by Ellen Labrecque (Author), Who Hq (Author), Dede Putra (Illustrator)
Born in Missouri in 1928, Maya Angelou had a difficult childhood. Jim Crow laws segregated blacks and whites in the South. Her family life was unstable at times. But much like her poem, "Still I Rise," Angelou was able to lift herself out of her situation and flourish. She moved to California and became the first black--and first female--streetcar operator before following her interest in dance. She became a professional performer in her twenties and toured the U.S. and Europe as an opera star and calypso dancer. But Angelou's writing became her defining talent. Her poems and books, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, brought her international acclaim.
Author Biography
Ellen Labrecque is a former Senior Editor for Sports Illustrated for Kids and the author of over twenty nonfiction books for young readers, including biographies of Jim Thorpe and Magic Johnson.
Number of Pages: 112
Dimensions: 0.3 x 7.5 x 5.2 IN
Publication Date: January 12, 2016
Accelerated Reader:
Quiz Name: Who Was Maya Angelou?
Interest Level: Middle Grades, 4-8
Reading Level: 5.8
Point Value: 1
