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68th out of 76 books
—
226 voters
Shadow
Shadow lives in the forest... It goes forth at night
to prowl around the fires.
It even likes to mingle
with the dancers...
Shadow...
It waves with the grasses,
curls up at the foot of trees...
But in the African experience Shadow is much more. The village storytellers and shamans of an Africa that is passing into memory called forth for the poet Blaise Cendrars an eerie image, s...more
to prowl around the fires.
It even likes to mingle
with the dancers...
Shadow...
It waves with the grasses,
curls up at the foot of trees...
But in the African experience Shadow is much more. The village storytellers and shamans of an Africa that is passing into memory called forth for the poet Blaise Cendrars an eerie image, s...more
Paperback, 40 pages
Published
November 1st 1995
by Aladdin
(first published 1982)
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This is a story written in poem form about the shadow. I found it interesting that author Marcia Brown put in a poem before the story even starts. She titles this poem "What is Shadow?" The book then goes on to tell about the African experience with Shadow and the life the shadow lives. Shadow is blind, shadow has no voice, but all the same shadow is always present. According to African legend the shadow is a spirit. This story tells of the shadow in the morning, in the evening, and when night f...more
Shadow, by Marcia Brown was one of the most lyrical, metaphorical, and visually picture books I have ever read. The cover is a beautiful wrap around image of a sunset changing from purple-blue to a yellow orange. There are black figure statues, people, and tree shadows placed over the bright sunset. This contrast ads a serious element of drama to the cover illustration. The images both on the cover and inside the book radiate a very African cultural feel. This book had an introductory poem just...more
Genre: Fictional picture book
Reading Level: late transitional ages5-9
Topics and Themes: This book translates an African story into English. It is about a 'Shadow' that comes out whenever a story is about to be told.
Curricular Use: This is an excellent book if you are trying to use multicultural books in the classroom. It is based on an African tale and both the poem and the illustrations go along with that theme. Even translated into English, the children will be able to get a good sense of an...more
Reading Level: late transitional ages5-9
Topics and Themes: This book translates an African story into English. It is about a 'Shadow' that comes out whenever a story is about to be told.
Curricular Use: This is an excellent book if you are trying to use multicultural books in the classroom. It is based on an African tale and both the poem and the illustrations go along with that theme. Even translated into English, the children will be able to get a good sense of an...more
Author: Blaise Cendrars
Illustrator: Marcia Brown
Genre: children's poetry, picture book
Publication Info: Simon & Shuster (1982)
Reading Level: Ages 5-8, late transitional
Topic/Theme: African American heritage; story of the shadow
Issues Addressed: African American culture, ghosts of the past
Social Issues: the story of the Shadow from an African American folk tale
Classroom Uses: read aloud
Summary: This book tells the story of the Shadow, which is from African American folklore. The poetry in th...more
Illustrator: Marcia Brown
Genre: children's poetry, picture book
Publication Info: Simon & Shuster (1982)
Reading Level: Ages 5-8, late transitional
Topic/Theme: African American heritage; story of the shadow
Issues Addressed: African American culture, ghosts of the past
Social Issues: the story of the Shadow from an African American folk tale
Classroom Uses: read aloud
Summary: This book tells the story of the Shadow, which is from African American folklore. The poetry in th...more
I can imagine this book being read to a young Neil Gaiman, and if this book is not on the shelves in his house somewhere, I would be quite surprised.
Shadow is an illustrated poem (non-rhyming) that talks about the life of shadows. How they come and go with the light, how they grow heavy and thick at night, how even birds cannot fly so high to escape them, etc. It is soft and enchanting and the illustrations are evocative and sometimes eery.
"The zebra's shadow has no stripes." This one line in th...more
Shadow is an illustrated poem (non-rhyming) that talks about the life of shadows. How they come and go with the light, how they grow heavy and thick at night, how even birds cannot fly so high to escape them, etc. It is soft and enchanting and the illustrations are evocative and sometimes eery.
"The zebra's shadow has no stripes." This one line in th...more
This book is an ongoing personification. Shadows are personified and described in abstract terms for the entirety of the story. It had a very unique design and idea, and I would use this book in a classroom to help students understand personifcation, or to introduce a writing activity utilizing creative ideas like the ones seen in the story.
This book had very unique images and dynamic shapes. The color black was used to fill the primary images on each page, and a few bright colors and simple ima...more
This book had very unique images and dynamic shapes. The color black was used to fill the primary images on each page, and a few bright colors and simple ima...more
There's a rare eeriness to this story that most picture books don't have the depth of sensibility to elicit, and it works really well here. Of all Marcia Brown's three Caldecott Medal-winning books, it seems to me that the paintings she has created to grace this one are far and away her greatest. She really brings to life the haunted, visceral world of Shadow, taking care to shade just the right nuances to bring out the story's natural, smooth scariness.
