Normally not interested much in biographies myself, the poetic I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou, is a coming-of -age autobiography every girl should read, regardless of her age. Angelou explores topics such as identity, rape, racism, education, motherhood, and more. Beginning with the prologue, the reader is sucked into the mindset of a young girl in a time race, color, and religion mean everything in someones life. A young Maya is unsure of her life, guided mostly by her brother and her grandmother's rules. As she breaks out of her own insecurity, the reader grows as well. Parenthood becomes a matter of circumstance. Each character Maya highlights in her life has a different dimension, notable among them being her grandmother who is a very powerful woman in their community, the only black woman to be acknowledged respectfully by a judge, her mother who is a notable actress renowned for her beauty and many affairs, her father a thorough businessman and an incredibly charming man, and her brother who is loved by all for his looks. While reading the novel, it often becomes difficult to distinguish between Maya the character, and Ms. Angelou the author. By reading this novel, you will be sure to experience real literature, but also enjoy the story, and learn more about what it meant to be a black girl in America.-Reviewed by S.M., grade 12.
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