 "Charmed but Cautious" | 2008-09-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3C47MT75XLVOG |
| This book provides well-written insight into growing up as a black child during the Depression. Maya Angelou is wonderful with her use of words and imagery. I was greatly reminded of my own childhood and what being a kid really meant. Written in first person, she addresses childhood fears, respect for adults and growing up with such tangible details that she could be her eight-year-old self again. br /br /Angelou's insights into the African-American way of life and religion during a time of national change range from tender to comical. She speaks warmly of her love for her brother and her frustration with the young white girls. It is sweet to see the growing up process taking affect and the experiences of youth shaping her character.br /br /I am somewhat relieved that we were not permitted to read this book back in my high school literature class where many parents were opposed to it. I fear it would have caught me off guard in many respects. Many of the sexual themes running throughout the book are quite heavy and discussed in detail. Both the subjects of rape and teen pregnancy are covered and sex in general is frequently alluded to.br /br /Though I do perceive this as a lovely piece of literature, I would be cautious in offering it to teens and others who may be unprepared for its impact. |
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 "Well Written Account" | 2008-09-19 |
| - Reviewed By shalladeguzman |
| This is another autobiography by Maya Angelou. br /br /Here, she tells of the hardships she experienced in growin up: her parent's divorce, being sent to live with their grandmother in a small, Arkansas town and its racism, sexual abuse and more emotional scarring. br /br /Eventually, Maya finds a father figure and when better things began to happen to her, she started to find her voice. br /br /This is honest and gripping... |
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 "South Mill Young Readers Book Club Review (Jr. High Readers)" | 2008-05-30 |
| - Reviewed By radiolady |
We are the members of the South Mill Young Readers Book Club located in Conyers, Georgia. We are in the thirteen year old age bracket and thought it would be challenging to attempt to read and understand this story. As a result of our reading, we rate the book as follows:
Creativity - B+
Enjoyment - A+
Price - B+
We would recommend this book to others in our age group to read it.
Typed by Book Club Instructor: mwg |
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| "Recommended for teenage girls." | 2008-05-22 |
| - Reviewed By User: A6J2A7MEZ8V68 |
| I thought this book was an interesting read, however it was difficult to finish at times. What made me continue to finish the book was the beautiful way Maya Angelou writes. I found her story to be a bit dry and slow at times. However, her preserverance to become successful in life dispite her many obstacles kept me interested in this book. If I had not known how successful Maya Angelou's life turned out, I might not have finished the book. I was interested in knowing her journey. I recommend this book for teenage girls who are struggling with self-esteem issues and teen pregnancy because Maya Angelou's story can be used as a great encouragement to hang in there despite adversity. |
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 "Umm..." | 2008-03-19 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2NQ6DVSCH99YZ |
| Definitely not what i thought when i was assigned to read this book by my professor. Maya Angelou definitely led an interesting life, but the way it was written makes her seem self- conscious and doubtful of hew own recollections, i personally did not like or understand it. i had to rely on sparknotes to guide me to the end of this most unique... book. i would not recommend it. |
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| "Book Review: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" | 2008-02-12 |
| - Reviewed By User: A69QPC995OIZZ |
A narrative about overcoming the obstacles in one's life, Maya Angelou's memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, reflects on Maya's experiences as a child and teen and the racial discrimination she faces. The memoir is set in rural Arkansas, St. Louis, and San Francisco between the years of 1931 and 1944, At the age of three, Maya, along with her elder brother, Bailey, are sent to live with their grandmother in Arkansas, deep in the then segregated South, after their parents' marriage ends in divorce. Later, as a young adult, she and her brother are sent to live with their mother, both in St. Louis and in San Francisco. While growing up, Maya struggles with maturing into an adult, her parents divorce, rape, and pregnancy.
While living with her mother in St. Louis, Maya is raped by her mother's fifty-year-old boyfriend, Mr. Freeman, at the age of eight. Although this issue is briefly touched upon through the book, one can see it made a great impact on her life, as she refused to talk for several years. With the help of Mrs. Flowers, a woman living in her town in Arkansas, she finally did begin to speak again. Later, while living in San Francisco, Maya begins to fear herself to be a lesbian, and as a result of this belief, she has sex with a boy at sixteen in hop |
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 "INAPPROPRIATE FOR YOUTH." | 2007-12-10 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3JZYGSXGUB3QK |
| I read with my daughter who is in the 7th grade. Her teacher assigned to read as a book report. The students had to write about symbols, motifs, etc. and compare them to personal life experiences. But, as we read together, the words were very graphic beginning around ( i believe chapter going forward ) describing the rape by Maya mother's boyfriend, Mr. Freeman. The book stated that his private part " stood up like a piece of corn ". This is not a " youth friendly book ". PARENTS : Take time to read with your children. I gave two stars because there were funny, interesting points in the book at teh beginning. Other than that, INAPPROPRIATE ! |
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| "maya angelou before she was maya angelou" | 2007-11-15 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2YEJQXRR7NVUR |
I know why the caged bird sings is the glorious yet sad
tale of Maya Angelou's coming of age as a young girl.
I don't want to give away the story but it is rife with
abuse, family conflicts, the power of forgiveness, the
need to find meaning in one's life. It is slow but it's
like an old friend, you'll want to take your time with
this book and that's only a small part of what makes it
a gem. |
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| "Touching little book." | 2007-10-29 |
| - Reviewed By amarrayw |
| Maya Angelou's first memoir gives us a glimpse of how isolated segregation made Afro.-Americans during the 30's. But she goes to a wider range of experiences as she goes from rural Arkansas to St. Louis, where she experiences a terrible crime. But even through hardships she repeats her belief about literature saving her. She later goes to California where she becomes a young woman of determination and yet at the same time confusion. Maya Angelou makes very powerful statements when looking back on herself. I would recommend this for teens (15-up) because some themes and subjects might be too much for younger children. |
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| "Insightful look at this authors challenging youth" | 2007-10-20 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3RX9706A2ZP8F |
Maya Angelou narrates the story about her own life growing up. At first it seems more like a novel and it often occurs to you as read this that it is a surprise to be able to have this insight into this author.
The characters are in some ways what you might expect from a child of broken homes. A grandmother who had been married three times, a mother and father who were divorced. The mother's boyfriends have a strong role in what happens to Maya. Her seduction and method of dealing with it and its consequences are compelling and you are left with a feeling of sadness for her helplessness. Maya's method of dealing with this and many of the other things in her young life gives her escape through fantasy. Maya's world is filled with much that allows us to connect with it.
This young girls experiences are challenging yet we are influenced as we read this story by the reality of Maya Angelou's many accomplishments and her influence. This comparison of her youth and who she is validates that idea that good comes from dysfunctional situations and every person has potential and value.
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