Ashley Bryan (1) (1923–2022)

Ashley Bryan, three-time Coretta Scott King Award-winner, and six-time honoree, presents a traditional Nigerian tale in The Story of Lightning and Thunder, which follows Ma Sheep Thunder and Son Ram Lightning as they find themselves living more and more apart from humanity. First forced to move to the outskirts of the village, when Son Ram Lightning's rambunctious nature creates too much havoc, the mother and son must then live in the center of the forest. Finally, when even these measures show more aren't enough to protect his people, the king exiles them to the distant skyland...

Originally found in Elphinstone Dayrell's Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria: West Africa, this engaging pourquoi tale explains why thunder and lightning "live" in the sky, and why they presage the rain. Bryan's retelling reads well, and his artwork is colorful and engaging. I think I prefer the earthier tones of some of his other work - like that found in The Ox of the Wonderful Horns and Other African Folktales - to the pastel shades found here, but otherwise, this was a very satisfying book, highly recommended to young folklore lovers! show less

Upsilimana Tumpalaredo struggles, first to learn his own name, and then to teach it to his friends, in this Caribbean folktale, retold by award-winning African-American artist and author, Ashley Bryan. When none of his contemporaries can remember it, calling him "Long Name" instead, Upsilimana Tumpalaredo takes to playing with the animals, only to discover that they too refuse to address him properly, mooing and bleah-bleahing instead. Only Turtle knows his name, but then, Turtle knows all show more the names - something that proves very useful, when Upsilimana Tumpalaredo's Granny demands that he discover her name (Mapaseedo Jackalindy Eye Pie Tackarindy), if he wants his dessert...

I adore turtles, so I was probably guaranteed to enjoy this folktale, but even if that weren't so, I think Turtle Knows Your Name would still have engaged my interest. The rhythm and rhyme of the text itself, the fun names - sure to appeal to young reader/listeners who've struggled with their own complicated names - and Ashley Bryan's appealing pastel-shaded illustrations, all combine to create a winning picture-book! My only complaint is that I'm not entirely sure of this story's provenance. Apparently, it is originally found in Elsie Clews Parsons' Folk-Lore of the Antilles, French and English Part II, published in 1936. But where in the Antilles? The Virgin Islands, Trinidad? I wish I knew... show less

With over thirty children's books to his name, many of them award-winning explorations of the African-American experience, Ashley Bryan is an author whose work I have long wanted to read. His many folktale adaptations, in particular, have been tempting me of late, so I am especially disappointed that Beautiful Blackbird - supposedly a retelling of a traditional tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia - didn't impress me more.

First though, the good news: this is a beautiful book, visually show more speaking. The artwork is just gorgeous, and fully deserved the Coretta Scott King Illustrator's Award that it received. Created using a cut-paper collage technique, it is colorful and immediate, with a sense of motion that suits the rhythmic narrative. The inclusion of images of the artist's scissors - which once belonged to his mother - on the decorated endpapers, is a particularly nice touch.

Unfortunately, the narrative of Beautiful Blackbird wasn't as appealing as the illustrations. I understand that Bryan took some liberties with the original tale, which was more of a condemnation of vanity - the other birds being more concerned with how they look, than how they behave - than an affirmation of self esteem. It's easy to see why he would be tempted to do so: for many years, black was rarely depicted as a "good" color, rarely described as beautiful, or associated with the positive, making a story with a different viewpoint very appealing. But the end result, in which the other birds only consider themselves beautiful after Blackbird shares some of his blackness with them, is hardly the universal story of "appreciating one's heritage and discovering the beauty within," as claimed by the dust-jacket blurb.

Black Is Beautiful! But I don't think I'd be comfortable handing a child a book whose implicit message is that it is the only kind of beautiful. Not recommended. show less

Twenty splendid examples of spirituals are provided with simple arrangements by David Manning Thomas (guitar chords also included). Bryan's resplendent paintings fill textless double spreads that alternate with the unembellished pages of music. Visual celebrations rather than literal illustrations, they merge the representational with the purely decorative—the swirling, stylized waters of the Jordan, for example, contrasting with the faceted geometric patterns of the ships sailing on it. show more Bryan's palette is light but intense, like sun through brightly colored tissue paper; his figures are graced with dignity and inner serenity. A truly beautiful book, worthy of the wonderful music it showcases. Note on the spirituals. (Nonfiction. 4+)

-Kirkus Review show less