Beautiful Blackbird

GENRE 2 TRADITIONAL TALES

Folktale Retold & Illustrated in Picture Book Format by Ashley Bryan: 

Beautiful Blackbird

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bryan, Ashley. 2003. Beautiful Blackbird. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.  
ISBN-13:  978-0689847318

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

In the beginning, there were many kinds of birds of many colors, but each bird was a solid color.  The single black bird was adjudged to be the most beautiful of the birds.  Often times the birds would gather for ritual dances.  One bird begged the blackbird to share his black color so she could be more beautiful. He mixed up black dye and used one of his feathers as a brush to paint a black ring around her throat, pleasing her greatly.  At the next dance, all the birds begged for beautiful black coloring, too.  He mixed up all the dye that he had and decorated all the birds with black markings, pleasing them greatly, but he alone remained solid black.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This story is based on a traditional tale of the Ila tribe in Africa and was part of one of the creation stories to explain how birds got the black highlights common to the birds of the area.  The story is rich in rhythm and dance, which is part of the tribal story telling mechanism in the source culture. These elements are present in repeating phrases such as "uh-huh" and "black is beautiful" and birds celebrating in dance and singing the "beak and wing dance" with a "Beak to beak, peck, peck, peck...stretch your neck."  These creative nuances to the retelling deliver a cultural message that "black is beautiful."  

The birds now all sharing black in common still maintain their individuality and diversity expressed not only through the use of Ashley Bryan's poetic prose but through the collage of images created with vibrant colors.  The cut-paper of birds in different colors sporting their shared touch of black reinforces the message with the rhythmic text, "Whatever I do/I'll be me and you'll be you...Our colors sport a brand-new look,/A touch of black was all it took./ Oh beautiful black, uh-huh, uh-huh/Black is beautiful, UH_HUH!"  Stories such as this one by Bryan remind people of all cultures about positive self-image and celebration of inclusiveness.

4.  AWARDS and REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

     

2014 Coretta Scott King Award
2009 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award

From School Library Journal:  “....this story delivers a somewhat contradictory message.  Blackbird frequently affirms that it's what's inside that counts but his avian friends are certainly fixated on adding some black to their feathered finery....This unusual and little-known pourquoi tale may supplement larger collections and serves as a thoughtful and entertaining addition to units on self-esteem.”

Wilson, Carol Ann. "Beautiful Blackbird." School Library Journal. Date Accessed: February 5, 2017.  www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic.

From Booklist Online:  “In this simple adaptation of a tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia, the message is clear: ‘Black is beautiful.’“

Cummins, Julie." Beautiful Blackbird, by Ashley Bryan. Booklist Online. January 1, 2003. Date Accessed: February 5, 2017. https://www.booklistonline.com/Beautiful-Blackbird-Ashley-Bryan/pid=1131003.

From Publishers Weekly:  “Storyteller Bryan's (What a Wonderful World) singular voice provides rhythm and sound effects throughout this musical adaptation of a Zambian tale.”

"Children's Book Review: Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan." PublishersWeekly.com. November 18, 2002. Date Accessed: February 5, 2017.  http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-689-84731-8.

5.  CONNECTIONS

Introduce the author, Ashley Bryan before reading Beautiful Blackbird and any other of his works: Ashley Bryan Center, https://ashleybryancenter.org/ashley.html.  This will furnish a backdrop to aid in children's understanding of what serves as an inspiration for Bryan's book content, both text and artwork.

To touch up on individuality, the children can create their own artwork.  Using a pair of scissors and art paper,  they can cut animals just as Ashley Bryan had done with his mother's sewing scissors to cut out his illustrations.  Another hands-on activity is allowing children to color their own bird. Children can share how their bird is unique.  

Young readers may also be interested in other works by Ashley Bryan: 

Can’t Scare Me! ISBN-13: 978-1442476578

The Night Has Ears ISBN-13: 978-0689824272 

Beat the Story Drum, Pum-Pum ISBN-13:  978-0689313561