorce. Known as "Momma," their grandmother owns a general merchandise store. Despite the store being a staple in the community and lay center of activities in town for 25 years, Momma endures racial injustices as a Black woman store owner living in the South in the 1930s and 1940s. The first of Angelou's seven autobiographical books centers her experiences as a Black girl from the age of three to 17 and does not shy away from difficult topics and themes, including sexual abuse. Readers will learn how Maya navigates a life of trauma and develops a long-lasting relationship with literature. Infused with poetic language and emotion, Angelou's memoir is often a heartrending read that will, unfortunately, resonate with many. Still, it is also filled with joy and will inspire young adults to fight against oppression.VERDICT Recommended for all libraries and collections.-Kristyn Dorfman & Raven L. Jones

      Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:6.7
  • Lexile® Measure:860
  • Interest Level:9-12(UG)
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

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