Amazing Peace - by Maya Angelou

About the Book

Maya Angelou's moving poem is a radiant affirmation of the goodness of humanity. First read at the 2005 White House tree-lighting ceremony, it comes alive again as a fully illustrated children's book, celebrating the promise of peace in the holiday season. An audio CD featuring a reading of the poem by its author accompanies this edition.

Book Synopsis

Celebrate Christmas with the joyous poetry of the incomparable Maya Angelou.

Angelou's beautiful, moving, and beloved poem, which she first read at the 2005 White House tree-lighting ceremony, now comes alive as a fully illustrated children's book, celebrating the promise of peace in the holiday season. In this simple story, a family joins with their community--rich and poor, black and white, Christian, Muslim, and Jew--to celebrate the holidays.

This special package includes an audio CD of the author reading the poem aloud.

Review Quotes

Holiday Roundup, USA TODAY, December 4, 2008

About the Author

Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was one of the most celebrated and distinguished voices of our time. She was an inspiring renaissance woman--poet, writer, performer, teacher, and director. In addition to her bestselling and internationally acclaimed autobiographies, beginning with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, she wrote five poetry collections, five books of essays, two cookbooks, and the celebrated poem "On the Pulse of Morning," which she read at the inauguration of President William Jefferson Clinton. Dr. Angelou was the recipient of three Grammys, the National Medal of Arts, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and more than fifty honorary degrees. Learn more at mayaangelou.com.

Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher have collaborated on many award-winning and New York Times bestselling picture books. Their titles include My Many Colored Days, by Dr. Seuss; New York's Bravest, by Mary Pope Osborne; The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams, adapted by Lou Fancher; The Cheese, by Margie Palatini; The Boy on Fairfield Street, by Kathleen Krull; and Star Climbing, by Lou Fancher. School Library Journal has called their work "luminous." You can visit them at johnsonandfancher.com.