ABC of African American Poetry

REVIEW: ABC of African American Poetry

CITATION:

Bryan, Ashley. ABC of African American Poetry. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1997.

SUMMARY:

In this book, there is a poem for each letter of the alphabet that is written by an African American poet. Each poem tells a different aspect of the African American experience and has an interpretative illustration by Ashley Bryan. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

This fantastic book combines poetry and pictures in a unique experience to introduce readers to African American poetry. An untraditional alphabet book, each page features one letter, one poet’s name, and one part of a poem. The format is predictable and easy to follow. An acknowledgements page is found at the end of the book, which tells the full name and author of the poem associated with each letter of the alphabet.

This is an authentic representation of African American poetry because it is a collection of poems from various authors. Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes are two featured poets, but there are also lesser known poets. The themes of the poems include extended family, faith, strength, struggles, freedom and sports. Some themes are heavy, such as slavery, but there are also lighter poems, for instance one about baseball players. Famous African Americans such as Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth are also featured in some of the poems.

This book is culturally accurate in that the illustrations of the people on each page show the diverse emotions, struggles and joys that accompany the African American experience. The cultural markers in this book are consistent with African American literature and the culture. Some people are dressed in colorful West African attire and one poem about hair has an illustration of a beehive hair style. Other poems show children in high rise apartments wearing contemporary clothing. The chosen poems are self-affirming, showing respect to the struggles that African Americans have experienced. There are many references to heaven and God.

Bryan’s illustrations are as important to this book as the words. Every page has a beautifully drawn picture in wide strokes of tempera and gouache, with the eyes of each person reflecting an emotion felt by that character. The illustrations are positive, showing strong respect for the poets’ words and the experiences they reflect. They show people with different shades of brown skin, doing various activities, and having diverse feelings. One poem by Dudley Randall mentions “Black girl … lips as curved as cherries, full as grape bunches…” (“B” page). “Other poems talks about a strong grandmother, “elders of the race,” and one with imagery of a black man handling the sun (pages “O,” “I,” and “M”).

These samples of poems invite reflection and response as children ponder how these poets’ experience may compare to their own. The format is appealing, and the illustrations support and enhance the beauty of the book.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

Coretta Scott King Award

School Library Journal:

“…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.”

Children’s Literature:

“This is the artist's introduction to the poetry-in whole or part-of 25 writers and one spiritual. Mr. Bryan's vibrant, full-page tempera and gouache paintings were inspired by the words they illustrate.”

CONNECTIONS:

This book would be excellent as an introduction to African American poetry.  For an extension activity, each student could take a different author and expand on him/her and share back to the group what they have learned.