Children's Literature Reviews
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Shadow
translated and illustrated by Marcia Brown from the French of Blaise Cendrars.
Contributor biographical information
Publisher description
New York : Scribner's, c1982.
[40] p. : col. ill. ; 29 cm.

Annotations:

Translation of: La Féticheuse.
Free verse evocation of the eerie, shifting images of Shadow which represents the beliefs and ghosts of the past and is brought to life wherever there is light, fire, and a storyteller.

Best Books:

Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Children's Catalog, Nineteenth Edition, 2006 ; H.W. Wilson; United States

Awards, Honors, Prizes:

Randolph Caldecott Medal, 1983 Winner United States

State and Provincial Reading Lists:

Kentucky Bluegrass Award, 1984 ; Nominee; Kentucky

Reading Measurement Programs:


Reading Counts-Scholastic
Interest Level K-2
Reading Level 4
Title Point Value 2
Lexile Measure 550

Reviews:

Brenda Randolph (Africa Access Review)
Shadow has no specific setting. Apparently, the book is meant to convey a sweeping view of Africa. Tangled forests, mountains, baobab trees, and large game animals suggest various climatic and vegetational zones. The visual messages this picture book sends are negative. Brown's illustrations evoke eerie and menacing images of Africa. Scary masks, waiting vultures, spear-carrying warriors, spooky spirits, and creepy crawlers are encountered in rapid succession. The "dark continent" theme is repeated on every page. Children learn virtually nothing about everyday life in Africa. Africans are depicted either dancing, hunting, standing around or going to war. It is difficult to understand why the Caldecott committee chose to honor this book with a medal. Rating: N -- Not Recommended. 1982, Scribner's Sons, Unpaged, $12.95, $3.95. Ages 4 to 8.

Subjects:

French poetry.
Shadows--Poetry.
Africa--Poetry.
LanguageCall NumberLCCNDewey DecimalISBN/ISSN
English (eng) PQ2605.E55 F4713 1982
81009424 841/.912
0684172267 : $12.95
9780684172262
View the WorldCat Record for this item.