Life Doesn't Frighten Me at All - Hardcover

Agard, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805012370 ISBN 13: 9780805012378

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co, 1990

Synopsis

A collection of poetry for teenagers that includes selections from such authors as Maya Angelou, W.B. Yeats, and Attila the Stockbroker.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

"ever been kidnapped/ by a poet sic" asks Nikki Giovanni at the end of this book, a slim, attractive volume of 85 poems about love, families, politics, injustice, and growing up by both unknown (children and young adults) and familiar (Maya Angelou, Anne Sexton) writers of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. In the introduction, Agard expresses a wish to capture the interests of teenagers who don't like poetry by presenting them with works relevant to their lives. The bulk of the poems are from the last couple of decades, and of the older ones, only one might be considered overexposed--Gwendolyn Brooks' "We Real Cool." Some entries have the cadence of dialect or patois , and some are song lyrics (Eddie Grant's "Electric Avenue"; Bob Marley's "Sun Is Shining"). The quality of the poetry is uneven, but there is an overall immediacy conveyed, connecting to real people and real life and creating a collective voice that will grow on readers. The design complements this, looking jumbled at first and reminiscent of "50s cool," but the different type sizes and styles, and varied black-and-white graphics (woodcuts, collage, ink, and abstract drawings) give a lively, kinetic feel to the book. As well as enjoyable recreational reading, the collection may be used to inspire creative writing classes, sitting comfortably on the shelf with Paul Janeczko's collections. A few class members might even be kidnapped. --Annette Curtis Klause, Montgomery Co. Dept. of Public Libraries, MD
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 0805012370
• ISBN 13: 9780805012378
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 96