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Summary
Summary
"Part songbook, part research text, this work is perfect for families to share together or for young scholars who seek to discover an important piece of cultural history."-- School Library Journal, starred review
From Newbery Honor winner Patricia C. McKissack and two-time Caldecott Honor winner Brian Pinkney comes an extraordinary must-have collection of classic playtime favorites.
This very special book is sure to become a treasured keepsake for African American families and will inspire joy in all who read it.
Parents and grandparents will delight in sharing this exuberant book with the children in their lives. Here is a songbook, a storybook, a poetry collection, and much more, all rolled into one. Find a partner for hand claps such as "Eenie, Meenie, Sassafreeny," or form a circle for games like "Little Sally Walker." Gather as a family to sing well-loved songs like "Amazing Grace" and "Oh, Freedom," or to read aloud the poetry of such African American luminaries as Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, and Paul Laurence Dunbar. And snuggle down to enjoy classic stories retold by the author, including Aesop's fables and tales featuring Br'er Rabbit and Anansi the Spider.
"A rich compilation to stand beside Rollins's Christmas Gif' and Hamilton's The People Could Fly." --The Horn Book
"An ebullient collection.... There is an undeniable warmth and sense of belonging to these tales." -- Kirkus Reviews, Starred
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-6-Children's literature powerhouses McKissack and Pinkney team up for the second time, creating a dynamic collection of songs, rhymes, and stories with origins in the African American diaspora. McKissack recalls most of the examples from her childhood in Missouri and Tennessee and shares her own versions as well as memories and anecdotes. However, this volume is far from just a trip down memory lane. The extensive research, much of which the author attributes to her late husband in the thorough back matter, highlights the histories behind these classics. McKissack weaves this research together fluidly in a storylike format with accessible language. Many pieces have changed over time, and she acknowledges this evolution by presenting different versions and iterations. The content represents a wide range of formats and includes performance poetry by Langston Hughes, Anansi trickster tales, Christian spirituals, Underground Railroad hymns, proverbs, and such standards as "Miss Mary Mack" and "If You're Happy and You Know It." Pinkney's artistry brings even more joy to this lively assortment. His distinctive broad brushstrokes, bright watercolors, and playful characterizations add a splash of color and light. Each section heading features a large, vibrant illustration, with other color and black-and-white vignettes peppered throughout the chapters. VERDICT Part songbook, part research text, this work is perfect for families to share together or for young scholars who seek to discover an important piece of cultural history. McKissack and Pinkney capture the essence of the songs, stories, and play of an African American childhood.-Clara Hendricks, Cambridge Public Library, MA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Over nine chapters, McKissack celebrates oral traditions in African-American communities through a vibrant assemblage of rhymes, proverbs, folktales, and songs, drawing on memories of her own upbringing. Movement is central to many offerings-particularly in opening chapters that share clapping, rope-jumping, and ring games such as "Eenie-Meenie-Sassafreeny" and "Hot, Hot Pepper"-and it's ably reflected in Pinkney's swoopy watercolor-and-ink illustrations (not all seen by PW), which frequently feature dancing and singing children, as well as familiar folk figures such as Anansi, Br'er Rabbit, and John Henry in later sections. McKissack often addresses how slavery and discrimination shaped many of these tales and songs, including the coded messages of "Follow the Drinking Gourd" or a hand-clapping song, "Shame," that she sung as a child in a segregated Nashville "to poke fun at the stores whose rules restricted us." It's a collection valuable both for its rich assembly of songs and stories that have delighted, comforted, and inspired generations of black families and for the illuminating historical context that McKissack brings to each selection. All ages. Author's agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown. Illustrator's agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Childrens book royalty and storyteller supreme, Patricia McKissack here compiles an impressive and cohesive treasury of African American childrens culture: a collection of my favorite childhood games, songs, poetry, and stories that are directly linked to my African American heritage. From hand-claps and jump-rope rhymes, through spirituals and gospel lyrics and Bible stories, to proverbs and poetry and folktales, the collection provides an informal history of African American life as well as something of a memoir for McKissack. For example, in one of the many conversational but illuminating notes that pepper the well-organized sections, she recalls reciting James Weldon Johnsons The Creation at age fourteen at the Elk Oratorical Contest in Minneapolis in 1959. With close to one hundred selections in all, the book might seem formidable, but the design is spacious and lightened by Pinkneys swirling decorations in ink and watercolor. Although sourcing is only variously complete and readers will have to find melody lines for the songs elsewhere, this is a rich compilation to stand beside Rollinss Christmas Gif (rev. 5/94) and Hamiltons The People Could Fly (rev. 3/86). Index not seen. roger sutton (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
An ebullient collection of African-American playtime lore, traced to its sources.Newbery Honorwinning McKissack explains how our earliest toys are our hands, feet, and voices. Most children dont realize the educational value of songs and rhymes. The rhythms just naturally pull listeners along, encouraging participation. But in addition to their role in fostering language development and motor control, rhymes also have a history woven through them, especially for children of color. Arranging them developmentally, McKissack shares hand claps, jump-rope rhymes, circle games, songs, and stories. Unexpected treasures include Mama Sayings and the apropos Jump Tale (which has a sneaky surprise at the end). Such familiar characters as Anansi and Brer Rabbit share space with the intriguing history of Amazing Grace and the coded songs from the Underground Railroad. Each entry is preceded by a note from McKissack describing a rhymes origin or sharing a personal anecdote from her childhood memories. Recounting sitting on the porch with family, frenzied clapping on the playground, or making a joyful noise in church, there is an undeniable warmth and sense of belonging to these tales. Pinkneys watercolor-andIndia ink spot illustrations swirl through the pages, bursting with energy tapped from joy and rich tradition. A comprehensive treasury of memories, verbal art, and play. (notes, bibliography, index) (Folklore. 1-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
McKissack and Pinkney are a formidable author-and-illustrator duo. Both are award-winning and best-selling figures in children's literature, and they draw on their own childhood playtime rituals and games as a basis of inspiration for this cultural compendium of games for young people. This book is a catalog of childhood diversions in their simplest forms: basic movements, tunes, rhymes, and dance steps. These activities serve as a vehicle to explore African American folk heroes, legends, and lore. Entire individual chapters are devoted to simple hand-clapping games, jump-rope poems, and spiritual songs and hymns. These activities can be done with almost no preparation and can take place anywhere. They are also steeped in a tradition of symbolism and storytelling, encouraging imagination. Young readers will spend hours entertaining themselves with the songs and games in the book, and may also gain a greater understanding of culture, as countless avenues for deeper understanding of African American heritage are offered.--Anderson, Erin Copyright 2016 Booklist
