Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine and the Lawless Years of Prohibition - Nonfiction and Biography

Bibliography

Blumenthal, Karen. 2011. BOOTLEG: MURDER, MOONSHINE AND THE LAWLESS YEARS OF PROHIBITION. New York: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 978-1-59643-449-3.

Plot Summary

Karen Blumenthal’s book BOOTLEG: MURDER, MOONSHINE AND THE LAWLESS YEARS OF PROHIBITION chronicles the nearly fourteen year saga of Prohibition in America. Nearly fifty percent of the book is devoted to the history that led up to Prohibition; the effects on our country and the eventual repeal of Prohibition in 1933 comprise the balance of the book. Blumenthal’s thesis states that Prohibition was a law that attempted to regulate morality, radically reduce crime and keep people out of jail and sober, however it proved to be extremely ineffective at accomplishing any of these goals.

Critical Analysis

The first half of BOOTLEG: MURDER, MOONSHINE AND THE LAWLESS YEARS OF PROHIBITION serves as a precursor, laying foundation for the depiction of the Prohibition era that is about to be presented. That history is developed in a very concise, chronological fashion. The book transitions from making general statements about alcohol and its negative aspects, to more specific statements about why the country’s leaders, and certain segments of society, believed Prohibition was necessary. As the book progresses from general to more detailed information, Blumenthal begins to incorporate stories of individuals who played larger roles in the fight to achieve Prohibition. Blumenthal’s organization technique initially presents larger issues, reinforcing the validity and accuracy of that issue through the use of individual stories. This technique intermingles a sequential recounting of the history of Prohibition with social and psychological commentary on the issue.

The latter half of the book provides the reader with details of the sweeping, abrupt changes Prohibition caused in the United States. Blumenthal’s writing is absorbing, with a tone of immediacy which creates the frantic mood of the time with statements like, “Exactly one minute after January 16, 1920 became January 17^th, daily life in America was immediately changed.” Now, everyday actions such as selling a beer, or sipping a drink in public were illegal activities, and all alcoholic beverages had to be removed from restaurants, bars, country clubs all locations where alcohol was stored or sold. The atmosphere Blumenthal creates describing the citizens who comprised the nation’s drinkers is one of desperation. By describing the urgency and extreme methods by which alcohol was being stockpiled in homes, the only place it was legal, she evokes the frenzied atmosphere of the time.

Blumenthal uses the Epilogue to attempt to answer the question ‘Was Prohibition a success or a failure?’ A summary of the final years of some of the key players in the Prohibition era including Morris Sheppard and Al Capone are discussed demonstrating that Prohibition was an immense failure. Passing laws with the intent of governing an entire country’s behavior, particularly in a country as varied in its views as the United States, proved to be unproductive. However one positive result of Prohibition, according to Blumenthal was that, “Americans became more educated more urban and enjoyed far more entertainment. Even young people had better things to do then hang out in a bar.” Blumenthal ends her Epilogue by stating that Prohibition’s biggest failure “was on a personal level.” Alcoholism is still a major problem in this country. Programs such as Red Ribbon Week in schools, which encourage students to pledge to be drug and alcohol free, and the efforts of groups like MADD, have made strides, but the problem still exists. Ultimately, as Blumenthal states, people must be responsible on an individual basis to decide whether or not they want to drink to excess. The government cannot regulate behavior or the right to choose; it can however, provide children and adults with information on the dangers of alcohol allow them to make an educated decision. 

BOOTLEG: MURDER, MOONSHINE AND THE LAWLESS YEARS OF PROHIBITION has a very detailed bibliography, and source notes on every chapter. The bibliography is divided into sections such as ‘Prohibition, Temperance and Alcohol,’ and ‘Women and the WCTU.’ This extensive bibliography enables anyone researching Prohibition to identify resources on a specific topic covered by Blumenthal. There is also a glossary covering the major terms she uses in the book. Many topics that are not typically known about Prohibition are presented in this book. The photos and reproduced documents are in black and white providing a sense of history. The majority of these photos and documents are inset into the text and provide the reader with visual references to the text being discussed and create an ambiance of the 1920’s in visual format.

Review Excerpts

BOOKLIST Starred review 2011: “Plenty of archival images lend to the book’s pleasant design, and an ample bibliography and source notes close out this top-notch resource, which will also help spark discussion on the current War on Drugs.”

