by Suzanne Slade
Illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera
4 stars
A wonderful children’s biography of Gwendolyn Brooks and her lifelong love of poetry.
The story spans from Brooks’ childhood to winning the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1950. The book focuses on Brooks’ love of writing and her publishing career, as well as touching on her family life, living in the Great Depression, and her various jobs, her marriage, and her son. It honors Brooks’ talent, perseverance, and dedication to her craft.
Nicely written with a poetic flow. I did think it ended a bit abruptly, but overall it was a nice read.
Wonderful artwork.
The backmatter includes Brooks’ poem, “Clouds”, an Author’s Note with a little more about Brooks’ life, a timeline of events, quote sources, and a short bibliography of materials referenced.
A great way to learn a bit more about Brooks’ life as well as show the power of perseverance.