BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD

1.  Bibliography

Bryan, Ashley. 2003. Beautiful Blackbird. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689847319

2.  Plot Summary

Ashley Bryan retells the story from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia about a blackbird that is praised by all the pretty African birds of color as “the most beautiful one” of all.  Ringdove, the other prominent bird in the group, admires Blackbird so much that he asks Blackbird to paint him black too.  Blackbird is happy to oblige, but only with the understanding that “color on the outside is not what’s on the inside.”  The other birds quickly follow suit and asked to be painted too, singing all along, “Black is beautiful.” 

3.  Critical Analysis

Beautiful Blackbird is retold with wonderful language and phrasing in a sing-song sort of style.  Blackbird is a beautiful bird to all the other birds, and they greatly admire him.  His gentle message to the other birds is that beauty is all about being yourself.  However, he is willing to share his outward beauty with the others by decorating them with his “blackening brew,” as long as they understand that it is not color on the outside that will make them truly beautiful.  It seems that Blackbird is admired not just for being beautiful, but for his leadership, individuality, and perhaps even his dance moves. Blackbird seems to know this better than his flock of admirers. They are very excited about their new black embellishments, and it is unclear whether or not they have truly learned Blackbird's lesson. This is a great story to reinforce the concept of self-esteem in children as it celebrates diversity and the beauty of being different. Winner of the 2004 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration, the book features Bryan's art made of paper cutouts created with his mother’s old sewing scissors, and they are a colorful representation of this artful folktale. The touch of sentimentality seen in the author's choice to include his mother's scissors on the endpapers is a wonderful detail in which observant readers will delight. Beautiful Blackbird is an exuberant reading experience that is sure to please readers young and old.   

4.  Review Excerpt(s)

School Library Journal review:  “This unusual and little-known pourquoi tale may supplement larger collections and serves as a thoughtful and entertaining addition to units on self-esteem.”

Kirkus review:  “[T]he rolling language and appealing illustrations make this a must." 

5. Connections

*Read The Colors of Us by Karen Katz as a part of a lesson on “What is beautiful?”  Discuss the differences and similarities that connect all people. 

*Have students create cut paper pictures like Ashley Bryan did for Beautiful Blackbird.  Encourage students to create a story with their cutouts.