VOYA review 2011: “Students or anyone interested in the turbulent prohibition era will find this a very worthy resource.”

Connections

• The Ken Burns documentary PROHIBITION ASIN B004NJC0R0, either all or selections, would be an excellent companion to this book.
• As a complement to Ken Burn’s documentary and Blumenthal’s book, PBS has a website, PROHIBITION IN THE CLASSROOM which provides educators with Lesson Plans and Snapshot Activities. The website can be found at this URL  http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition/educators/.
• The National Archives website TEACHING WITH DOCUMENTS: THE VOLSTEAD ACT AND RELEATED PROHIBITION DOCUMENTS is an excellent tool for educators creating lessons on the subject of Prohibition. The website contains documents, teaching activities, document analysis worksheets and more. The website is located at this URL http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/volstead-act/.

·       A You Tube video entitled THE PROHIBITION YEARS can found at this URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zGVpwVN4L0. This video provides a catalyst for a class discussion on whether it was effective then, or is effective now for the government to try to control people’s behavior.

 

Hurricane Dancers - Poetry

Bibliography

Engle, Margarita. 2011. HURRICANE DANCERS: THE FIRST CARRIBBEAN PIRATE SHIPWRECK. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
ISBN 978-0-8050-9240-0.

Plot Summary

            HURRICANE DANCERS: THE FIRST CARRIBBEAN PIRATE    SHIPWRECK is a historical fiction novel, written in free verse comprised of six parts. The novel is told from the perspectives of the five main characters, four of whom are historical figures: Quebrado a young fictional slave boy on the pirate ship, Bernardino de Talavera the first Caribbean pirate, Alonso de Ojeda a brutal, slightly irrational conquistador who is Talavera’s hostage on the ship, Naridó a Ciboney Indian fisherman and Cancubú a Ciboney chieftain’s daughter. The novel progresses in a chronological fashion telling the story of Talavera’s ship wrecking on the island of Cuba during a hurricane and the impact that has on each of the main characters.

Critical Analysis
          Through the use of poetic language Margarita Engle presents characters in the novel HURRICANE DANCERS: THE FIRST CARIBBEAN PIRATE SHIPWRECK who each have a distinct voice: Quebrado the spirit voice, Naridó the voice of the sea, Cancubú the voice of love, Talavera and Ojeda the voices of slavery and violence.   
          Engle provides two notes in this novel. The first, located at the beginning of the book is entitled Historical Setting. This note briefly affords the reader information on the circumstances that led to Spain's conquest of much of the Caribbean in the late fourteen and early fifteen hundreds. The second is a Historical Note at the end of the novel. This Note expounds on the characters, events, culture, language and literature that were the genesis of this book.   
          There are no illustrations in the novel apart from the black and white palm trees that mark the beginning of each of the six sections; however these few drawings do evoke the strength of the wind and set the scene for the poems. The imagery is created by the poetry itself. The character's voices are transmitted to the reader through the strength of the vocabulary, creating strong pictures. The scents, the winds, the sounds of the sea and air are all metaphorically present. Love denied is manifest in Cancubú’s voice of desperation and despair. The reader is able to experience the destructive power of the hurricane, the dances of the native peoples and Quebrado’s joy at being able to ride his horse in freedom all through the force and resonance of Engle’s words. The words evoke sadness, fear, the loss of power, love and so much more. It is through the words that we get a sense of the characters emotional condition.

Quebrado, Ojeda and Talavera are the three primary voices heard in the novel. Naridó and Cancubú are secondary voices, with Cancubú being heard the least. Each of the three primary characters are realistic, fully developed, and the story flows well between their three points of view. The story grows out of the characters, and the language represents not only the time frame but also the dialects particular to the native Indians. Engle's novel is an evocative journey back to the time of the Pirate and the Conquistador.

Review Excerpts
BOOKLIST Starred review 2011: “Engle… offers another accomplished historical novel in verse set in the Caribbean.”
KIRKUS review 2011: “the stories… they work together elegantly; the notes and back matter make this a great choice for classroom use.”
Connections

·       This book could be paired with both fictional and biographical accounts of other Caribbean pirates.

