Traditional Literature-Review

Beautiful Blackbird

By: Ashley Bryan

A: Bibliographic Data

Bryan, Ashley. 2003. Beautiful Blackbird. Ill. by Ahsley Bryan. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

ISBN: 0-689-84731-9

B. Plot Summary

Beautiful Blackbird is an African folktale from Zambia. All the birds are covered in a single bright color except for blackbird. There is only one blackbird, and all the birds think that blackbird is the most beautiful. Throughout the rest of the story the other birds are trying to obtain some black color from blackbird. After blackbird mixes his "blacking brew" he paints and decorates all the other birds with black paint. The end concludes with all the birds having some type of black design on them thanks to blackbird.

C. Critical Analysis

Ashley Bryan delivers a powerful folktale with a powerful message on many levels. One message or meaning the book brings about is how different designs came to be on different types of birds. Beautiful Blackbird also teaches a valuable lesson of wanting to look like someone else, does not change who you are on the inside. Simple chants or songs are displayed throughout the book to bring out the culture. Also, dancing is another element presented in the book that displays culture. The characters and the plot in the story are easy to pull out and identify. Just thumbing through the pages Beautiful Blackbird appears to be a simple story, but give it a second look and the reader will soon find hidden messages and meanings within the story book's pages.

Bryan also does an amazing job with his illustrations. The pictures in the book have been created by cutting out birds from colored paper and creating collages. The illustrations have a very distinct look that catches the eye immediately when turing to the first page of the book.

D. Awards Won

Corretta Scott King Award

Laura Ingalls Wilder Award

Texas 2X2 Reading List

Booklist Review-"In this simple adaptation of a tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia, the message is clear: "Black is beautiful." Once upon a time, Blackbird was the only bird of Africa who wasn't brightly colored. When Ringdove asks who is the most beautiful bird, the other birds name Blackbird. At Ringdove's request, Blackbird brings blackening from his medicine gourd to decorate Ringdove's colored neck; the other birds also want trimming, so Blackbird paints dots and brushes lines and arcs until his gourd is empty. Using a more vivid palette than usual, Bryan employs boldly colored, cut-paper artwork to dramatize the action. The overlapping collage images fill the pages with energy as the songlike responses of the birds tap out a rhythm punctuated with "uh-huhs." In an author's note, Bryan explains that the scissors pictured on the endpapers, which Bryan used to create the collages, were once also used by his mother. Ready-made for participative storytelling." Julie Cummins-Book List

E. Connections

*Conduct a deeper study into the culture of Zambia.

*Students can cut and create their own animals out of paper and create their own collage artwork.

*Read and display other African folktales for students to get a better sense of African culture.