"Coretta Scott" by Ntozake Shange, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Image Courtesy of: http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/33250000/33257055.JPG

Bibliographic Citation

Title: Coretta Scott

Author: Ntozake Shange

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson

Year of Publication: 2009

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Amistad

ISBN: 9780061253652

Author Website: http://www.ntozakeshange.org/home.html

Illustrator Website: http://www.kadirnelson.com/

Media Used for Artwork: Oil paint

2009 Students’ List

Awards

·         School Library Journal Starred Review

·         Booklist Starred Review

·         Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Annotation

A biography picture book about Coretta Scott told through poetry.  But this story also tells the story of the Civil Rights Movement in which she was involved along with her husband Martin Luther King, Jr.

Personal Reaction

                A poem is used to convey part of Coretta Scott King’s life.  It is a unique way to tell a biography because facts can not be conveyed.  It is the emotions that Scott felt during her life that are felt.  Besides Scott’s life this picture book also conveys part of the Civil Rights Movement, such as the March on Washington.

                Nelson’s oil paintings are very detailed and add visuals to the poem by Shange.  This can aid readers in understanding what is being conveyed in the stanzas.  The detail in the eyes of characters makes it almost seem like a reader is looking at a picture.  There is a moment where Scott and her siblings are left by the white school bus and the reader can see the tears from the illustration.

                During Black History month, this book would be good as an introduction to the Civil Rights Movement.  Readers can understand the emotions that were behind people’s action in that time.  Then from there historical facts can be added for education.

Use of a Simile: Comparing the moon in a creative way beings the poem.

“some southern mornings

the moon

sits like an orange

sliver by the treetops”

Use of Repetition: In the illustrations repetition is seen a few times.  For example, the moon rising over blackened foliage is seen as are profiles of Scott and King where they were singing and praying.