·       For a class project older readers could be given one of the historical characters in the book and asked to write a short essay about that person. Their real life could be compared to the book’s portrayal of them.

·       Other novels in verse that deal with historical events include WICKED GIRLS: A NOVEL OF THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS by Stephanie Hemphill ISBN 0061853283 and THE APPRENTICE’S MASTERPIECE: A STORY OF MEDIEVAL SPAIN by Melanie Little ISBN 1554511909.

Monday on the Mississippi - Poetry

Bibliography

Singer, Marilyn. 2005. MONDAY ON THE MISSISSIPPI. Ill. by Frané Lessac. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
ISBN 978-0-8050-7208-2.

Plot Summary

            MONDAY ON THE MISSISSIPPI by Marilyn Singer is a book of poems that, over the course of a week, takes the reader on a journey down the Mississippi river. The poems chart the path of the river from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to its end at the Mississippi river delta in Louisiana. Each of the poems is a snapshot of American life, and when you combine all the poems they create a larger picture of the varying life on the Mississippi.

Critical Analysis

            Marilyn Singer’s poems depicting the Mississippi River are written in free verse with no rhyme scheme. The lines are short and they create a fast paced rhythm. In several cases the poems themselves are only one sentence long, most are between two and five. The language Singer uses is both emotional and kinetic. The words describe singular moments in not only the people’s lives in each of the places mentioned; but they also evoke the movement of the river as it makes its way from Minnesota to Louisiana. Singer provides an author’s note at the end of the book called ABOUT THE MISSISSIPPI. It describes several of the places visited in the book in greater historical detail and provides a synopsis of natural disasters that have affected, and are continuing to affect the river itself.

            Imagery is a major aspect of Singer’s poetry. Each individual poem, along with Frané Lessac’s creative illustrations, conjures up a snapshot of life at the moment along the river at each particular place. People are hiking along the river, fishing on the dock or taking a tour of a Civil War battlefield all with the Mississippi river as a backdrop. Sensory vocabulary enhances the illustrations to provide a tactile image. An example comes from SATURDAY ON THE MISSISSIPPI: VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI, “…the wind grabs the guide’s favorite hat and tosses it into the water. The Mississippi waves it once like a tattered flag then swallows it whole.” The reader can actually imagine the tour guide’s hat being whipped off her head and engulfed by the river. This vocabulary, along with the illustrations, creates an emotional connection to the material. Readers can see themselves experiencing what takes place in the poems.

            Frané Lessac’s illustrations have a distinctive folk art quality to them. They contain rich, bright colors that make them attractive to younger readers. Lessac also pays close attention to detail. In the poem SUNDAY ON THE MISSISSIPPI: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA we can see what the people are eating and drinking in Café du Monde as it relates to the poem, coffee and beignets for which the Café is famous. The money in the street musician’s case is visible, and there are beaded necklaces reminiscent of Mardi Gras hanging from the tree branches. Each of these details not only serves to heighten the reader’s experience, but also makes it more lifelike. These are not abstract images; these are scenes from daily life along the Mississippi.

Review Excerpts

BOOKLIST review 2005: “A waterway as mighty as the Mississippi similarly contains multitudes, and here it supports 14 snapshotlike poems charting the river's progress from its source in Minnesota to its Gulf of Mexico delta. In a folk-art style studded with painstaking details (tiny barge workers in St. Paul, a baby gator in swampy Arkansas), Lessac captures both the changing environment and the water's chameleon-like shifts in color.”

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE JOURNAL review 2005: “A map of the Mississippi River and all the states it flows through is on the title page, while the relevant part of the map is repeated on each of the double pages that focuses on that particular stretch of river. In brief sentences rich with images, each day of a week’s cruise from Lake Itasca to the sea is described on two double pages.”

Connections

·       Have students select one poem from the book, and from that one poem have them select a favorite element and write a poem about it.

·       Teachers can use the poems in this book to instruct students about many different topics: Civil War battles, Mark Twain, riverboats, Martin Luther King and B.B. King are some examples.

·       Other poetry books about the United States include MY AMERICA: A POETRY ATLAS OF THE UNITED STATES by Lee Bennett Hopkins with illustrations by Stephen Alcorn ISBN 0689812477 and TINY DREAMS, SPROUTING TALL: POEMS ABOUT THE UNITED STATES by Laura Purdie Salas ISBN 1429617489.

