Rise! by Bethany Hegedus, illustrated by Tonya Engel

It has been five years since Maya Angelou passed away.  In hopes that children of this generation do not forget this remarkable woman, Bethany Hegedus has written Rise! From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou.  I well remember when she spoke at Baylor University when I was an undergraduate there.  She recited her poem "Still I Rise."  It was captivating and memorable; when this book described her revelation about the music of words, it took me back to that event.  "Maya memorized the rhythm, sways to the exquisite dance, the twisting, turning conga line of language that pulses across the page."

With illustrations by Tonya Engel, Hegedus's text covers the major events of Angelou's life.  Her experiences were so varied and her impact was so great, that it almost seems a disservice to be so brief.  But it is a children's book, made for reading in a single sitting.  Hegedus whets the appetite of children (and the adults who read this book to them) to learn more about Angelou.



Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!