I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

 


    "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou is one of the most classic autobiographies to date. She tells of her difficult childhood, and the hardships she faced, but she does so in a poetic manner. Maya explains the racism she experiences in Stamps, Arkansas, as well as her familial problems she suffers in Missouri and California. Everywhere she goes, her life is followed by tragedy, until she is finally old enough to find her own footing in the world and stand up for herself. Her story is very emotional, painful and yet so moving and inspiring. 

    As a teacher, I would suggest this book for 10th - 12th grade, as there is some very mature and intense moments in the novel. I also believe it is important to preface with the culture of the time, and explain what most people of color were experiencing at the time. This is a great novel to teach about autobiographies and memoirs, and also to delve into a poetry unit. I also view it as an opportunity to teach about diversity and tolerance, and that you never know what someone has been through.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Princess Boy

Image
My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis Illustrated by Suzanne Desimone     The theme for this week was "boys and books". I chose "My Princess Boy" by Cheryl Kilodavis because it is something different than what a teacher may usually read. The book does not have much of a plot, but it is very colorful to look at, and makes a profound point. I would say the writing is reminiscent of a poem, and it's told from a mother's point of view. There is a sing-songy sound when you read it, as each page begins with "My princess boy...".  Nothing in this book is even mildly inappropriate, but it is on several "banned book" lists throughout the United States. The reasoning for this is along the lines of the book "indoctrinating" or "Brainwashing" students, but in my personal opinion, that really misses the mark.     Boys are often taught from a young age it's "wrong" for them to like pink, or it's "wrong" for...
Read more

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Image
  For this week's graphic novel theme, I could not pass up the opportunity to re-read Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. When the first book came out, I was in 3rd grade. I remember it very quickly taking over the scholastic book fair, and everyone fighting to get a copy from the library. I think this is the first time I really experienced a cultural obsession with a book, where everyone at school was reading it, knew the inside jokes from it, and just couldn't get enough of it. It really was that important. That was 2009. I'm 26, and it still holds up as a very funny book. My boyfriend, and all of our friends, know what we're referencing when we say "they have the cheese touch". Like I said- this book was a cultural phenomenon. Not because it was romantic or life changing literature, but because we could all laugh and relate to it. What's not to like? The story is told from the perspective of a middle school student, Greg Heffley. Greg decides to start ...
Read more

Harriet Tubman: Toward Freedom by Whit Taylor and Kazimir Lee

Image
                                                                  Harriet Tubman: Toward Freedom Cover     "Harriet Tubman: Toward Freedom" is a graphic novel about the infamous Harriet Tubman's life. The book opens with an introduction explaining some of the historical context as well as Harriet's significance. The story then starts with Harriet in her late 20's, after her initial escape, and then jumps back and forth between different points in time to depict different parts of her life. The main event it chronicles is when she returns to where she was formerly enslaved to help her brother's escape their enslavement and find a free life in Canada. The book is approximately 100 pages long, if the reader goes through the Introduction and the "Panel Discussions" in the back of the book,...
Read more