·       The blog OPEN WIDE, LOOK INSIDE from the University of Richmond discusses how to use Singer’s book, and others like it, to help teach children about geography and social studies. The blog can be found at this URL http://blog.richmond.edu/openwidelookinside/archives/332.

Birmingham, 1963 - Poetry

Bibliography

Weatherford, Carole Boston. 2007. BIRMINGHAM, 1963. Honesdale: Wordsong. ISBN 978-1-59078-440-2.

Plot Summary

            Divided into two parts, BIRMINGHAM, 1963 is free verse poetry, based on actual events. The first section is the main narrative poem, depicting different childhood events that took place on the birthday of a fictional African American girl. However, interspersed within those commonplace childhood events are accounts of marching with other African American children protesting for Civil Rights and a description of the horrors of the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church by the KKK, which resulted in the deaths of four young girls who were attending Church that day. The second part of the book is comprised of four individual poems each paying homage to one of the girls who died: Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Denise McNair and Carole Robertson.

Critical Analysis

            In Carole Boston Weatherford’s book each of the five poems, the main narrative poem and the four individual poems, are written in free verse. There is no rhyme scheme present because the subject matter does not lend itself to rhyme. The creative purpose behind this type of free verse poetry is to conjure up intense images and create powerful emotions.  For example, from the main narrative poem, “The day I turned ten someone tucked a bundle of dynamite under the church steps and lit the fuse of hate.” Those final five words evoke the sense of impending devastation and portray the true terror that occurred on that day. A second example comes from the individual poem about Carole Robertson, “Carole, who thought she might want to teach history someday or at least make her mark on it.” Again, these well-chosen words show that each of these girls not only had a life, aspirations, and goals for their futures, but also wanted to make a difference in the world. The poems vividly demonstrate the senseless act of violence that took away those dreams.
               The main poem, written from the point of view of a child, facilitates understanding by other children. It allows them to grasp the images and themes being presented. The four ‘In Memoriam’ poems are also written to assist a young reader’s comprehension. The powerful subject matter is portrayed in a manner that focuses more on the senseless waste of human life and potential rather than intense images of destruction. Weatherford's Authors Note at the end of the book provides insight into the themes being represented in the poems. She presents the reader with information not only on the bombing, but on how the bombing fit into the larger picture of the Civil Right's movement.

            The illustrations in the book create forceful juxtapositions. Photographs illustrate the main poem. These photographs help convey the fictional narrator’s sense of being torn between two worlds, childhood and racism. On the right hand sides of every page of the main poem are archival photos of events that took place during the Civil Rights movement. Examples include children and adults marching in protest, KKK members, images of Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech in Washington DC and photos of the damage at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. On the left hand sides, intermingled among the text, are photos of everyday childhood items, Barbie clothes, Bobbie socks, pencils and erasers. With the four short poems at the end, the left hand side of the page simply contains text, while the right hand side shows a photo of the girl against a black background with the words ‘In Memoriam’ on the bottom in gray. This presents a simple, yet powerful reminder of the cost of hate.

 All of the photographs are in black and white and convey a sense of history. There are however, slashes of red on every page of the main narrative poem. They are fragmented lines meant to evoke the destruction and loss of life that occurred on that terrible day. There is also an Author’s Note at the end of the book which delves into the history surrounding the bombing and its aftermath. Also included in the Author's Note is detailed information about the photos.

Review Excerpts and Awards

Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Winner 2008

Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honor Book 2008

COOPERATIVE CHILDREN’S BOOK CENTER CHOICES review 2008: “Her spare and deeply affecting narrative poem gradually builds to the church bombing in that city in which four African American girls were murdered. There is a shocking numbness in the matter-of-fact voice of the fictional narrator, a young girl describing significant events in that year.”

KIRKUS review 2007: “Exquisitely understated design lends visual potency to a searing poetic evocation of the Birmingham church bombing of 1963.”

Connections

·       Other books by Carole Boston Weatherford that deal with African Americans and the struggle for freedom include REMEMBER THE BRIDGE: POEMS OF A PEOPLE ISBN 0399237267 and FREEDOM ON THE MENU: THE GREENSBORO SIT INS with illustrations by Jerome Lagarrigue ISBN 0142408948.

