Review by Booklist Review
Debut author Denmead takes readers on a journey through the life of American playwright August Wilson. Starting with Wilson's birth in 1945 and detailing his tumultuous family life, Denmead highlights the circumstances that shaped Wilson. Readers will appreciate the obstacles he overcame to become an iconic playwright. Having a white father and a Black mother meant that Wilson often did not fit in with his peers at school. To add insult to injury, his teachers did not realize his brilliance and accused him of plagiarism. Discouraged, Wilson decided not to return to school, instead seeking solace and education at the public library. Soon, inspired by blues singer Bessie Smith, art, and his fascinating community, Wilson could not help but write. Illustrator Harris' use of digital ink pens and gouache brushes creates richly colored, full-spread pages peopled with expressive figures clearly communicating important emotional cues. Highlighting Wilson's talent and determination, Denmead helps readers appreciate the playright's genius. An author's note with more information about Wilson and a bibliography of his work concludes the book.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
August Wilson (1945-2005), the renowned African American playwright, was born with "a song inside him." He liked words and the way they had their own kind of music. Although learning was easy, attending school, where "nobody looked like him," was difficult. He was targeted by bullies, and when a teacher questioned whether an assigned paper was really his own work (because it was "so good"), he walked out, never to return. At the public library, he voraciously read history, science, poetry, novels, and Greek philosophy. "And he found shelves of books written by Black authors. He read them all." At the same time, he was learning from music and became captivated by blues singer Bessie Smith. "August had never heard the blues before, but it sounded like...well, it sounded like food he didn't know he was hungry for." When he began writing, he collected stories from enslavement and everyday situations in the lives of Black people and shaped them into plays. He "wrote those people alive," affirming the theme that "everybody carries a song inside them." Harris's emotionally resonant illustrations (sketches composed with digital ink pens and finished using digital gouache brushes) support Denmead's lyrical narrative and inspirational tone. An annotated bibliography of Wilson's Century Cycle of plays and an extensive author's note are appended. Pauletta Brown BracyJuly/August 2024 p.150 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A playwright draws inspiration from his community and his history. August Wilson (1945-2005) was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, just as World War II was ending. His father, a German immigrant, abandoned the family; his mother, a Black woman, earned a living by cleaning houses. August learned to read at an early age; he loved words and their musical sounds but struggled in school, where racist white students bullied him. He worked tirelessly on a history report on Napoleon, but when the teacher refused to believe August had written the paper, he stopped going to school, instead spending his days reading in the public library. He tried, unsuccessfully, to write about the people his artist friends depicted in their work, but once he imagined the characters describing their own experiences, his writing took off. Eventually he created the Century Cycle, a series of plays each representing a different decade of the 20th century. They captured the experiences of African Americans: "a story of family and history, of slavery and freedom." Writing in straightforward prose, Denmead illustrates how August Wilson turned a difficult childhood, his love of learning, and his connection to his people's stories into a body of literature with major cultural impact. The detailed author's note provides enlightening context about the reception of August's work and the many accolades he received. Capturing August's loneliness, frustration, and joy, Harris' digital art enhances the text with period details. A warm introduction to a master of American drama. (August Wilson's Century Cycle) (Picture-book biography. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
