Life Doesn't Frighten Me (Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Edition)
by Maya Angelou (Author)
Maya Angelou's unforgettable poem is matched with the daring art of Jean-Michel Basquiat in this powerful ode to courage Shadows on the wall
Noises down the hall
Life doesn't frighten me at all Maya Angelou's brave, defiant poem celebrates the courage within each of us, young and old. From the scary thought of panthers in the park to the unsettling scene of a new classroom, fearsome images are summoned and dispelled by the power of faith in ourselves. Angelou's strong words are matched by the daring vision of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose childlike style reveals the powerful emotions and fanciful imaginings of childhood. Together, Angelou's words and Basquiat's paintings create a place where every child, indeed every person, may experience his or her own fearlessness. This brilliant introduction to poetry and contemporary art features brief biographies of Angelou and Basquiat and an afterword from the editor. A selected bibliography of Angelou's books and a selected museum listing of Basquiat's works open the door to further inspiration through the fine arts.
Noises down the hall
Life doesn't frighten me at all Maya Angelou's brave, defiant poem celebrates the courage within each of us, young and old. From the scary thought of panthers in the park to the unsettling scene of a new classroom, fearsome images are summoned and dispelled by the power of faith in ourselves. Angelou's strong words are matched by the daring vision of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose childlike style reveals the powerful emotions and fanciful imaginings of childhood. Together, Angelou's words and Basquiat's paintings create a place where every child, indeed every person, may experience his or her own fearlessness. This brilliant introduction to poetry and contemporary art features brief biographies of Angelou and Basquiat and an afterword from the editor. A selected bibliography of Angelou's books and a selected museum listing of Basquiat's works open the door to further inspiration through the fine arts.
Select format:
Hardcover
$21.99
Locate at a Library Near You WorldCat is the world's largest library catalog, helping you find library materials online.
Find books about:
Publisher's Weekly
Starred Review
Boyers, a TV producer and art collector, deserves a standing ovation for her performance in pairing Angelou's poem with abstract paintings by the late Basquiat. ``Dragons breathing flame / On my counterpane / That doesn't frighten me at all. / I go boo / Make them shoo / I make fun / Way they run / I won't cry / So they fly''--had it been teamed with representational or whimsical illustrations, the verse might well have lost its dignity; instead, the proximity of Basquiat's edgy, streetwise pictures adds even greater power and authenticity to Angelou's refrain, ``Life doesn't frighten me at all.'' Conversely, the affirming quality of the poem mediates Basquiat's disquieting urban images. Basquiat's first works were drawn onto the walls of Manhattan buildings, and the frenzied, sometimes angry compositions here have the rawness of graffiti. The reproductions invite close scrutiny, implicitly teaching the viewer a way of approaching contemporary art and reinforcing the tough beauty of the poem. Ages 4-up. (Sept.)
Review quotes
"Presented as an impassioned ode to courage, the late poet Dr. Maya Angelou's 1993 poem returns in a handsome 25th-anniversary edition to inspire a new generation of brave readers." —Shelf Awareness
Maya Angelou
The beloved poet Maya Angelou was, among other things, a novelist, playwright, actress, dancer, and civil rights activist. Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in Brooklyn, New York, of Haitian and Puerto Rican parents. His first artistic expressions were created and enjoyed as urban street art. His art is exhibited in over a dozen museums around the world, including the MoMA, the Met, and the Whitney. A California-based writer/editor, internationally exhibiting fine art photographer, and former music industry attorney and artist manager, Sara Jane Boyers has returned to the world of children's publishing with a series of photo-illustrated book projects. Her focus remains on the arts with a bit of social activism thrown in, starting with her award-winning Life Doesn't Frighten Me, now celebrating twenty-five years in publication.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781419727481
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Harry N. Abrams
Publication date
January 20, 2018
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF042000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Poetry | General
Library of Congress categories
Children's poetry, American
Fear
JUVENILE NONFICTION / Poetry / General
Fear
JUVENILE NONFICTION / Poetry / General