·       After reading Weatherford’s book, students would read the inspirational parts of Martin Luther King’s speech and discuss the question ‘What are your dreams?’

·       The Birmingham Public Library has extensive Digital Collections dealing with the bombing which can be used by educators in lessons dealing with the history of this period. They can be found at this website http://www.bplonline.org/resources/Digital_Project/SixteenthStBaptistBomb.asp.

Swamp Angel - Traditional Literature

Bibliography

Isaacs, Anne. 1994. SWAMP ANGEL. Ill by Paul O. Zelinsky. New York: Dutton Children’s Books. ISBN 0-525-45271-0.

Plot Summary

            SWAMP ANGEL is a ‘Tall Tale’ or ‘Folk Tale’ about a girl named Angelica Longrider who lived in Tennessee in the 1800’s. Angelica, or Swamp Angel, as she comes to be called, grows up to be a giant of a girl and, “the greatest woodswoman in Tennessee.” She performs all sorts of miraculous feats. One in particular, saving an entire wagon train of settlers from being mired in a Swamp is what earns her nickname Swamp Angel. However, her greatest feat was wrestling a great bear called Thundering Tarnation. This huge bear was raiding the supply cellars of all the settlers in Tennessee. A competition was announced, and anyone who could kill the bear would get his pelt, however no one was able to match the bear in a fight but Swamp Angel. She wrestled the bear, and at one point threw him up into the sky, to the point where they both collapsed from exhaustion. Their snoring was so loud and powerful that it caused trees to topple over, one of them falling on Thundering Tarnation and killing him. The bear’s death not only ended the raiding of the settler’s supply cellars, it also provided food for all the people in Tennessee. Swamp Angel kept the bear’s pelt but, “It was too big for Tennessee so she moved to Montana” where the pelt was spread out in front of her home and came to be known as the Shortgrass Prairie. Thundering Tarnation himself, or his imprint from being tossed into the sky, became the Ursa Major, the Big Dipper.

Critical Analysis

The language Isaacs uses in her writing is very evocative of the timeframe and setting of the story.  She utilizes numerous colloquialisms in the dialogue to reinforce the plot points of the story. This use of colloquialisms is showcased especially well in the scene where the tree falls on Thundering Tarnation. Swamp Angel says, “Confound it varmint, if you warn’t the most wondrous heap of trouble I ever come to grips with!” Isaac’s uses words well to showcase the time and place she is writing about. As a result her characters have an authentic voice.

This book has compelling moral themes. We see Swamp Angel, as the heroine, helping out her fellow citizens whenever she can. She is a strong female character who does not fit into any traditional role. Thundering Tarnation is the archetypal villain of the story, destroying property and placing people in danger. Good triumphs over evil and the story ends happily which conforms to the conventional idea of Traditional literature. Swamp Angel is a formidable counterpart to the traditionally male American Folk Hero. She is a character that will inspire young girls.

The setting, the backwoods of Tennessee, fits well into the concept of the American Tall Tale as well. These tales typically took place in areas of the country that were more rural and less urban. This setting conjures up images of log cabins and rolling forests, extremely wild and rough scenery.

Zelinsky’s oil painting illustrations perfectly compliment that setting and bring it to life in a very energetic way. They depict period, location and cultural elements particularly well. He also has a marvelous ability to portray facial features and emotion. Each illustration is framed in a different type of wood to help reinforce the idea that the story is set in the backwoods of the frontier. The illustrations vary in style as well. There are single scenes, but there are also pages where assortments of pictures are shown over a central image. For example pages two and three are a spread showing Swamp Angel performing various tasks. She is depicted building a log cabin as a baby, stopping a flooded river from washing away settler’s homes and putting out a fire at a neighbor’s log cabin. This mixture sits on top of one main image, that of a beautiful wooded valley. Zelinsky’s art gives life and depth to this story.

Review Excerpts and Awards

Caldecott Medal Honor Book 1995

New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year 1994

BOOKLIST review 1994: “Isaacs tells her original story with the glorious exaggeration and uproarious farce of the traditional tall tale and with its typical laconic idiom--you just can't help reading it aloud.”

KIRKUS review 1994: “Matching the superb text stride for stride are Zelinsky's (The Wheels on the Bus, 1990) altered-state, American primitive paintings -- gems that provide new pleasures, reading after reading.”

