Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale

Inspired by a story in George McCall Theal's 1895 collection, Kaffir Folk Tales (apologies everyone, I did not name the book), John Steptoe's 1987 picture-book, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, was awarded a Caldecott Honor (as well as being chosen as a Reading Rainbow selection), and it is not difficult to see why! The gorgeous illustrations capture the beauty of Mufaro's village, and the surrounding countryside, the majesty of the King's great city, and the very different dispositions of Mufaro's two beautiful daughters, Nyasha and Manyara. The tale itself, in which inner beauty is rewarded, while vanity and disrespect are not, has many motifs that folklore enthusiasts will recognize, from the competition amongst sisters for royal favor, show more to the three tests which the characters must face.

Chosen as one of our April selections, over in the Picture-Book Club to which I belong, where our theme this month is "Royalty," Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters is a book that I first encountered as a young girl, and which I have always loved. The story itself is charming, the artwork immensely appealing, and the setting at Great Zimbabwe - an ancient civilization that has always intrigued me - all combine in a most satisfying way. I was struck, on this rereading, by the disconnect between Steptoe's source material (the original tale would have been Xhosa) and the cultural setting he chose (Shona), but appreciated his honesty, in not trying to claim that his retelling was traditional. Leaving this issue aside, this is a wonderful book, one I would recommend to young folk and fairy-tale lover everywhere! show less

Mufaro lives in a village not far from a kingdom and a great king, and he has two beautiful daughters, Manyara and Nyasha. He thinks his daughters are wonderful and beautiful, and though they are both lovely, only one of them has the same lovely quality inside and out. Nyasha is sweet and kind, helps anyone and anything, and yet is modest and doesn't seek recognition. Even when her sister teases and harasses her, Nyasha just brushes off the meanness. Manyara, on the other hand, has a short temper and a big ego. She resents that Nyasha receives attention for her goodness, and one day hopes to see her sister as a servant in Manyara's own palace.

One day, the king announces that he is in need of a wife, and calls on the most worthy and show more beautiful daughters of the land to come to him. Manyara sneaks out in the evening, determined to get to the king before her sister. Along her path, she coldly disregards a poor, starving boy, and rudely ignores an old woman's advice. Nyasha sets out the next morning, as planned. At first, she and her family are frightened for Manyara's safety, but when they see her footprints on the path, they decide just to head towards the kingdom. As Nyasha travels, she offers food to the boy and is kind to the old woman, all without prompting. When they reach the kingdom, Manyara runs to them, in hysterics. She claims that the king is a horrible many-headed snake. Nyasha bravely presses forward; instead of meeting a monster, she meets the king, who welcomes her. He tested both sisters on their journey, taking the form of a boy and an old woman, and he learned who had a heart as worthy as her looks. One of Mufaro's daughters does become queen in the end; yet is Nyasha who rules, and Manyara who works as her servant.

The story is lavishly illustrated with paintings that not only capture the personalities of the characters, but accurately depict the African setting as well. The credits at the beginning of the book indicate that the author (who is also the illustrator) did quite a bit of research: on the original folktale that inspired the book, and on the flora, fauna, and ancient architecture of Zimbabwe that informed the illustrations. The narrative is interesting, and reflects the oral traditions of folk tales. This book is made to be read aloud. Readers young and old will hope for the success of good Nyasha, and be pleased with the just ending. Not only that, but the story teaches a positive message about kindness and humility. Every aspect of this picture book is outstanding; children will both enjoy the story and benefit from hearing it. show less

As a new grandmother, I’ve been searching for more diverse children’s books to add to my library, and I ran across Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters at the library sale a while back. I bought it and I’m so glad I did. It’s a lovely Cinderella-esque story of a man named Mufaro who lives in an African village and has two beautiful daughters, Manyara and Nyasha. Manyara is selfish and cruel, while Nyasha is always sweet and kind to humans and animals alike. One day, a messenger arrives from the city, saying that the king is searching for a wife and he’s invited all the most beautiful and worthy daughters in the land to appear before him. Wanting to be the first to arrive, Manyara sneaks out ahead of everyone else, but fails to heed show more the warnings of the people she meets along the way. Meanwhile Nyasha leaves with everyone else the next morning and when she arrives a surprise awaits her.

