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Ashley Bryan's ABC of African-American poetry.
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J 811.008 BRY
Atheneum Books for Young Readers,, c1997.
1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 32 cm.
 
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Howe Library J 811.008 BRY Children's nonfiction Available
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Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a line from a poem by different African American poets, describing an aspect of the black experience. Why an alphabet book of African American poets? Simply as a way of presenting the work of many poets, poets who write for adults as well as children, in a form that both children and adults can enjoy. Though this is not an alphabet book in the traditional sense, it is an A to Z look at twenty-five poems and one African American spiritual selected by Ashley Bryan from a wide range of African American poets. His selections are, for the most part, not complete poems, but fragments -- samples that are complete in their own way, and that inspired him to create pictures that capture the essence of the poetry in another form. his marvelous paintings, in tempera and gouache, are his salute to the twenty-five poets whose works are included. Well known for his story-telling, his picture books, his own poetry, and for his lectures on African American poetry, Ashley Bryan here gives readers of all ages a chance to share the joy he has experienced in the work of some of the poets he especially enjoys.

Syndetic Solutions - The Horn Book Review for ISBN Number 0689812094
Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry
Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry
by Bryan, Ashley (Author, Illustrator)
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The Horn Book Review

Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry

The Horn Book


(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Exuberant, vibrant paintings illustrate this imaginative alphabet book designed to introduce readers to twenty-six African-American poets, both early (Paul Laurence Dunbar, Countee Cullen) and contemporary (Rita Dove, Lucille Clifton). Each page contains a meaningful fragment or short selection from a poem. Moods range from humorous to dramatic to philosophical to contemplative. Bib. From HORN BOOK 1997, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Syndetic Solutions - School Library Journal Review for ISBN Number 0689812094
Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry
Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry
by Bryan, Ashley (Author, Illustrator)
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School Library Journal Review

Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry

School Library Journal


(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

K-Gr 4‘The alphabet takes a back seat to the poetry and is lightheartedly wrestled into compliance as an organizational device in this exultant celebration of African-American writers. Each full-page entry features a short poem or poem fragment, surrounded by Bryan's vivid tempera and gouache paintings. To make this work as an alphabet book, the artist often takes the featured letter from a word within the poem, sometimes even a letter within a word (for "X," "Without eXpectation/there is no end/to the shock of morning/or even a small summer" from Audre Lorde's "Summer Oracle"). The letter is set off at the top and the poet's name fills the bottom frame of the painting. The selections, many of which will be unfamiliar to children, display a loving acquaintance with poets from James Weldon Johnson to Rita Dove. While there is a full range of emotions, joy and pride predominate. Some pieces will elicit appreciative chuckles, even a guffaw or two. An acknowledgments page lists the source of each selection. This marvelous introduction should inspire many readers to seek out other works by these writers. While the format and the lively illustrations mark this as a children's book, the pleasure that both word and picture will give to involved adults will enhance the shared experience.‘Sally Margolis, formerly at Deerfield Public Library, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Syndetic Solutions - BookList Review for ISBN Number 0689812094
Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry
Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry
by Bryan, Ashley (Author, Illustrator)
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BookList Review

Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry

Booklist


From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

Ages 4^-8. If you have been lucky enough to attend one of Bryan's public performances of African American poetry, you will hear his enthralling voice as you read this anthology. The alphabetic organization is just a device (he capitalizes a key letter in each poem), and there is not much poetry here (many selections are just brief fragments). The focus is not on the words but on the full-page rhythmic pictures in Bryan's signature style with tempera paintings and brilliant gouache colors. --Hazel Rochman

 
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