Mark Mannucci

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters is an African folktale picture book that tells the tale of two sisters in line to become Queen. While Nyasha is sweet and kind, Manyara is selfish and cruel. One day, it was announced that the king is seeking a wife. The tale goes on to show that although Manyara set out first to win the hand of the King, her character showed that she was not prepared for the obstacles that awaited her on her quest. Nyasha handles them with kindness and grace which leads her to winning the heart of the king. This book incorporates both reading and writing elements such as conflict/resolution, character development, organization, descriptive word choice and theme. This book also shares the perspective of a different culture. The beautiful drawings express emotions and the competing dynamics of the characters.… (mehr)

The cover of this book is beautiful. I did not expect to enjoy this book, however I love it. The book is about a South African folktale. There are two main characters in the book named Manyara and Nyasha. The two characters are sisters. In the story you can sense Manyara is jealous of her sister, but Nyasha doesn’t understand why. When a messenger arrives announcing the Great King is in search of a wife Manyara is determined to be courted. Manyara journeys off to the city late at night to be the first to get to the king before her sister, however the story take a turn in events. The story portrays to readers to be kind and not selfish or mean to others. After Manyara’s journey she does not become queen. Nyasha becomes queen because she took the same journey to the kingdom as her sister, but she was not mean and selfish. The story tells such a deeper meaning than a simple folktale.

I love the illustrations. The medium of the illustrations looks like oil paint. The illustrations just look so different from the other books I reviewed. The illustrations flow well with enhancing the text. The illustrations also welcome readers with their vibrant colors and beautiful designs. I would like to see more of John Steptoe’s illustrations.… (mehr)