by Ashley Bryan
Long ago in Africa, there were birds of every color, but only one which was black...Blackbird. When the leader, Ringdove, calls for the birds to vote on who is the most beautiful of all, Blackbird is unanimously chosen. The other birds decide that they want to be black, too, and ask for Blackbird's help. He agrees to add bits of black to their coloring with his feather brush, but reminds them that what really matters is what is on the inside.
This traditional tale from the Ila-speaking peoples of modern day Zambia has the mood of celebration with its bright-colored illustrations, sing-song text, and theme(s): Black is beautiful; appreciate your heritage because it makes you unique; What is inside defines you, not what you look like. I envision groups of children acting out this book or chiming in during the birds' songs. In addition, it would be an excellent source for teachers to use due to the numerous literary devices incorporated within the text including repetition, rhyme, alliteration, and onomatopoeia.
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The Ashley Bryan Center: https://ashleybryancenter.org/
Video reading of Beautiful Blackbird by author, Ashley Bryan (will make you smile): https://vimeo.com/199083563
