Customer Reviews

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters Big Book (Mulberry Big Book)

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This book is usually described as an African variation on Cinderella and it has a similar story - when a king invites the women of his kingdom to come to his palace so that he can choose the most worthy to be his wife, two sisters appear before him and he chooses the kinder of the two. But this version of Cinderella is infinitely superior to the tale most Americans grow up on. The European Cinderella is a beloved story, but it contains a lot of odd messages. Cinderella is both good and beautiful, her stepsisters are ugly inside and out. Is the implication that only attractive people can be good? Cinderella's "goodness" doesn't seem to consist of anything but being a doormat. And when the prince falls in love with her, he doesn't seem to know anything about her except that she is beautiful.

In John Steptoe's version, inspired by an African folktale, the two sisters are both beautiful, but the beauty of one, Manyara, is only external. Her sister, Nyasha, the "Cinderella" character is beautiful inside and out. And her goodness doesn't consist just of doing what she's told to do. She's kind to all creatures, even Manyara. Furthermore, the king chooses her to be his queen not because of her beauty, but because he has secretly seen her her kindness and generosity (and her sister's meaness) in action. He chooses a good soul, not just a beautiful face. This version has all the elements that make Cinderella a classic, but ethically it's far, far better.

And as if that weren't enough, the illustrations in this book are sheer magic. More than any book we've read, this one has inspired in my daughter a fascination with Africa. The details of Steptoe's paintings, drawn from the plants, animals and architecture of Zimbabwe, are glorious. Everytime we read the book, my daughter and I talk about new things we notice about the pictures. I can't think of a single children's book I like better than this one.

In Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, John Steptoe combines stunning illustrations to create almost mystical surroundings for his characters, surroundings which serve to distinguish between the baser human characteristics, greed and pride, and those which we as humans must emulate, such as mercy and compassion. Steptoe creates the story's setting using the flora and fauna of an ancient ruin in Zimbabwe; the story itself is an English adaptation of a local African tale from today's indigenous inhabitants of the area. By encompassing a spiritual tale in realistic settings, Steptoe forces the reader to blur the line between reality and magic; however, this "magic" galvanizes to action by drawing distinctions between compassion and greed with which young readers can easily identify. This is the story of two sisters, Manyara and Nyasha, the beautiful daughters of Mufaro, two believably human girls who embody the characteristics of pride and humility. Children will quickly see that Manyara is selfish and ill tempered and that her promise to make her sister a servant in her house is based on jealousy. On the other hand, Nyasha is calm and kind; an aura of peace surrounds every action. Her singing, the villagers think, causes her garden to produce more bountifully than the others'. Even the animals find her friendly. She names and befriends a garden snake named Nyoka. The plot itself serves as a didactic tale with which children will identify. Themes of sibling rivalry and false appearances dominate the text. Steptoe mentions that the only person fooled into believing that Manyara is as kind as her sister is Mufaro, a theme that might resonate with children who endure the trials of living with siblings. The true test of character, however, comes when the King announces his search for a bride. In characteristic form, Manyara leaves in the middle of the night to unfairly secure the king's favor. In a form similar to many Anglo-Saxon fairy tales, she encounters three tests on the way to the king and fails miserably. A young boy begs for food; she brusquely pushes him aside. An old woman gives her invaluable advice about upcoming obstacles; she rejects the advice deliberately and proceeds in her journey. This obstinate behavior is rewarded when a five-headed monster greets her at the end of her journey. However, Steptoe also allows this character to partially redeem herself. While fleeing from the monster, Manyara encounters Mufaro and Nyasha. Showing consideration for another person for the first time in this narrative, Manyara begs her father and sister to avoid the palace. The monster knew her faults, she tells them, and the outcome of the story suggests that this was enough to cause her to change her ways. Steptoe toys with the fine line dividing the spiritual world from the material world, as well as building a suspenseful plot. It is this unconcern for the shape of the living being, be it male or female, young or old, animal or human, supernatural or common, that Steptoe stresses. Children will enjoy the reality of his illustrations, while adults will realize the deeper underlying message about the common threads that bind all human life: respect and admiration bring great reward.

