Rise!: From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou

A free-verse biography follows Maya Angelou from childhood trauma and emotional pain to her work as a poet and political activist. The book shows how she turned those early experiences into poetry and political action. It also notes the many roles she held, including writer, activist, trolley-car conductor, dancer, and mother. Oil-painting illustrations accompany the verse, presenting a portrait of Angelou’s life and the development of her public voice.