A parent might reach for this book when their child is learning about American history and needs to see the powerful, often overlooked contributions of Black figures. This biography introduces the incredible life of Phillis Wheatley, a young girl kidnapped from Africa and enslaved in Boston who became the first published African American female poet. The book explores themes of resilience in the face of immense injustice, the power of creativity to assert one's identity, and the complex fight for freedom. It is an accessible and inspiring introduction to a pivotal historical figure for readers ages 8-12, perfect for opening conversations about slavery, racism, and the power of the written word.
Includes kidnapping from home and family, the trauma of the Middle Passage, and enslavement.
Sensitive Topics
The book's central topics are slavery and racism. The approach is direct but age-appropriate, addressing the trauma of kidnapping, family separation, and the dehumanization of enslavement. The resolution is both hopeful and realistic: Phillis achieves international fame and legal freedom, but she also faces poverty and hardship in her later life. The perspective is secular and historical.
Ideal Reader
This book is for a 9 to 12-year-old who is curious about American history, poetry, or stories of perseverance. It's particularly suited for a child who is beginning to ask complex questions about fairness and justice, or a young Black reader looking for powerful historical role models who asserted their identity and intellect against all odds.
Parent Prep
Parents should be prepared to discuss the concepts of slavery, the Middle Passage, and racism. Previewing the initial pages describing her capture from Africa would be wise. Providing context about the American Revolution and the hypocrisy of colonists fighting for their own freedom while enslaving others will deepen an older child's understanding. A parent's child has just started learning about slavery in school and is grappling with the cruelty and injustice of it. The child might be asking, "What did the enslaved people do? Did they fight back?" This book provides an answer focused on intellectual and creative resistance.
Age Experience
A younger reader (8-9) will likely focus on the inspiring story of a brilliant girl who learned to write beautiful poems. An older reader (10-12) will better grasp the profound injustice of her situation, the significance of her literary achievements as a political act, and the nuances of her complex relationship with the Wheatley family.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many prose biographies for this age group, this book's format as a biography in verse makes Wheatley's story more immediate and emotionally resonant. It centers her identity as a poet not just in the content but in the very form of the book, creating a unique and powerful reading experience that connects the reader directly to the source of her legacy: her words.
Read plot summary
This biography in verse chronicles the life of Phillis Wheatley. It covers her capture in West Africa, her voyage on a slave ship, and her purchase by the Wheatley family in Boston. The book details her remarkable aptitude for learning, her development as a poet, her struggle to have her work published, her groundbreaking trip to London, and her eventual manumission during the American Revolution.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Phillis had to be examined by a group of powerful men in Boston to prove she actually wrote her poems. Why do you think they didn't believe her at first? What does this event tell us about the time she lived in?
2
Phillis wrote a poem celebrating freedom for the American colonies while she herself was still enslaved. What different kinds of 'freedom' is the book talking about? How can a person be physically enslaved but have a free mind?
3
The Wheatley family provided Phillis with an education but also kept her enslaved for many years. How did this book make you feel about them? Can people do both good and bad things at the same time?
4
How did Phillis use her talent for poetry as a tool? In what ways was writing poetry an act of resistance and a way for her to claim her own identity and humanity?
