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[CCBC-Net] Coretta Scott King Awards
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From: Boagjohns at aol.com <Boagjohns>
Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2007 06:22:26 EDT
Hi, All
It has been such a privilege to see the growth in the talents of Kadir Nelson. He has not been afraid to take his art into "different waters" from the rollicking Thunder Rose to the so quiet Ellington is Not a Street, and now into the dramtically thoughful, multi-dimensional Moses. He has captured the spritual being that IS Harriet Tubman and her relationship with God, with his use of light and shadow and the ever-present comfort of the shades of Yellow. What can be said about his use of symbolism as you see the double spread of the AX, her tool of endless work as she knows it is time for her real work to begin. Look closely at the full head portrayal of Harriet and see that surely, physically Tubman was NOT a beautitul woman, but who can miss the spiritual beauty and deteminatioin in her face, MOSES takes many a going back to to see all that Kadir Nelson has put into it.
In using JAZZ with young people, I asked them to look at the illustrations and SEE what instrument each one can "hear" It is an interesting experiment to listen to the reponses because Christopher Myers art is so full of sound
For me, Copper Sun had to be read more than one time. How deftly Draper developed almost every character to symbolize some aspect of the slavery-to freedom story. Afi encouraging Amari to look to the future. Teenie - a symbol of survival, sharing her knowledge with Amari, and finally Amari, the strength that it takes to have a FUTURE. Polly and Mrs. Darby were symbols of yet another type of enslavement, in spite of the color of their skin. Besa, the down-trodden black man, bedeviled by the circumstances that would not allow him to protect the woman he loved.
Ant then there is the pacing. As I read the escape section of the story, I was not allowed to HURRY the journey. Draper forces you to take the loooooong trip at the arduous pace at which in reality it had to be done.
It is regrettable that the Florida State Library did not see fit to keep copies of the history of Fort Mose to make that information available to one who might be interested in further research. There is information on the web however.
Excellent "additional study" information included in this super historical novel which is much more truth that fiction.
But, enough now
Henrietta
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Received on Wed 28 Mar 2007 05:22:26 AM CDT
Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2007 06:22:26 EDT
Hi, All
It has been such a privilege to see the growth in the talents of Kadir Nelson. He has not been afraid to take his art into "different waters" from the rollicking Thunder Rose to the so quiet Ellington is Not a Street, and now into the dramtically thoughful, multi-dimensional Moses. He has captured the spritual being that IS Harriet Tubman and her relationship with God, with his use of light and shadow and the ever-present comfort of the shades of Yellow. What can be said about his use of symbolism as you see the double spread of the AX, her tool of endless work as she knows it is time for her real work to begin. Look closely at the full head portrayal of Harriet and see that surely, physically Tubman was NOT a beautitul woman, but who can miss the spiritual beauty and deteminatioin in her face, MOSES takes many a going back to to see all that Kadir Nelson has put into it.
In using JAZZ with young people, I asked them to look at the illustrations and SEE what instrument each one can "hear" It is an interesting experiment to listen to the reponses because Christopher Myers art is so full of sound
For me, Copper Sun had to be read more than one time. How deftly Draper developed almost every character to symbolize some aspect of the slavery-to freedom story. Afi encouraging Amari to look to the future. Teenie - a symbol of survival, sharing her knowledge with Amari, and finally Amari, the strength that it takes to have a FUTURE. Polly and Mrs. Darby were symbols of yet another type of enslavement, in spite of the color of their skin. Besa, the down-trodden black man, bedeviled by the circumstances that would not allow him to protect the woman he loved.
Ant then there is the pacing. As I read the escape section of the story, I was not allowed to HURRY the journey. Draper forces you to take the loooooong trip at the arduous pace at which in reality it had to be done.
It is regrettable that the Florida State Library did not see fit to keep copies of the history of Fort Mose to make that information available to one who might be interested in further research. There is information on the web however.
Excellent "additional study" information included in this super historical novel which is much more truth that fiction.
But, enough now
Henrietta
************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone.
Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.
Received on Wed 28 Mar 2007 05:22:26 AM CDT
