Ellington Was Not a Street [Hardcover]

Ntozake Shange (Author), Kadir Nelson (Illustrator)

Book Description

In a reflective tribute to the African-American community of old, noted poet Ntozake Shange recalls her childhood home and the close-knit group of innovators that often gathered there. These men of vision, brought to life in the majestic paintings of artist Kadir Nelson, lived at a time when the color of their skin dictated where they could live, what schools they could attend, and even where they could sit on a bus or in a movie theater.

Yet in the face of this tremendous adversity, these dedicated souls and others like them not only demonstrated the importance of Black culture in America, but also helped issue in a movement that "changed the world." Their lives and their works inspire us to this day, and serve as a guide to how we approach the challenges of tomorrow.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-8-Nelson illustrates the noted poet's "Mood Indigo," from her collection entitled A Daughter's Geography. The book begins with the opening lines of the poem set against a pale gray page: "it hasn't always been this way/ellington was not a street." Opposite, a full-page painting shows several people walking beneath a green sign that reads Ellington St. A young African-American woman carrying a red umbrella is prominently featured, and readers will soon understand that she is the child narrator, all grown up (the resemblance is striking). In the poem, Shange recalls her childhood when her family entertained many of the "-men/who changed the world," including Paul Robeson, W.E.B. DuBois, Ray Barretto, Dizzy Gillespie, "Sonny Til" Tilghman, Kwame Nkrumah, and Duke Ellington. Both the words and the rich, nostalgic illustrations are a tribute to these visionaries. Done in oils, the skillfully rendered portraits emphasize facial expressions, clothing, and physical positioning on the page, and provide unmistakable insight into the persona of each individual. Although presented in picture-book format, the poem is sophisticated, and therefore it may need to be read aloud and explained to younger readers. A biographical sketch of each man appears at the end, along with the poem reprinted on a single page.
Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. The text of this picture book for older children is a paean to Shange's family home and the exciting men who gathered there, everyone from W. E. B. DuBois and Paul Robeson to Dizzy Gillispie and Duke Ellington. Taken from Shange's 1983 poem "Mood Indigo," the words here recall, from a child's perspective, what it was like to listen "in the company of men / politics as necessary as collards / music even in our dreams." The evocative words are more than matched by Nelson's thrilling, oversize oil paintings, a cross between family photo album and stage set, featuring this group of extraordinary men interacting--playing cards, singing, discussing. The girl who is always watching them is, unfortunately, portrayed as very young, perhaps three or four, although she appears somewhat older on the beguiling jacket art. Preschoolers are not the audience for this, and despite the helpful notes that introduce the men mentioned in the poem, even older children will need further explanations (e.g., where are the famous women?). Depicting the narrator as a child closer in age to the target audience would have helped bridge the gap between a poem written for adults and a book for children. Still, with words and pictures that are so enticing, this will be embraced by many. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers; 1 edition (January 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689828845
• ISBN-13: 978-0689828843
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #312,421 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ntozake Shange, poet, novelist, playwright, and performer, wrote the Broadway-produced and Obie Award-winning For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf. She has also written numerous works of fiction, including Sassafras, Cypress and Indigo, Betsy Brown, and Liliane.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A touching personal tribute from one woman's past, October 20, 2004

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ellington Was Not a Street (Hardcover)

You know what doesn't get enough respect in this world? Author's Notes. As you read through the various picture books available to the public today, you forget how important Author's Notes are sometimes. You take them for granted until one day, out of the blue, you read a fabulous picture book like, "ellington was not a street", and find yourself scrambling frantically for something ANYTHING that reveals who the author is and what her intent was. After some readings and re-readings, I finally discovered a little background to this story hidden away in the hardback copy's bookflap. I'll share this information with you since, aside from its apparent destestation of clarification, "ellington was not a street" is a beautiful work of picture book art that deserves to be culled through by kids and scolars alike for years to come.

