The BLACKBIRD –

There’s a beautiful adaptation of a tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia in the book Beautiful Blackbird by Ashey Bryan… a book that has been awarded both the Coretta Scott King Award for its brilliant cut-paper artwork and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award:

The tale tells of a time when all the birds of Africa were all colors of the rainbow… clean, clear colors from head to toe with no black markings what-so-ever…

The Blackbird was the only bird with any black at all.

One day a bird named Ringdove calls all the birds to a festival where they flap their wings and stir the air in great fun. But Ringdove has a question for the bird:  Who of all is the most beautiful?

The birds all answer in a delightful rhyming song as they dance in celebration of the black bird – Blackbird.

Ringdove takes Blackbird aside and asks if Blackbird can color him black, too.

Blackbird answers, “Color on the outside in not what’s on the inside.”  But Blackbird agrees to brew some blackening in his medicine gourd the next day at sun-up… and to paint a ring around Ringdove’s neck to go along with his name.

And that’s just what Blackbird does… painting a lovely black ring design around Ringdove’s neck.

The other birds are so delighted with the beauty of the black touch on Ringdove that they all dance while Blackbird paints little designs on every single bird… all the while singing and reminding the birds, “Just remember, whatever I do, I’ll be me and you’ll be you…”

The birds joyously sing, “Black is beautiful, UH-HUH!”

What we discover in Beautiful Blackbird is that beauty comes from within… but beauty is also feeling one within your universe.

We also discover the kindness, generosity and creativity of the Beautiful Blackbird, who shares his loveliness.

But what is the real tweet-tweet on the Blackbird in real-life ?  Here are a few little tidbits to pass along to your kids and grandkids to combine literature and life:

– Blackbirds inhabit North America, Europe, Asia, North Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

– Blackbirds live in parks, woodlands, gardens and sometimes cemeteries… and prefer wet environments.

– The male Blackbird is called a cock.  He is jet black with an orange or yellow bill and a yellow eye-ring.

– Blackbirds are characterized by rounded heads and long pointed wings.

– The female Blackbird is called a hen.  She is generally dark brown with a brown bill.

– Blackbirds are known for their strong, but melodious voices, and display a variety of voice types.

– Blackbirds feed on berries, fruits, earthworms, snails and slugs.  The wet conditions that Blackbirds prefer are good for finding their invertebrates.

– Blackbirds are generally solitary birds, but sometimes make contact while roosting.

– Blackbirds are known for their territorial characteristic. Their territories are established during breeding time and are very small.

– Blackbird nests are cup-shaped and located in a trees, bushes or houses. The nest is made of twigs, sticks, grass and leaves and bonded with mud.

– The Blackbird hen lays 3 – 7 greenish-blue eggs with reddish-brown markings. The hatchlings last 13-14 days and the babies are fed by their parents for another 14-15 days.

Ah.  The Blackbird in real-life.

Reading the tale Beautiful Blackbird with your kids and grandkids, with a little knowledge of the Blackbird in real-life, gives you so much to discuss… and your kids so much to think about as they embrace the literature.

The tale gives us a great opportunity to talk with our kids about people, cultures and similarities and differences.

The tale also gives us a beautiful way to talk about BEAUTY, perception of BEAUTY, and that BEAUTY COMES FROM WITHIN…

Join me here each day in August for AUGUST TWEET-TWEETS on 365 Days of Literacy for Kids! A little fun, a little learning and a bit of “tweet-tweet”!