 | |
| Author | John Steptoe |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | John Steptoe |
| Country | United States |
| Genre | Picture Book, Folktale |
| Publisher | Scholastic (1989) |
Publication date | 1987 |
| Awards | Caldecott Honor Book |
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters is a children's picture book published in 1987 by John Steptoe. The book won many awards for Steptoe's illustrations, and went on to be adapted into many different children's literature curricula. In the late 1980s, Weston Woods made a version of the book, narrated by Terry Alexander.
Mufaro is a villager who lives with his two daughters, Nyasha and Manyara. The two sisters are opposites in many ways, as Nyasha is seen favorably by the villagers for her kindness while Manyara is bad tempered and bullies her sister whenever their father's back is turned. When they learn of the Great King's request for his citizens to send him any women they see as worthy of becoming his wife, their father chooses to send both of his daughters. Manyara goes first and along the way meets a hungry child, but refuses to offer him any food. She also comes across an old woman offering advice on how to progress past a grove of laughing trees and a man with his head tucked under his arm, but does not listen to them and hurries to the royal city. Conversely, when Nyasha leaves on her trek she chooses to feed the young boy and listens to the old woman. When she and her father arrive in the city they are met by her frightened sister. Manyara begs them not to go into the king's chambers, as there is a giant monster in there that recited her bad deeds and threatened to devour her, and Manyara is frightened that it will harm her sister. However, when Nyasha enters the chambers she is met by a harmless garden snake named Nyoka she had met while gardening earlier. He reveals himself as the king and states that he had shapeshifted during the journey in order to test the sisters' personalities and kindness. He chooses to marry Nyasha due to her kindness and beauty, making her the queen, while Manyara becomes Nyasha's servant.
Steptoe derived his inspiration from the folktale, Kaffir Folk-lore , published by author G.M. Theal in 1895. Steptoe's illustrations reflect his time in studying an ancient city in Zimbabwe; the images of flowers and trees are exact replicas of the ones that lived during the reign of this unknown ancient city. [1]
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters was well received by critics, who celebrated it for having what they described as both positive messages and beautiful illustrations. [5] It has been used in children's education in lesson plans about the need for generosity, [6] black representation in children's books, [7] and to serve as an example of descriptive people and settings. [8] Additionally, it was used in a study of children's literacy. [9] Lastly, due to its representation of minority culture and simple diction, it also is seen in many different curricula for teaching English as a second language. [10]
Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon were American illustrators of children's books and adult paperback book and magazine covers. One obituary of Leo called the work of the husband-and-wife team "a seamless amalgam of both their hands". In more than 50 years, they created more than 100 speculative fiction book and magazine covers together as well as much interior artwork. Essentially all of their work in that field was joint.
Carole Boston Weatherford is an American author and critic, now living in North Carolina, United States. She is the winner of the 2022 Coretta Scott King Award for Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre. She writes children's literature and some historical books, as well as poetry and commentaries. Weatherford is best known for her controversial criticism of Pokémon character Jynx and Dragon Ball character Mr. Popo. Today, she often writes with her son, Jeffery Boston Weatherford, who is an illustrator and poet.
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Nikki Grimes is an American author of books written for children and young adults, as well as a poet and journalist.
John Steptoe was an author and illustrator for children’s books dealing with aspects of the African-American experience. He is best known for Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, which was acknowledged by literary critics as a breakthrough in African history and culture.
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Effie Lee Morris was an African American children's librarian, educator, and activist, best known for her pioneering public library services for minorities and the visually-impaired. Morris developed Cleveland Public Library's first Negro History Week and was New York Public Library's first children's specialist for visually-impaired patrons. She was the first coordinator of children's services at San Francisco Public Library, where she was also the first African American to hold an administrative position.
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The Talking Eggs: A Folktale from the American South is a 1989 children's picture book by Robert D. San Souci and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. It is an adaption of a Creole folktale about a young girl who is mistreated by her mother and older sister, meets an old woman in the woods, and receives some eggs that contains treasures.
Javaka Steptoe is an American author and illustrator. He won the 2017 Caldecott Medal as well as the Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, and the Coretta Scott King Book Award from the American Library Association for his picture book Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
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Thank You, Omu! is a 2018 picture book written and illustrated by Oge Mora. The story is about Omu, who cooks a stew and shares it with her neighbors; they show their gratitude by bringing her food. The book started as an assignment for a class of Mora's at the Rhode Island School of Design, where it was seen by an editor from Little, Brown. Thank You, Omu was well reviewed and a recipient of the 2019 Caldecott Honor for its illustrations. The book's mixed media drew praise for their detailed depictions of characters and locations.
Alicia Diane Williams is an American author and teacher. Her debut novel, Genesis Begins Again, published in 2019, received wide praise by several publications, won a Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King- John Steptoe Award for New Talent, and finalists to the William C. Morris Award and Kirkus Prize for Young Readers Literature.
Oge Mora is a children's book illustrator and author living in Providence, Rhode Island. She received a Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for New Talent, and Ezra Jack Keats Book Award in 2019 for her book, Thank You, Omu!.