Ashley Bryan [hc]
Words to My Life's Song
By Ashley Bryan
Ashley's autobiography is full of art, photographs, and the poignant never-say-never tale of his rich life, a life that has always included drawing and painting. Even as a boy growing up during the Depression, he painted- finding cast off objects to turn into books and kites and toy and art. Even as a solder in the segregated Army on the beaches of Normandy, he sketched- keeping charcoal crayons and paper in his gas mask to draw with during lulls. Even as a talented, visionary art student who was accepted and then turned away from college upon arrival, the school telling Ashley that to give a scholarship to an African American student would be a waste, he painted- continuing to create art when he could have been discouraged, continuing to polish his talents when his spirit should have been beaten.
Ashley went on to become a Hans Christian Anderson Award nominee, a May Hill Arbuthnot lecturer, and a multiple Coretta Scott King award winner. As you might imagine, his story is powerful, bursting with his creative energy, and a testament to believing in oneself. It's a book every child in America should have access to and it does what the very best autobiographies do; it inspires! 64 pages
"The man's humility, his deep appreciation of natural beauty, his fascination with other cultures, his love of folk literature, his openness to all forms of artistic expression, and his delight in learning and in passing on his craft to others form the essence of this inviting presentation." -School Library Journal, Starred Review (Grades 4-Up)
"In rich collages of words and pictures, this highly visual autobiography introduces artist Ashley Bryan's life and his vision of the world around him." -Booklist, Starred Review (Grades 3-7)
January 6, 2009
AR Level=6.2; Lexile Level=970
