Maya Angelou (Little People, Big Dreams)

by Lisbeth Kaiser (Author) Leire Salaberria (Illustrator)

Maya Angelou (Little People, Big Dreams)
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
In this international bestseller from the critically acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Maya Angelou, the powerful speaker, writer, and civil rights activist.

Maya Angelou spent much of her childhood in Stamps, Arkansas. After a traumatic event at age eight, she stopped speaking for five years. However, Maya rediscovered her voice through wonderful books, and went on to become one of the world's most beloved writers and speakers. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of Maya Angelou's life.

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games, and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!
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$8.99

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School Library Journal

Gr 1-3--Very simple biographies introduce famous women to young readers. Each selection highlights the accomplishments of its subject but does not go into detail. The lack of specificity, however, makes difficult topics more manageable for a child audience. In Maya Angelou, for example, the text says that Maya's mother's boyfriend "attacked her" and as a result Maya did not speak for five years. A significant event in Angelou's life is included but in an age-appropriate way. The illustration style for each book is different and seems chosen to suit the subject. In Maya Angelou, cartoon-style images appear strong and solid, reflecting Angelou's determination to overcome obstacles in her life. Amelia Earhart employs an airier, less representational art style that matches Earhart's sense of adventure and mystery. Observant readers will find small jokes, such as in a suburban scene in Earhart where most houses have a car parked alongside but one house has a rocket ship. Back matter includes photographs and a few more details about the topic person. The books are factual, without invented dialogue, but no sources are listed. Briticisms appear in Earhart, with terms such as learnt rather than learned. VERDICT These books serve as attractive overviews of the people profiled, but children will need further resources to get a full perspective of the subjects' lives.--Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Stirring encouragement for all 'little people' with 'big dreams.'" - Kirkus
Lisbeth Kaiser

Lisbeth Kaiser is a children's book author and copywriter. She specialises in children's books about revolutionary people. Two of her books in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series, Maya Angelou and Emmeline Pankhurst, were selected for the ALA's Amelia Bloomer Book List, recognising the best feminist books for young readers. Lisbeth lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.

Leire Salaberria was born in Andoain (Spain) in 1983. Currently, she lives and works in San Sebastian. She has majored in Fine Arts in Bilbao and studied a postgraduate in Children Illustration in Barcelona. Leire has exhibited her artwork in different countries around the world. Her work has been selected to appear in Bologna Children's Book Fair 2012, IV Ibero-American catalog of illustration 2013, 2014, and the Sharjah International Book Fair 2013, 2014. Since 2011, when she published her first book, she's illustrated several books in Italy, Mexico and Spain. At the moment, she continues to illustrate children's books, which is her favorite type of work.

Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9780711284135
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Frances Lincoln Ltd
Publication date
January 03, 2023
Series
Little People, Big Dreams
BISAC categories
JNF018010 - Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | United States - African-American
JNF007030 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Literary
JNF007120 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Women
JNF023000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Girls & Women
Library of Congress categories
-

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