As a lover of all things fairy tale, I very much enjoyed this story. It’s everything I expect a fairy tale to be, including the HEA, just with an African backdrop and characters. According to the author’s note inside, the story was inspired by an African folktale that was published in the late 19th century, while the characters names are taken from the Shona language. The illustrations are quite beautiful, detailed, and realistic, and again, according to the note, the settings were inspired by the ruins of an ancient city in Zimbabwe, as well as the plants and animals of the region. Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters was a Caldecott Honor Book and also the recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award for its illustrations, and I can definitely see why. In addition to the wonderful illustrations and the fairy tale quality of the story, I also very much appreciated the message about true beauty having more to do with a kindness of the heart and that pride and selfishness have consequences. The book is a keeper for me, and with this being my first read by the late John Steptoe, I’ll certainly be checking out his other work. show less

I remember this book well, as it was a favorite of mine when I was a child. Growing up with my Grandmother, who was a teacher, I spent much of my free time in the library. I loved this book and have fond memories of posing exactly like Nyasha is on the cover and feeling beautiful.
Author John Steptoe, the father of Radiant Child's Javaka Steptoe, illustrates exquisite features - you can actually feel the gentleness in Nyasha's face and the deftness in her fingertips. Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters is an African Tale that many have associated with modern day Cinderella, I see the similarity, but this folktale is much more than that. This was the first book that I can recall where the illustrations were equally as telling as the text show more itself, and I found comfort in those pictures. As I write this review, and don't think any book has made me feel that way - even now.
Two sisters, Nyasha and Manyara, raised by their father, Mufaro, are both very beautiful. With little in common besides shared beauty, their differences are brought to light when a magical king disguises himself in three different forms - all of which Manyara treats poorly and Nyasha quite the opposite. The king revels his true form to Nyasha as her kindness has won him over and she becomes the most worthy of the two.

Reading this book years later, I was pleased to read the Author's Note in the back describing what each character's name meant in their native language. show less

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters is a gorgeous folktale picture book that tells the tale of two sisters in line to become Queen. We learn the moral of this story when Nyasha becomes Queen because she proves kindness is a strength, not a weakness. Nyasha's sister Manyara is just as beautiful as Nyasha, but she does not treat her sister or others around her well. This really exemplifies the idea that beauty and power do not make a person worthy; your actions and how you treat people do. Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters has a Caldecott Honor Award and it definitely lives up to that honor. The illustrations of the characters are so beautiful and detailed that you can interpret their characteristics from the pictures alone. During part of the book, show more Manyara is walking through the woods at night, ignoring those in need, disregarding advice, and behaving badly. This is reflected in eerie, dark illustrations of her journey. When Nyasha journeys through the same woods, the illustrations are bright and full of plants and wildlife, reflecting her kindness and generosity toward the same scenario. I also love the lesson that your actions have consequences, which is perfectly personified in Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters. This was a very enjoyable read with amazing illustration. show less

This was one of my favorite books growing up, mostly because the illustrations are so beautiful and striking. I still remember some of the images to this day. The story itself is pretty common: one sister treats those who ask her for help poorly, the other sister is humble and helpful, and they each get what's coming to them. It's told well, with a cadence little kids will get into. But the art is the real stand out!

I picked up this book recently for the first time in years after reading a recommendation in Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum. I had previously felt the depiction of women had not aged well, in particular, the king asking everyone to send him a daughter. When I reread this book, I was pleasantly surprised by the relationship between the two sisters. While Nyasha and Manyara struggle in the beginning of the book to get a long, by the end Manyara's worry for Nyasha moved me. The illustrations are beautiful and timeless.