Connections

·    Pair this story with other American Tall Tales such as PAUL BUNYAN by Steven Kellog ISBN 0688058000, or JOHN HENRY by Julius Lester and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney ISBN 0140566228. These books help to showcase other American Tall Tales with larger than life figures.

·    Have children read the sequel to SWAMP ANGEL entitled DUST DEVIL also written by Isaacs and illustrated by Zelinsky ISBN 0375867228. It tells the story of Swamp Angel’s daring feats in Montana.

·    The video series SHELLEY DUVALL’S TALL TALES AND LEGENDS ASIN B002CLKOYM is a perfect complement to this book.

·    This website provides Teacher Activities for SWAMP ANGEL and DUST DEVIL http://www.anneisaacs.com/node/4.

The Three Pigs: Nacho, Tito and Miguel - Traditional Literature

Bibliography

Salinas, Bobbi. 1998. THE THREE PIGS: NACHO, TITO AND MIGUEL. Oakland: Piñata Publications. ISBN 0-934925-05-4.

Plot Summary

            Bobbi Salinas’ book THE THREE PIGS: NACHO, TITO AND MIGUEL is a retelling of the fairy tale THE THREE LITTLE PIGS with a Mexican theme, in two languages English and Spanish, set in the Southwest. It begins with Nacho, Tito and Miguel’s mother sending them out into the world to begin their adult lives.  She invites them to come home anytime they are in town for fresh tortillas and admonishes them to watch out for the bad wolf, Jose. Nacho, the first pig, buys some straw from a cow to build his house. Not long after the house is completed, the bad wolf Jose arrives. When Nacho will not let him in, Jose blows Nacho’s house down, ties him up and leaves him in the pigpen behind his house to eat later. Next, we see Tito buying wood from a beaver for his house. Again, Jose arrives and when he is not granted admittance blows Tito’s house down and adds him to the pigpen. Finally Miguel, the smartest of the brothers, buys adobe bricks from a frog and builds his house. Without fail Jose comes to his house as well, but here the plot deviates. When Miguel will not let him in and Jose cannot blow the house down, he tries several devious ways to lure Miguel out of the house. Miguel is not fooled by any of Jose’s schemes. Out of desperation Jose tries to capture Miguel by climbing down the chimney and falls into Miguel’s hot pot of green chile stew. Jose, injured by the hot stew, leaves Miguel’s house in defeat and Miguel is able to rescue his two brothers.

Critical Analysis

            The major difference in this version of THE THREE LITTLE PIGS is, of course, the fact that the pigs are Mexican-Americans. The book is written with English as the primary language, however a secondary Spanish translation is provided alongside the English version to assist non-native speakers. To make the language more realistic Ms. Salinas interspersed Spanish words within the English text, for example, “This pig will make some delicious carnitas and chicharrones for supper tonight!” Wherever Spanish words are used in the English text they are underlined and Salinas provides a glossary at the end of the book. By doing this she helps to not only encapsulate the sound of the spoken language in the text and create a culturally specific story, but she also introduces English speakers to the Spanish words.

Another major difference however is the non-violent nature of the story. The first two pigs are not eaten by the wolf and the wolf is not cooked by the third pig for dinner. An additional major departure is the fact that Jose tries to lure Miguel out of the house three separate times to eat him. Miguel, being smarter, is able to see through Jose’s tricks and outwit him. Thereby demonstrating to children that not only are there ways to overcome the scariest situations but it also can be done in a non-violent manner.

The plot is very episodic, moving from scene to scene in a quick progression full of action. Time, and in turn the story itself, has a fast pace to it. This technique keeps children’s attention focused. As do Salinas’ illustrations which resemble Mexican folk art, and they clearly delineate the setting of the story. Readers are instantly aware that this version of the tale occurs in the Southwest due to the landscapes, clothing and everyday items depicted in her images. The colors are vibrant and many traditional Mexican elements are intermingled throughout the pictures.  One excellent example of this is the illustrations of the interior of two of the pig’s houses. They have terra cotta tile floors and wood accents. Also, Tito and Miguel’s houses have references to famous Mexican figures. Tito has a Frida Khalo painting and Miguel has books referencing Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. All of these elements serve to showcase the culture being portrayed and serve to expose young readers of both nationalities to the finer elements of Hispanic culture.

