Did you know the Ashanti people weave a beautiful cloth called "Gold Dust"? Or that the Lozi move to higher ground every winter? Or that the Vai gracefully balance heavy loads on their heads? Come learn about 26 African tribes (in alphabetical order) through short descriptions of their culture and illustrations of their people.
Husband-and-wife team Leo and Diane Dillon illustrated this lush Caldecott medal winner. The rich, deep colors give the pictures the feel of a woven tapestry. Margaret Musgrove's meticulously researched vignettes are not particularly thrilling, but they do give a small taste of every tribe's culture. Some of that culture, as a side note, contains polygamy, Islam, and legends of child sacrifice.
It's a common error in Western dialogue to refer to Africa as if it were one country instead of a continent with fifty-four sovereign states. Though Musgrove's book does not specifically reference states (except on a few relevant occasions) it still succeeds in displaying the diversity of Africa's people.
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Review by Lauren Shearer
Lauren Shearer writes words for fun and profit. She also makes films, but everyone knows you can't make a profit doing that. Her other hobby is consistently volunteering way too much of her time. You can read more of her reviews here.
|
Review by Lauren Shearer
Lauren Shearer writes words for fun and profit. She also makes films, but everyone knows you can't make a profit doing that. Her other hobby is consistently volunteering way too much of her time. You can read more of her reviews
here.
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