A Pride Of African Tales

A Pride Of African Tales

Donna L. Washington

Illustrated by: James Ransome

The cover of the book can already show the reader that it is a multicultral book. The way that the people are dressed, and the surroundings around them. In a mulitcultural book, it will explain how people live their live's and show how praise certain things. A Pride Of African Tales is also a chapter and picture book because each topic of the book are split up in sections, and the book has pictures that can help the reader get a good visual if the text is not making sense. The book is also a realist fiction because it is "set in modern times with events, settings, and characters that could occur in the real world." (Literature and the child pg 17)

The picture above shows the "game animals for the feast." ( A Pride Of African Tales pg 27) The feast is for a young lady named Bwalya and a young man Shansa Mutongo Shima who are going to get married. These animals would entertain the guest. The funny thing is that nobody knew how Shanse Mutongo Shima came back with these animals. He would dress up like an animal and start to sing and dance. Children can learn how other cultures hunt. Another way that children can learn about multiculture from this book is how the character's dress. Why is that important to know? Well, the reason why is because some cultures do not like for women to show a lot of skin because it is too revealing. The women in the book are covered, but they show a little skin (by the shoulders and dresses are knee highth)

By reading this book and look at the images I learned a lot about the African culture. This book will be appropriate for any children, but for younger children it will be easier for it when it is read to them. Also, when my students read this book, they will be reminded that people celebrate and praise differently then they may do, so respect the way that they may choose. A few activities that students can do from this book, is they can draw their own outfits (meets the cultures needs), they can also pick a chapter that interests them and compare and contrast with a parnter who chose a different chapter. Reader Response Questions:

1) What have you learned from this book?

2) Why did the author write this book?

References:

Google Images

Washington, D. L., & Ransome, J. (2004). A pride of African tales. New York: HarperCollins. pg 27 Print.

 

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the child. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning pg 17 Print.