Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer who lived in the 1800s and made a name for himself as the “father” of several story genres, such as detective stories, science fiction and spooky horror tales. In his lifetime, he became famous primarily because of one poem, The Raven, but there was more to the great author/poet than many know.

This book, Who Was Edgar Allan Poe? by Jim Gigliotti, helps young readers learn more about Poe’s life and why his stories often feel dark or sad.

The book, filled with illustrations by Tim Foley, takes you back to a time when life was tough, especially for actors and immigrants like Poe’s parents.

Poe’s life wasn’t easy. He lost both his parents when he was just two years old and was adopted by a family in Virginia. He loved his foster mother very much, but his foster father wanted to control his future.

Poe attended boarding school on the insistence of his foster father and later joined the army to seek a stable job, but deep down he knew he wanted to be a writer more than anything else.

And he became a great one! Poe created the first fictional detective ever, C. Auguste Dupin, who inspired the famous Sherlock Holmes. He also helped shape the genres of science fiction and modern horror.

Some of his most famous stories include The Fall of the House of Usher, The Masque of the Red Death and The Tell-Tale Heart.

The book explains where Poe got his ideas and how his difficult life, losing his mother, foster mother and later his wife, shaped the sad tone of many of his stories.

It also describes the strange and mysterious way he died at age 40, a mystery that still puzzles people today.

At the end of the book, there are two timelines: one showing the events of Poe’s life and another showing what was happening in the world around him.

Even though Poe had many critics during his lifetime and after his death, his writing proved his true talent. Today, the Edgar Allan Poe Awards are given every year to honour the best mystery writers, keeping his legacy alive nearly 200 years later.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 6th, 2025

Hurain was sitting in the lounge with her parents, her eyes glued to the TV screen. It read BREAKING NEWS: “Climate change is at its peak.” Sighs followed as her parents watched the news with dread.

“Why all that sighing? Surely, there were no floods, droughts or heatwaves in a quiet town like ours. What was climate change about that?” She wondered, oblivious to her naivety.

Her mother called, “Hurain, come along, I have some shopping to do.” She ran up to her mother and immediately put on her shoes. The market was just two streets away, so they walked.

As soon as they stepped outside, Hurain felt the haze; her eyes became all puffy with water, and she felt as if needles were pinning her throat. Her mother noticed this, gave her a mask and explained, “Do you know this is because of smog?

Hurain coughed, “Ughh… the smog?”

Mother continued, “This haze you see is smog. The smog comes from big polluted cities and spreads to small towns like ours, one of the influences of climate change. The effects are cough and respiratory diseases. But, sadly, no one takes caution, thinking it’s not that serious.” At this, she lowered her head in dismay.

Hurain, absorbing all of this, was shocked. “Why do people not take this seriously?” she asked.

“That’s because people learn things the hard way,” explained her mother, and pointed to the fish market they were entering.

She had been a frequent visitor to the fish market, but never had there been fewer fish than she saw that day. She was looking around at the familiar carts when she overheard the shopkeeper “This is becoming a terrible business. With fewer fish every time, how are we going to survive?”

The other replied, “Yes, I heard rising sea temperatures due to climate change and also man-made disasters are the biggest cause of fewer fish.”

Her heart sank and she wondered, ‘No more fish?’ That was her favourite winter meal!

After buying the stuff they needed, they headed back home. Her mother looked at the gloomy face of her daughter and asked the reason. Hurain disclosed her concern about what she heard in the market.

In response, her mother’s eyes sparkled as she said, “We may not be able to stop it all that is taking place in the environment by ourselves, but we can spread awareness by telling everyone to prevent the risks of climate change. Start by spreading it to your friends and community.

“You like drawing, don’t you? You can make posters and hang them all around,” her mother encouraged her.

Her mother’s words left a profound impact on Hurain and she became determined to spread awareness through any means.

Climate change is not just about the disasters we normally associate with. It has now become a part of our lives, without us realising it.

Dear fellow readers, it is up to us to take small steps to fight it and protect our environment.

Let’s draw a poster, tell a friend, raise awareness and help save our planet!

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 6th, 2025