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ellington was not a street / God Bless the Child
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From: Kathleen Horning <horning>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 09:53:01 -0600
I've enjoyed reading everyone's comments on the CSK books (and related topics) so far, but wanted to open a discussion to focus on Kadir Nelson's superb paintings that accompany Ntozake Shange's poem "mood indigo." To my mind, this was one of the most distinguished picture books of the year. It's one you can return to again and again, and still see new things in it.
Kadir Nelson did a remarkable job of interpreting the poem; for example, the way in which he moves back and forth in time, showing the narrator as an adult, walking confidently outside on a rainy day, and as a child, comfortably at home, soaking in the wisdom from great men such as Robeson, DuBois, and Ellington. The blue-colored clothing on the woman and her child-self draws an immediate connection between the two as they appear on alternating double-page spreads.
It's interesting to note the connections between the CSK Illustrator winner and one of the CSK Illustrator Honor Books, God Bless the Child."
The lyrics to the Billie Holiday song serve as the text and, like "mood indigo," the song was written for an adult audience but has been successfully interpreted for young readers. Jerry Pinkney did an amazing job of interpretation by setting the text in the context of one family's experiences moving from the south to Chicago as part of the Black Migration. His wordless double-page spreads tell a detailed story, from the perspective of their youngest son, who's clearly "got his own."
I never would have selected either of these texts with children's picture books in mind, but thanks to two brilliant illustrators, they have both come to life in new ways for a new generation.
Kathleen T. Horning, Director Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706
horning at education.wisc.edu Voice: 608&3721 Fax: 608&2I33 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Received on Thu 10 Mar 2005 09:53:01 AM CST
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 09:53:01 -0600
I've enjoyed reading everyone's comments on the CSK books (and related topics) so far, but wanted to open a discussion to focus on Kadir Nelson's superb paintings that accompany Ntozake Shange's poem "mood indigo." To my mind, this was one of the most distinguished picture books of the year. It's one you can return to again and again, and still see new things in it.
Kadir Nelson did a remarkable job of interpreting the poem; for example, the way in which he moves back and forth in time, showing the narrator as an adult, walking confidently outside on a rainy day, and as a child, comfortably at home, soaking in the wisdom from great men such as Robeson, DuBois, and Ellington. The blue-colored clothing on the woman and her child-self draws an immediate connection between the two as they appear on alternating double-page spreads.
It's interesting to note the connections between the CSK Illustrator winner and one of the CSK Illustrator Honor Books, God Bless the Child."
The lyrics to the Billie Holiday song serve as the text and, like "mood indigo," the song was written for an adult audience but has been successfully interpreted for young readers. Jerry Pinkney did an amazing job of interpretation by setting the text in the context of one family's experiences moving from the south to Chicago as part of the Black Migration. His wordless double-page spreads tell a detailed story, from the perspective of their youngest son, who's clearly "got his own."
I never would have selected either of these texts with children's picture books in mind, but thanks to two brilliant illustrators, they have both come to life in new ways for a new generation.
Kathleen T. Horning, Director Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706
horning at education.wisc.edu Voice: 608&3721 Fax: 608&2I33 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Received on Thu 10 Mar 2005 09:53:01 AM CST
