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Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions Review

If you dig into the children's books in any public or school library, even those of modest means, you will encounter dozens; at times hundreds, of alphabet books. These books come in all sizes, shapes, themes, and difficulty levels. Some are quite good, some are so-so, and some are absolutely horrid,and to he honest, pathetic.

I have a special category for some of these alphabet books though. They are the ones that go beyond the mere "quite good" category and hold a special place. I am please to report that Ashanti to Zulu, African Traditions, by Margaret Musgrove and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon make the cut and in fact is in a rare realm of works that simply do not get better! I was actually shocked, amazed and absolutely delighted when I stumbled across this one. Now let me make one point clear here; this is indeed an alphabet book, but it is also a book that any adult with one ounce of curiosity and appreciation for quality can also enjoy.

Now that being said....

This work covers the alphabet, A through Z using African Tribes. The author starts with Ashanti then proceeds to Baule, Chagga, Dogon, Ewe, Fanti, Ga and so on, until the book ends with Zulu. Each tribe has its own page which is beautifully illustrated (more about that later) and a tremendous amount of information packed into one short paragraph. The writing style can best be illustrated through a direct quote from one of the pages (selected at complete random), such as the page devoted to "S" or to the Sotho:

"S/When a Sotho (soo'-too) girl marries; she does not carry a bouquet of flowers. She holds a magic beaded doll. The doll has no arms or legs, but it does have earrings. Its body is a bright beaded cone. It is Sotho custom for the bride to name the doll. Later, when she has her first baby, she gives this same name to her child"

Nice facts about each group are delightfully presented in a manner that the young can well understand, yet gives both the young reader and the adult fascinating information.

The author has done an extensive amount of research (many years of work has gone into this one) and the two artists have furthered and enhanced that research in so many ways.

As to the art work: This is truly as valuable, and in many ways more so, than the text. Each picture has been done in watercolors, acrylics and pastels. The artists have tried in each case to represent male, female and child in their traditional dress. The work here is extremely detailed and authentic. Clothing, jewelry, and décor have all been addressed in loving detail. The settings of each plate include village s life, local flora and wildlife in addition to tools and household items. Leo and Diane Dillon are two of the best in the business and with this offering they have outdone even themselves.

Note: The author has assured us that in spite of the modern technology that is changing he direction of African life, that the old ways linger and that the traditions of the passed are being passed down and are being respected and practiced. It is my own feelings that the author is being overly optimistic in this area and has underestimated the lure of "progress." I fear that other than museums, old photographs and works such as this, we will soon not see the like as we are shown here. This work was published in 1976 and in the short span of only 30 or so years already so much has been lost that will never be recovered; forgotten and will never be seen again.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

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Customer Reviews

gorgeous! - Mimi -
The text is informative and succinct. But it's the illustrations that "make" this book. They are gorgeous and somewhat haunting.



A primer for kids... or adults! A real gem! A keeper! - Louis Brendan Curran - Baltimore MD USA
This book is as beautifully illustrated by Diane & Leo Dillon as it is well written by Margaret Musgrove, and the Caldecott Award committee only did what it had to: acknowledge a hands-down winner, a book for the ages. Westerners particularly will find their eyes opened, even today, to the range and depth of Africa - a great and beautiful aid in helping children appreciate - and adults to remember - the array of cultural diversity in a poorly understood continent. The alphabet is presented in order, of course, but this is way more than your rote A-B-C primer... get it in hardcover if you can, or paperback if you can't, but get it! Gift-shoppers, get extra copies for yourselves - you'll be very glad you did!!



Ashanti to Zulu - buddha76 - Columbia, MD USA
My brother & I received this book when we were children in 1980 from our parents. It's one of my favorite childhood books & I still have the same copy. It's a great way to introduce African culture to not only African American children, but all children who yearn to learn about other cultures.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Jul 03, 2010 19:20:05