Ostrich and lark

On a recent visit to Botswana, award-winning poet Nelson met the San artists, whose ancestors, the first peoples of southern Africa, created rock paintings that date back thousands of years. Here six contemporary San artists illustrate Nelson's original story with bright oil paint and collage images that show birds Ostrich and Lark in a hot country where all day the sun glared out of cloudless blue. Lark sings and Canary, Hornbill, and Mousebird, the fancy-dressed suitors of the veld, warble their rain-shower jazz. Silent Ostrich, though, is a large, quiet presence in every double-page spread, where he is shown dreaming of flying and singing. At last, Ostrich finds his voice as a rainstorm ends a drought a dusty monster of thirst. Caught by the glowing art, children will want to explore the issues discussed in an introductory note about how the first hunter-gatherer peoples have been displaced by the farms and fences that have taken over their land and water.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2010 Booklist

The bold, thickly stroked paintings of Kalahari Desert birds and trees that illustrate Nelson's story were created by members of the indigenous !Kung San, for whom, Nelson explains, making and selling art represents a way both to continue their traditions and to subsist. The story contrasts noisy Lark, who sings "the first song of the day, perched tall, slender, and tawny brown on a termite castle or a low branch of a camel thorn tree," and who goes on singing all day long, with silent Ostrich. Ostrich never sings--that is, until one night he booms, "Twoo-woo-wooot!" in a burst of self-declaration. The paintings don't directly reflect the emotions expressed in the story; they're static images with a notably fine sense of balance and composition, some as intricate as Persian rugs. Nelson's (Snook Alone) lyrical writing gives a vivid sense of life in the desert: "[O]ver the cicada's drone, a drizzle of buzzings fell, and a downpour of birdsong." A valuable starting point for classroom discussions about Africa, ecosystems, and finding one's voice. Ages 4-8. Agent: Regina Brooks, Serendipity Literary Agency. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

PreS-Gr 3-Ostrich and Lark go for a walk every morning. Ostrich listens to Lark and the other birds sing, but stays silent himself. Then one night he dreams of singing, of flying, and of spring. The next day, as evening falls, he finally finds his own voice. Nelson's language is lyrical and has the rhythm of an old folktale. The illustrations are done by six artists from Botswana. Each picture is signed, making it possible to compare and contrast their work. They all use a similar palette of bright oranges, reds, blues, and greens and all use bold, simple lines and shapes to create the animals and scenery. The images have a vitality and charm that reinforce the traditional feel of the text. Borders and backgrounds further unify the book's appearance. An opening note tells about the artists and mentions that proceeds from the book go to aid the native peoples of Southern Africa. This book is simpler than Baba Diakite's Mee-An and the Magic Serpent (Groundwood, 2007), but both books could be used in the curriculum as appealing examples of current African art and culture.-Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

When does an ostrich come into his own? Ostrich and Lark, two bosom buddies, travel through the Kalahari Desert, interacting with the birds, insects and animals of the southern African veld. Each one makes its individual sound, together singing "their rain-shower jazz." That is, everyone except Ostrich. But as the minimal story ends, Ostrich finally booms out a "TWOO-WOO-WOOOT." It is a sound "part lion's roar, / part foghorn, / part old man trumpeting into his handkerchief." The language is spare, like the land it describes. It has the flavor of folklore, but this is an original story that Nelson has created to complement the paintings made by !Kung San people participating in the Kuru Art Project of Botswana. The San people were traditional hunter-gatherers, but development has forced them into the modern economy. The author's royalties will go to the Project, part of an income-generating group of programs. The cause is worthy, and the vibrantly colored, naive oil paintings, bordered uniformly with a broad stripe with a zigzag line in a contrasting hue, are bold and attractive. The message is clear: Ostrich finds "his voice at last, / his own beauty, / his big, terrific self." However, there is no precipitating reason for this change. Does his voice come to him as a matter of maturity? While the story is not fully satisfying, the book deserves an audience for its successful portrayal of the natural world of the Kalahari. Eye-catching and lyrical. (Picture book. 4-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

On a recent visit to Botswana, award-winning poet Nelson met the San artists, whose ancestors, the first peoples of southern Africa, created rock paintings that date back thousands of years. Here six contemporary San artists illustrate Nelson's original story with bright oil paint and collage images that show birds Ostrich and Lark in a hot country where "all day the sun glared out of cloudless blue." Lark sings and Canary, Hornbill, and Mousebird, "the fancy-dressed suitors of the veld," warble their "rain-shower jazz." Silent Ostrich, though, is a large, quiet presence in every double-page spread, where he is shown dreaming of flying and singing. At last, Ostrich finds his voice as a rainstorm ends a drought—a "dusty monster of thirst." Caught by the glowing art, children will want to explore the issues discussed in an introductory note about how the first hunter-gatherer peoples have been displaced by the farms and fences that have taken over their land and water. Copyright 2012 Booklist Reviews.

The bold, thickly stroked paintings of Kalahari Desert birds and trees that illustrate Nelson's story were created by members of the indigenous !Kung San, for whom, Nelson explains, making and selling art represents a way both to continue their traditions and to subsist. The story contrasts noisy Lark, who sings "the first song of the day, perched tall, slender, and tawny brown on a termite castle or a low branch of a camel thorn tree," and who goes on singing all day long, with silent Ostrich. Ostrich never sings—that is, ?until one night he booms, "Twoo-woo-wooot!" in a burst of self-declaration. The paintings don't directly reflect the emotions expressed in the story; they're static images with a notably fine sense of balance and composition, some as intricate as Persian rugs. Nelson's (Snook Alone) lyrical writing gives a vivid sense of life in the desert: "ver the cicada's drone, a drizzle of buzzings fell, and a downpour of birdsong." A valuable starting point for classroom discussions about Africa, ecosystems, and finding one's voice. Ages 4–8. Agent: Regina Brooks, Serendipity Literary Agency. (Sept.)

PreS-Gr 3—Ostrich and Lark go for a walk every morning. Ostrich listens to Lark and the other birds sing, but stays silent himself. Then one night he dreams of singing, of flying, and of spring. The next day, as evening falls, he finally finds his own voice. Nelson's language is lyrical and has the rhythm of an old folktale. The illustrations are done by six artists from Botswana. Each picture is signed, making it possible to compare and contrast their work. They all use a similar palette of bright oranges, reds, blues, and greens and all use bold, simple lines and shapes to create the animals and scenery. The images have a vitality and charm that reinforce the traditional feel of the text. Borders and backgrounds further unify the book's appearance. An opening note tells about the artists and mentions that proceeds from the book go to aid the native peoples of Southern Africa. This book is simpler than Baba Diakité's Mee-An and the Magic Serpent (Groundwood, 2007), but both books could be used in the curriculum as appealing examples of current African art and culture.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT