The first book by Ashley Bryan that I can remember picking up is Sing to the Sun: Poems and Pictures (HarperCollins, 1992). I was immediately attracted to the bold, colorful artwork. The positive images with their playfulness — and lots of yellow — stay with me to this day.
In this Original Author Program movie we created recently, Ashley Bryan speaks to the role of color:
Color is always an important part of anyone’s life. That’s what the sun means, opening up the glow of the world in different color.
I love how Ashley’s books do exactly that for me: open up the color in my life; help me feel the sun again; allow me to glow in the warmth of creativity and art.
Ashley’s ability to combine a love for African American people and culture with his colorful artwork makes me want to soak up his books every chance I get.
What’s your favorite aspect of the Ashley Bryan Original Author Program? What’s your favorite Ashley Bryan book?
Posted by Carin Bringelson, MLS, Information Manager
For a list of Ashley Bryan’s books, see:
http://www.teachingbooks.net/biblio.cgi?aid=373
One of Ashley Bryan’s newest books, entitled Words to my Life’s Song (Simon & Schuster, 2009) also has a sun motif on the cover and speaks directly to Ashley’s love of color.