Review Excerpts and Awards

Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award Winner 1999

THE PEOPLE’S GUIDE TO MEXICO review 1999: “An illustrated bilingual fable by the author of Indo Hispanic Folk Traditions, this is a delightful book that both adults and children will enjoy.”

CAHNERS BUSINESS INFORMATION review 2001: “…this book offers a spicy retelling of the familiar tale of the three little pigs. The excellent illustrations are entertaining, intelligent, and witty, offering lots of visual jokes and cross-cultural references to the likes of Elvis Presley, Frida Kahlo, Cesar Chavez, and Cantinflas.”

Connections

·    This book lends itself well to a Reader’s Theater performance. There are ideas in the back of the book for simple costumes that a teacher could incorporate into this production.

·    Introduce other Spanish retellings of fairy tales such as LITTLE GOLD STAR: A SPANISH AMERICAN CINDERELLA by Robert D. San Souci with illustrations by Sergio Martinez ISBN 0688147801. This book also highlights traditional Spanish elements in the guise of a well-known fairy tale.  

·    Children could be asked to create paintings similar to those of Frida Kahlo. 

Beautiful Blackbird - Traditional Literature

Bibliography

Bryan, Ashley. 2003. BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-689-84731-9.

Plot Summary

            BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD is a folktale adapted from a story native to the Ila speaking peoples of Zambia. All the birds in Africa were different colors, but none had the beautiful blackness of the Blackbird, which the colorful birds craved. One day the birds all came together to celebrate when Ringdove (a grey dove) asked Blackbird to add black coloring to his body to make it more beautiful. Blackbird agreed, mixed up some blackening in his medicine gourd, and added a black ring to Ringdove’s neck. Soon, all the birds wanted black coloring on their bodies because they knew that black was beautiful.  Blackbird agreed to add some black color to all the birds. He adorned each bird differently, no two were alike. But Blackbird wanted the colorful birds to know that they were not like him and that “Color on the outside is not what’s on the inside.” 

Critical Analysis

            Ashley Bryan’s book has several elements common to Traditional literature. The setting of BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD is vague, only Africa itself is mentioned with no further delineation. Another common element of Traditional literature utilized in this story is that of the wish. All the birds in the story wish to have black marks on their bodies to be more like Blackbird. That wish is fulfilled, but the idea that each bird is unique is reinforced several times strengthening the point to children that they do not have to be like everyone else. They can be themselves and still be distinctive; it is not outside appearance that matters.

            However, Bryan’s book also deviates somewhat from the Traditional style of literature in that there is no concept of villain vs. hero. As a result, there is no conflict and no ultimate resolution of good vs. evil.  In addition, poetry is incorporated into the story in the form of songs. The birds sing songs about wanting to add black to their bodies. The poetry is the bird’s language. The poetry contains a lot of repetition. Because of this rhythmic song poetry, this book is intended to be read aloud to enable younger readers to not only hear, but feel the words.

Bryan’s intensely colorful illustrations were created out of paper using his mother’s scissors and crafted into the form of collages. Each bird is its own distinctive paper cutout placed onto a separate background. In addition, after Blackbird paints them each bird has diverse black markings, the markings themselves are separate pieces cut out and placed on top of the solid color birds adding to the individual uniqueness of each bird.

Review Excerpts and Awards

Coretta Scott King Book Award winner for illustrations 2004.

KIRKUS review 2002: “This telling, by the master storyteller, just aches to be read aloud; the lively rhythms keep the simple folktale rollicking along.”

BOOKLIST review 2003: “The overlapping collage images fill the pages with energy as the songlike responses of the birds tap out a rhythm punctuated with "uh-huhs."”
 Connections

•          One activity for young children would be for them to draw and cut out birds and then add black accents to them. This will help reinforce the message that everyone is unique and distinctive in their own way.
•       Children can also design simple bird costumes and create their own dances to go with the songs in the book.
•       Other African folktales include: ASHLEY BRYAN'S AFRICAN TALES, UH-HUH by Ashley Bryan ISBN 0689820763 and THE CLEVER MONKEY: A FOLKTALE FROM WEST AFRICA by Rob Cleveland with illustrations by Baird Hoffmire ISBN 0874838010.