Beautiful Blackbird By Ashley Bryan

1.  Bibliography
Bryan, Ashley.  2003.  BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD.  New York:  Atheneum Books For Young Readers.  ISBN 9780689847318

2.  Plot Summary
This is a retelling of a Zambia, Africa folktale.  There are many birds of all different colors living  in Africa.  The birds do not have any black on their feathers.  The only bird that was black is the blackbird.  The blackbird is voted the most beautiful bird by the other birds.  The Ringdove tells Blackbird that he should have a black ring around his neck to match his name.  The Blackbird replies that the beauty that is on the inside is what is important not outside beauty.  But he decides to help the bird by giving him black rings around his neck.  The rest of the other birds decide that they want black marks too.  Blackbird decides to mark the rest of the birds with black, but lets them know that even with markings they will still be themselves.  All of birds receive black markings on their feathers from Blackbird and everyone feels beautiful.

3.  Critical Analysis
The story starts has a normal tale being told by a narrator.  But once the characters of the book start to be introduced the words rhyme and in parts of the story are a song.  The author adds a rhythm to the words to make the birds speak with an accent since they live in Africa to collaborate with the setting of the story.  The singing and the rhythm of the text brings out the roots of where the folktale is from.  It makes the reader picture the African safari has they read the story.
The illustrations in the book are very bright and colorful.  The author uses cut-paper artwork to form the images on the pages in the book.  The birds and the background are the many colors of the rainbow.  The colors used in the story let the reader see how the birds are only filled with rainbow colors and the only color black in the story is the blackbird.
The many colors of the birds displays the uniqueness and individuality of each one adds in conveying the importance is on the inside.  Each one of us is unique and what we are on the inside is what is beautiful.  It does not matter what color we are.  This story has a great moral to share with children.

4.  Review Excerpts
Winner of the Corerra Scott King Award.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review:  "Mr. Bryan is a master of material that even the youngest child will instantly recognize:  construction paper."
HORN BOOK:  "A life enhancing folktale from Zambia."

5.  Connections
The librarian could read the book aloud and have the children repeat certain phrases in the book. 
The children could decorate their own birds of many colors for the craft during a story time.
Other African folktales:
Guthrie, Donna and Robert Roth.  NOBIAHS WELL:  A MODERN AFRICAN FOLKTALE.  ISBN 0824986229
Krensky, Stephen.  THE LION AND THE HARE:  AN EAST AFRICAN FOLKTALE (ON MY OWN FOLKLORE).  ISBN 1580138497
Smalls, Irene.  JENNY REEN, AND THE JACK MUH LANTERN.  ISBN 0689318758.