Poet and author Ntozake Shange drew up in the company of some of the greatest black heroes of America. Can you imagine what it must be like to know that as a toddler you slept on the couch while Paul Robeson and W.E.B. Dubois discussed the world? Or to remember the presence of people like Dizzy Gillespie and the Clovers in your home? With "ellington was not a street" you can. In Kadir Nelson's sumptuous images the viewer accompanies a small girl in a beautiful blue dress. The girl, supposedly Shange herself when young, inserts herself into almost each and every picture in this book. One moment she's greeting Ray Barretto at the door and in another she's pleased as punch to be attending a fancy soiree her parents are hosting. The book's text is a poem originally written by Shange in 1983. Entitled, "Mood Indigo", it starts off with a simple, "it hasnt always been this way/ ellington was not a street". A modern day Ellington Street stares us in the face and from it we're drawn back in time to an era when the great men of the Harlem Rennaisance mingled with a younger up-and-coming generation. As the book concludes with a final, "it hasn't always been this way...", we look into the kind and smiling face of the man of the title himself. A single baton rests between his hands.

The poem is, of course, excellent. It simply states that you cannot assume that the world we live in today was always as it was. It was forged by the likes of Nkrumah and Virgil Akins. It was created with the aid of strong men and women. So yes, bravo poem. But I don't mind saying that I think the real genius here is Kadir Nelson. Nelson has a artistic grasp of perspective and angle that just kills you. The two parts of the book that look at modern Ellington Street show, in two sections, the same woman attempting to cross its street. The figure of the small girl watching the men and women around her is a perfect way to keep kids interested in the story. They identify with the girl. She's so adorable and knowing, all at once, that it would be difficult for the adults reading this book not to identify with her as well. The famous figures in this story are represented beautifully, their features perfectly attenuated according to the situation. There is no doubt in my mind that every single face in this book (and there are, literally, a ton) is based on a real person. Most impressive is the final shot where everyone who has appeared in the book poses together for the viewer. The picture looks like a living breathing photograph of the greats. Whether people are smiling demurely or mugging shamelessly, it's a heckuva fabulous image.

For those readers who need to brush up on their Nkrumah or Sonny Til history, a helpful biographical section appears at the back of the book with pictures of the featured men. This was incredibly helpful to me, though I'm proud to say that I knew the history of at least four of the nine displayed. Still, where's the Author's Note that explains why the author's father was so popular with these famous fellows? Why is there an image of Shange, older, clutching an Ellington record at the beginning of the book? What were these people talking about? The book is so good, but it leaves so much left unsaid. It's the same objection I had with Tony Kushner's fabulous, "Brundibar", as well. The book assumes its readers don't need additional information. The book is wrong. Just the same, don't pass it by. Grab this puppy and give your children a good reading. They may not get it at first, but this is one of those picture books that kids will appreciate for its beauty and resonance. It's a lovely display of some true American heroes.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic for our children's library, January 14, 2005

By 

TouJours Dodo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ellington Was Not a Street (Hardcover)

I have been a fan of Ntozake Shange since seeing the play "For colored girls..." as a teen. Her writing and passion has always been vibrant and found its way to the heart of you. This book is a beautiful reflection of what & who shaped her as a child. She knew some of the fore most revered African-American minds and talents when as a child as friends "play uncles." They influenced her and now she uses her history and past to mold and shape young readers. This book is a tribute to their memories as well as tool to teach the younger generation about the past. I am greatful to her for this book and all her other books. Every library should have this book for their children. We have read this to our daughters and will most assuredly read it to our son. I can't say anymore regarding Kadir Nelson except "Masterful." He has the portraiture down to a science. W.E.B. DuBois leaps off the page.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ellington Was not a Street should have won the Caldecott, January 19, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Ellington Was Not a Street (Hardcover)

I think Ellington Was Not a Street should have won the Caldecott because it had very realistc and large drawings. The drawings also helped tell the story because there were very few words on the page. I would reccomend this book for ages 9 to 19.