Book

Beautiful Blackbird

Name: Beautiful Blackbird
ISBN: 9780689847318

Hardcover – Picture Book, January 1, 2003

Ashley Bryan

Atheneum Books for Young Readers · Hardcover · January 1, 2003

Reading lane: US: African American Stories

Bird Stories African American Life (U.S.)US: African American Stories black

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At a Glance

Why This Clicks

Beauty Within

An Ila-speaking Zambian tale pairs a clear message about heritage with vivid bird imagery.

Come here for

A picture-book take on appreciating heritage
The bright contrast of colorful feathers and black markings

Expect

A direct, accessible telling
A gentle reminder that beauty comes from within

Book Details

Authors: Ashley Bryan
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published: January 1, 2003
Format: Hardcover
Theme: US: African American Stories · Bird Stories
Reading lane: US: African American Stories

Affinity

Publisher Categories

Bird Stories
US: African American Stories
Fairy Tales & Folklore

About This Book

Read full description

A tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia gets new life in this picture book adaptation from Coretta Scott King Award winner Ashley Bryan about appreciating one’s heritage and discovering the beauty within. Black is beautiful, uh-huh! Long ago, Blackbird was voted the most beautiful bird in the forest. The other birds, who were colored red, yellow, blue, and green, were so envious that they begged Blackbird to paint their feathers with a touch of black so they could be beautiful too. Although Black-bird warns them that true beauty comes from within, the other birds persist and soon each is given a ring of black around their neck or a dot of black on their wings—markings that detail birds to this very day.