Life Doesn’t Frighten Me
“Don’t show me the frogs and snakes and listen for my scream, if I’m afraid at all it’s only in my dreams.”
This book combines work from two incredible Black creators: Jean-Michel Basquiat and Maya Angelou. Sara Jane Boyers used selected paintings from Jean-Michel Basquiat to illustrate the words from Maya Angelou’s poem “Life Doesn't Frighten Me.” This book helps children and families and adults think about overcoming our fears while naming them clearly.
When teaching Black history, we think for our youngest learners, the focus should be on Black joy and the contributions Black people have made to our collective history. Black history is American history and we hope to bring that to light by raising up the accomplishments of the Black community.
Teachers
This book is recommended for PreK - 5th grade
We recommend using this story in any poetry unit or art history unit - but it is especially appropriate during Black History Month. We recommend asking students to create their own illustrations for the poem to create a book of their own fears.
Some Things to Think About…
What are you afraid of and why? What do you do to overcome your fears?
What do you notice about Jean-Michel Basquiat’s paintings? Why do you think Sara Jane Boyers decided to use Basquiat’s paintings instead of someone else’s?
What do you think Maya Angelou’s poem means when it says, “life doesn’t frighten me?” Is life something to be afraid of? Whose life do you think might be scarier than others?
illustrated by Jean-Michel Basquiat
