Experiencing the Black Aesthetic during the Depression (circa 1930) on into WWII, while coming of age, Maya learned how to survive in an unjust world.
Justification for Nomination:
Maya and her brother, Bailey, lived with their parents in California during the Depression (1930's), who soon divorced and shipped the kids off to live with Grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. Maya goes to Momma (Grandmother) at 5 years old and quickly learns that she is her stable rock in her life. Momma is a business woman who owns her own general store and provides goods and credit to the entire Black community as well as some of the White community. Momma sews all of Maya's clothes and carries her to church every week.
Maya does not trust many people and does not have very many favorites besides Momma and Bailey. Maya meets Sister Flowers, who is an avid reader, and teaches Maya some lessons in living through giving her books to read each week. Miss Flowers said to Maya: "I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy. That some people, unable to go to school, were more educated and even more intelligent than college professors"(99).
Maya gets transported back and forth from her mothers in St. Louis to her fathers in Los Angeles, and back again to Arkansas. A series of unfortunate events happen to her while living with each of her parents. Maya had to grow up fast to learn how to survive in the big cities, while not receiving very much supervision from either of her parents. She learned how to speak Spanish and how to drive a big, fancy car when she was with her Daddy. When she was with her Mother, she was exposed to hip, slick, and cool characters who mastered the art of being con-men. She thought their names were drawn right out of comic books.
Momma lived by the 'good book' and taught it to Maya. Momma taught Maya about dealing with racial issues and how to protect herself. She learned the injustices of what it meant to be Black and from the South. Maya shows the struggles of the African American while she quotes many verses from W.E.B. Dubois and Booker T. Washington and shows what the victory means when Joe Louis won the worlds heavy weight championship.
Maya's autobiography is real and authentic and with many meaty characters to resonate with. Her ability to connect her words and how she weaves them together show a talent beyond comparison. Honestly, I don't know why this book did not win a Coretta Scott King Award. Her genuine coherence of words melded together made it impossible to put the book down. This is an author I could read over and over again and never get tired of. Maya propels past excellence and shows a must read for any young adult or adult.
Genre: Autobiographical Narrative. Multicultural. Coming of Age.
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