The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales - Hardcover

Hamilton, Virginia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0375804714 ISBN 13: 9780375804717

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2000

Synopsis

Newbery Medalist Virginia Hamilton tells 24 stories that kept her ancestors' culture alive during slavery, from spirited animal trickster tales and robust tall tales to spine-chilling tales of the supernatural and moving narratives of slaves in search of freedom. Twelve of these tales are on the 78-minute CD, including the hauntingly beautiful title story, "The People Could Fly." Booklist praised the recording as "an outstanding and most welcome production that both complements and extends the original work."

About this title

Review:

Virginia Hamilton, Newbery Medal winner and recipient of the National Book Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Award, teams up with two-time Caldecott Medal winners, Leo and Diane Dillon, in this classic collection of American black folktales, winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. By turns droll, grisly, and spine-tingling, the 24 stories celebrate the indomitable human spirit, surviving under the most crushing circumstances of slavery. Traditionally, storytelling has helped people to push through sorrow and pain, especially when the stories are saturated with magic, mysticism, and fantasy. Bruh Rabbit, He Lion, Tar Baby, and other animals populate many of the stories. In others, John, the traditional trickster hero, outwits the slave owner time after time to win his freedom.

Included with this very special edition is a CD featuring the commanding voices of Hamilton and actor James Earl Jones. Eleven selections, including "The Peculiar Such Thing," "John and the Devil's Daughter," "A Wolf and Little Daughter," and "The People Could Fly," bring to life the rhythm and lyrical energy of Hamilton's text. Leo and Diane Dillon's strikingly beautiful black and white illustrations continue to mesmerize and haunt the reader. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter

From the Back Cover:

"A highly significant collection"

--The Horn Book Magazine, Starred

About this edition

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0375804714
• ISBN 13: 9780375804717
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192
• Illustrator: Dillon Leo, Dillon Ph.D. Diane