The "Shadow" can be interpreted to be ma...more
The "Shadow" can be interpreted to be ma...more
Shadow is a wonderful, musical tale or poem about what a shadow is. The text of the book is well-written and reads smoothly and flowingly. It describes wonderfully and creatively what a shadow is and how a shadow exists. The book highlights the mysterious nature of the shadow, which is something I think readers and students of all ages can relate to and connect with. The pictures of this book are beautiful. Bold and vibrant colors are used in the background and the pictures themselves are made u...more
Shadow is a tale explaining what shadows really are. The tale talks as if shadows are real, living things. The pictures in this book are amazing. The background of the pages are bright colors, mostly the colors of a sunset or sunrise. Each page has black figures that prominently stick out due to the hard bold lines.
I found the book to be extremely clever in the explanations of the different aspects of shadows. I also found it a little creepy. It seemed as though you could find shadow faces watc...more
I found the book to be extremely clever in the explanations of the different aspects of shadows. I also found it a little creepy. It seemed as though you could find shadow faces watc...more
Shadow is a picture book with a very traditional African oral story feel. Although, Brown wrote the story, she was inspired from a visit to Africa and wrote a book that seems to capture the mystique in Africa. Brown uses black figures that are very one-dimensional. The black figures appear cutout, but they are put against colorful backdrops. For instance, the colors of the sky in Shadow range from dark purple, orange, yellow, light blue and dark-blue. When the black figures are put against such...more
“Shadow” is a Caldecott Medal award winning book by Marcia Brown and it is about what shadows do around people and what they do when they are not looking. “Shadow” may be a bit scary for smaller children, but it is truly a mesmerizing book that children would enjoy for many years.
Marcia Brown has wonderfully given a vivid description of what shadows do and what they are like and put the description of shadows in a poetic format and Marcia Brown does a great job at making shadows seem so mysterio...more
Marcia Brown has wonderfully given a vivid description of what shadows do and what they are like and put the description of shadows in a poetic format and Marcia Brown does a great job at making shadows seem so mysterio...more
Tags: Caldecott, African, multicultural, personification, shadow, night, haunting, standard source,
Shadow is silent and blind without the fire, the night and the storyteller. Shadow follows us all around day and night, yet has no voice, no hunger and no needs. African beliefs and portrayed with images of shadows on every page. Illustrations appear to be watercolors and reflections and shadows are prevelant. Excellent use of contrast in the black shadows and bright colors of other scenery. Story...more
Shadow is silent and blind without the fire, the night and the storyteller. Shadow follows us all around day and night, yet has no voice, no hunger and no needs. African beliefs and portrayed with images of shadows on every page. Illustrations appear to be watercolors and reflections and shadows are prevelant. Excellent use of contrast in the black shadows and bright colors of other scenery. Story...more
I love reading traditional folktales and I had never heard of this story before. I read it alone at night and I have to admit I got a little jumpy after finishing it. But the whole time I was reading it, I was blown away by the feelings that this book caused while reading it. So many times we read books just to get meaning from the words but rarely does a book evoke emotion in the reader. I was fascinated by the authenticity of this story and it felt as though I was reading a story that had been...more
While I understand that this book uses African artwork, its illustrations bore me. If I was a younger age, they would also scare me. This book comes from a dark side using completely black figures except for white eyes as humans, and the shadows are very creepy. On one of the pages there shows a ghost like figure lurking through the night and on another there are dead animals. From a literacy point of view, I understand this book and it goes well with the text but it should not be a children’s p...more
Shadow translated by Marcia Brown was a great metaphorical book about what a shadow is. In a child's eye this could be believable, so I would stay clear of children who may be frightened easily, because it kind of gave me the creeps. The idea of a shadow being personified was very creative and cool to think about if it were true. I never thought of a shadow being its own person, but maybe I will more often. All in all I thought that the pictures and story was a great combination to make a intrig...more
This is a really interesting story that personifies and explains shadows. It is based on African supersticions and myth, attempting to explain the existence of shadows. It is beautifully written, "Neither the eagle nor the vulture can raise it. In vain they try to soar into the air. Their shadow flops this way and that, like a clumsy bat." The book is also beautifully illustrated evoking the sense of wonder and curiosity that one seeking meaning/explanation from something evasive as a shadow mig...more
Mar 05, 2008
Bobby
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
reviewed,
all-time-favorites
Though this book is classified as a children's book, I only recommend it for older kids and certainly adults. I can see younger children not fully appreciating it and/or being scared by it. Having said that, it's an amazing book. Based on a French poem by Blaise Cendrars, this translation by Marcia Brown makes for some very thought provoking poetry with an underlying darkness (no pun intended) to its theme of the Shadow. For me, it clearly had undertones of Jungian psychology and I think it can...more
Shadow is an unique book with descriptive and unusual words. It is written in a story teller voice and is not like usual children books. It is a story from Africa about the shadows around us. It brings history of what shadows are and are given human characteristics. The illustrations are amazing and the relationship between the text keeps the reader attentive. The text makes the reader focus because it is almost trying to understand a different language. It is worthy of its caldecott medal.
