Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Schultz
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Poetic autobiography reveals impact of racial prejudice.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS is the first volume in poet Maya Angelou's autobiography. In this book, Marguerite (nicknamed Maya) and her brother, Bailey Jr., are sent to Stamps, AK, to live with their grandmother around 1934 when they are 6 and 8 years old, respectively. In Stamps, they're raised with love by their strict, stoic, religious grandmother (Momma) and their disabled uncle Willie. Though Momma owns the black area of Stamps' only general store and is somewhat wealthy by local standards, the children suffer the same cruel racial bigotry as any black people in that place at that time. As the book progresses, the siblings are shuttled between Stamps, St. Louis, MO (where their mother and her family live for a time), and San Francisco (where their mother eventually settles). Along the way, Maya's life and self-image are shaped as much by the terrific mentors in her life and the love of family members as it is by the shocking racial prejudice in her world or by her traumatic rape as a child.
Is It Any Good?
Angelou's autobiography is an important and honest look at racial prejudice in the United States during the 1930s and '40s, but it's also as compelling and lyrical as a great novel. Young Maya and the other "characters" are richly realized and complex. The author tells a far-reaching story, emotionally and historically; this book is an essential document for young people who want to understand the plight of African Americans and the ways prejudice affects individuals. The book was nominated for a National Book Award.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the title of the book and what it means. What are some examples in the book of "caged birds" singing?
Look at the overt and the less obvious examples of racial prejudice in the book. What incidents in the book illustrate prejudice and its impact?
Talk about gender roles in the world of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. How are women victimized, and celebrated, in the book?
What role does religion play in Momma's life and in Maya's?
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is often required reading in school. Why do you think that is?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Autobiography
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , History
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Random House
- Publication date : January 1, 1969
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 289
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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