Life Doesn't Frighten Me

Story

Shadows, spooky noises, barking dogs, new schools, the dark of night, or even dragons – none of these will frighten you at all! This poem about a brave kid who laughs at her fears reminds us all that even things that seem scary at first can be faced.

Why we chose it

A poem about courage that shows that we can all face our fears.

Life Doesn’t Frighten Me is the best known of Angelou’s books for children and has remained in print since its first publication.

Where it came from

Maya Angelou (1928 – 2014) was an American poet, author, educator, performer, and civil rights activist. Her writing dealt with her personal experiences of hardship and oppression as well as wider issues of race and gender. She once noted that she worked within a slave narrative tradition established by the writer Frederick Douglass, where individual and communal experience were intertwined. Angelou often performed her poetry, a mode which can be linked to African American oral traditions and songs. Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960 – 1988) was an American artist, poet, musician and graffitist of Haitian and Puerto-Rican descent. The subjects of his signature scribbly painting style were inspired by his Caribbean heritage, contemporary celebrities, Classical themes, and African American, African, and Aztec culture.

Where it went next

An anniversary edition marking 25 years was published in 2018. Angelou is one of the most significant figures in recent American history and has been honoured accordingly. She was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton in 2000, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2010. She was also awarded more than 50 honorary degrees before her death. Basquiat, though he died too young, received huge acclaim for his art in only a few short years.

Associated stories

Angelou’s other works for children include My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken and Me (1994) and Kofi and His Magic (1996). She has produced countless other books, and her most famous work is her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969).