Customer Reviews

Life Doesn't Frighten Me

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

While life may not scare me, the pictures in this book did. Perhaps had I been familiar with Basquiat's work I would not have ordered the book in the first place. But I also thought the poem was a bit oversold by some of the other reviews I read. The poem itself is only a few lines long, while the book is more like 20 pages or so. Several more pages are taken up with bios of Angelou and Basquiat. Mainly, the pictures are ugly and seem to me to be completely unaccessible to a child.

As an adult and a student, I was truly enchanted by this unique concatenation of Maya Angelou's spirited, optimistic poetry and Jean-Michel Basquiat's bold, explosive paintings. "Life" is less a story than an affirmation - the child narrator (whose gender is left to the imagination) lists a dozen or so items that could be causes for concern in young child's mind, but then conquers these fears with "They don't frighten me at all." Equally impressive are the brief, but detailed biographical sketches of both artists that closes the book.

My only reservation lies in the question "Who is this book really for?" While Basquiat's dynamic use of line and color and space make for fascinating pictures, and his style is consciously influenced by the artwork of Native Americans and small children, his habitual use of skeletal imagery and jagged, leering facial expressions might prove too intense for little ones. On the other hand, the beautiful simplicity of Angelou's poetry will probably fail to appeal to kids who are experienced enough to expect a certain level of plot in their reading.

My advice to parents is this: don't give this book to your kids - buy it for yourselves, and keep it someplace where it won't get all trashed up by dirty little hands. When you think they're ready, let your youngsters look at this book with you, so if the pictures should strike them the wrong way, you'll be there for them. Better not do this at bedtime until you're sure how they'll react - this could be the stuff nightmares are made of. But even if they love it, hang on to the book yourself, so that in a couple of years when your child loses interest (they may begin to see it as a "baby book"), you'll still have a beautiful coffee-table book of post-modernist art to share with your friends. And eventually, your kids might grow up into little intellectuals who can see what a delightful creation this book really is. It may not be perfect for anyone, but it certainly has something for everyone.

I'm a first year, first grade teacher. And before I started teaching I had owned this book for about 6 years. I recently read it to my students and they loved it. One of my students wanted to read it on her own & even read Maya's bio in the back and took notes in her journal so she could read more of Maya's work. This is a great book for adults and children! Basquiat's artwork is very interesting [and childlike] and did not scare the children. Children are exposed to a very violent world on virtually a daily basis and this book helps them cope. p.s. I read this book when the Iraq war started.

As an avid reader of Maya Angelou's works, I purchased this book as a gift for my 7 year old daughter, hoping to impart to her a fondness for my favorite author as well.

I must say, that beyond my expectations, I have helped to create a Maya fan. My daughter immediately took to the book, on Christmas Day, no less, amid hundreds of dollars worth of toys. We read the book about a dozen times in the first two days. She still reads it daily, and even took it to school to share with her class.

Maya's poem picks up on the fear and anxiety causing incidents of youth, and allows the child to tromp his/her fear into the ground. After reading it, my daughter felt fearless, realizing that she was the master of her emotion and was not at the mercy of 'scary things'.

I highly recommend this book, either for a child, or as a lover of art and poetry. Additionally, a tremendous collectible title for the future.

This is a wonderful book, both beautifully written and powerfully illustrated. I am a 3rd grade teacher, but I love this book mainly as a unique graduation gift for previous students of mine who are graduating from high school and remember me with graduation announcements. I love the combination of a gift that is both a primary book from their teacher, coupled with the larger message of the poem for the recipient who is soon embarking upon confronting life on his or her own! A very special and meaningful gift!

This book is awesome. It is a wonderful and inspiring poem by Maya Angelou, filled with intriquing and probing illustrations. The illustrations do an excellent job of depicting the complex emotions of children's fears, while the poem teaches them to overcome their trepidation over the world around them. I plan on transferring this story onto chart paper and having my Kindergarten class memorize it in the fall. Reciting it together will be an excellent way for them to begin the day with confidence.

I thought this book was excellent. It's a great poem for inspiration, as it is a reminder that we all have courage. Maya repeats the line, "Life doesn't frighten me at all", getting her message across. This is a wonderful story for children, as well as adults.

I bought this book for my 4 year old son and he loves it. It helps him to get over his fear of the dark, because I just tell him remember your book, lifedoesn't frighten me at all. Great pictures.

the images are crisp and clear. the book is a bit thin, but very sweet. i keep it on my nightstand to remind me that life indeed doesn't frighten me. i can't wait to have a kid to share this with.

When I read this book for my Children's Literature Class At James Madison University, I was very impressed with the book. The poem itself was inspiring and the artwork was unique (in a good way). I proceeded to share this book with my roommate, a friend who is an art major and loved the pictures, and lastly, with my professor who also enjoyed it a great deal.