Shadow translated and illustrated by Marcia Brown is an interesting read. It is all about a shadow and this shadow is giving human-like qualities such as, the shadow liking to mingle and dance and it listens but doesn't speak. It's kind of frightening because of how the shadow is portrayed in the illustrations and how it seems to be so mysterious and dark, but then that kind of goes with what a shadow really is. A shadow is always there. In front of you or behind, to the side, or at an angle. Yo...more
Summary: Shadow is its own being that never speaks, eats, or hungers. It is all around, is the mother of squirmy, crawly things, and falls down and sprawls its full length on the ground. It can't see and nobody can fight it.
Evaluation: I thought this book didn't really have a point or a plot. It was okay and had really cool art, but I just didn't like it that much. I did like how the background was like smeared paint with cut out people and shapes.
Evaluation: I thought this book didn't really have a point or a plot. It was okay and had really cool art, but I just didn't like it that much. I did like how the background was like smeared paint with cut out people and shapes.
Sep 17, 2012
Kelly
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Shelves:
1982,
multicultural,
scary,
caldecott-winner,
mature,
night,
library-materials-for-children-645
Translated and illustrated by Marcia Brown using collage, paper, woodcuts, and acrylics. Winner of the 1983 Caldecott Medal. This is a book that is definitely worthy of an award for its illustrations even though I wouldn't say that I liked it. For a picture book especially, I found it kind of scary, a little haunting, and quite dark and strange. The best word to describe it might be "unusual." It is indeed interesting and captivating though.
Shadow is about all the different forms the shadow can take. It is also about how people and animals sometimes fear their shadows and try to escape them, but that there is nothing to fear from shadows. I really like the colorful pictures used in the book. When I saw the title was Shadow I did not expect much color so I was pleasantly surprised to see all the amazing color and images used in the book to describe the different aspects of the shadow.
The picture book Shadow translated and illustrated by Marcia Brown is from the French of Blaise Cendars. The story is about how we see a shadow. It never speaks. We see it in the daylight or by fire light but we never see it at night. The story takes place in Africa. The illustrations are done in color and the people and animals are in silhouette all black. I liked this story very much. I think it would be good for 1st to 3rd grades
I love the texture and depth of these collage illustrations. The paintings look like it was applied with a sponge.
The poetic text though feels inaccessible for young audience even for a lesson on personification. I've heard a few storytellers from various African griot traditions, and I wonder if they could give the text a sense of gravitas and creep factor to match the illustrations. How scary would this be as a bedtime story!
The poetic text though feels inaccessible for young audience even for a lesson on personification. I've heard a few storytellers from various African griot traditions, and I wonder if they could give the text a sense of gravitas and creep factor to match the illustrations. How scary would this be as a bedtime story!
1983 Award winner. Storytelling around the fire in African villages is the backdrop to this story. Images are mixed media earth tones: looks like silkscreen, torn paper, acrylic, and stamping. Shadow gives a spooky explanation to shadows, even though Shadow doesn't have a voice, it likes to play tricks on you and, "it sticks to your footprints." Rec for grades 1-3. Good for reading about other cultures and storytelling.
Sep 15, 2009
Dolly
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
parents reading with their children
Based on a French poem by Blaise Cendrars, this translation is both haunting, eerie and fascinating. The poem is stark and sometimes a bit scary, as are the illustrations, which are based on African folklore and art. Our girls liked it, in fact, they asked me to read it, even after looking at the pictures, but I would recommend this for older children and aduluts.
Brown's collage illustrations are very compelling, and the various ways she evokes the Shadow is also very imaginative. There is a genuine sense of the spirit world of African animists that presses the sense of this darkness too close. This is a chilling and spooky telling too, so caution is in order when using this book with young children.
Marcia Browns' exciting and lively illustrations evoke the atmosphere and spirit of Africa in vivid color and detail. The text, a poem by Blaise Cendrars and translated from French, is extremely sophisticated and bewildering. Perhaps too complex for children to comprehend, it is nevertheless a splendid work.
Nov 03, 2012
Nicole
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
caldecott-award-winners
Based on the poetry of Blaise Cendrars, a French poet who's traveled to Africa, inspired writer/illustrator Marcia Brown to create this wonderful mystical story book about Shadow. A tale of a shadow and reflection of living things and what it means to the African storytellers and shamans.
This book is written in a poem like form. It is good book to integrate science and literature. The book discusses what a shadow is, what it does, where it goes and many other mysteries of shadows. After reading the book the class may practice making their own shadows.
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Frédéric Louis Sauser, better known as Blaise Cendrars, was a Swiss novelist and poet naturalized French in 1916. He was a writer of considerable influence in the modernist movement.
More about Blaise Cendrars...
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