What happens when you mix two beautiful daughters, one handsome prince, and a marriage proposal? Well, if one is selfish, self-centered, and spoiled, and the other is kind, loving, and sweet, then you get the heartwarming fairytale by John Steptoe, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters. He credits an Afrcan folktale with inspiring htis original version of a Cinderella-esque story. Steptoe's illustrations compliment the tale at every turn, defining setting, expanding characteriaztion, and adding depth to the text; they are indeed worthy of the Caldecott Honor Book Medal which graces the cover. Pages of stunning paintings capture the very essence of the story's Zimbabwean ancestors and the landscape they inhabited. In this typical fast-paced fairytale where evil is punished and good is rewarded, readers meet Manyara and Nyasha, two sisters of unsurpassable beauty, who are summonded to the city in order to appear before the unmarried prince. Little girls everywhere will identify with the kind and patient Nyasha and delight at the fate that the "evil" sister, Manyara, eventually meets. Children of all ages will thoroughly enjoy a read-aloud of this fairytale. The vivid use of language and exquisite illustrations, such as the scene in which Nyasha meets the king, are sure to entertain even the most discriminating audience, from the youngest listener to the transitional reader. Complete with a surprise ending, a touch of magic, and a moral message, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters is a wonderful story and makes and excellent comparison to more traditional versions of Cinderella.

I love how folktales around the world contain so many elements similar to one another. In John Steptoe's elegant, "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters", careful readers pick up echoes of such myths as Psyche & Cupid, Cinderella, and Roses & Pearls. Yet the story is inspired by an original folktale from 1895. Dedicating this book to the children of South Africa, Steptoe has created one of the most beautiful and eloquent picture books of our time.

Once there was a man with two beautiful daughters. Both were equal in loveliness, but different in temperament. While Nyasha was kind and good, Manyara was vain and cruel. When the king announces that he would like to meet these two girls and decide, between the two of them, which one he shall wed, the sly Manyara does her darndest to become queen and make her sister her servant.

The tale is vaguely disturbing in all the right ways. When Manyara sets out to get a jump on the king's affections by reaching the palace first, she comes across a series of odd sequences. A boy (with ears Spock himself would envy) is denied food, laughing trees are laughed back at, and a man with his head under his arm is ignored callously. The moral of the story is, of course, that to be good and kind is far better than to be cold and mean. Steptoe's illustrations lift this tale from being merely good to extraordinary. There is a realism to the characters that leaves the reader with little doubt that they were fashioned on real people. Steptoe has likewise stayed faithful to the land of Zimbabwe, where this tale is set. He has been inspired by everything from the architecture to the flora and fauna. But what I liked best was the clothing. The garments and jewelry of this story encase the characters, making each person practically a member of royalty. Take especial care to note the wedding clothes at the end of the story, as well as the view of the village. The story is gorgeous in both what it says and how it says it. One of the best books for children ever written. Ever.

This story is based on an African tale that is similar in nature to Cinderella. In this story a man named Mufaro had two beautiful daughters, one named Manyara, and one named Nyasha. Manyara is rude to Nyasha, who just calmly bears it. When a call comes saying the Great King wants a wife, Mufaro plans to take his daughters to the palace the next day. Manyara decides to leave in the night to make she is chosen to be Queen. During the journey she is rude to a number of people, who turn out to be the King himself, shape-shifted into those forms as well as the form of a garden snake well-known to Nyasha. When Nyasha passes the next day, she is kind where her sister was rude. Needless to say the King picks Nyasha, and they live happily.

The story is told well, and the language used is wonderful, though not quite as wonderful as the illustrations. They almost look more life-like than photographs. The way lighting is used is amazing, and they are just stunning pictures. Everything about this book is wonderful, with nothing to detract from it.

Loggie-log-log-log

This is an amazing story. It tells the wonderful story of the two Zimbabwe sisters. It describes the life of two sisters. One is jealous of the other. It shows how people can be generous and kind or mean and selfish. It also describes the difference it makes to be kind. In the long run, the nice people get rewards that they deserve. While the ones that are only out for themselves are not rewarded. The characters and story line are well developed. The illustrations are colorful and beautiful. This book will capture any audience.

The illustrations are breathtaking. The story emphasizes the true ugliness of getting to the top no matter what, while at the same time showing the beauty of compassion, empathy, and taking the time to make true connections with others and embracing their essence. These are values that we must instill within our children. I read this story to my own beautiful daughters over and over and it opens the door for deep discussions about the nature of their special bond as sisters and the need to not face one another as competitors, but as lifetime companions and support for one another.

This is a beautifully written and illustrated African Cinderella story. As a third grade teacher, it is excellent for teaching about folktales and a vehicle for teaching compare and contrast. It also introduces young children to African-based literature and can be a jumping off point for the similarities between cultures as it can be compared to the standard Cinderella story or the vast number of other Cinderella stories from other cultures.

I LOVE THIS BOOK! Not only does it have beautiful pictures, but it's a great story! An African folktale version of Cinderella. I enjoy reading the book to my classes each year. It's GREAT for teaching the reading skill compare/contrast. Easy to use with a Venn Diagram. The children pick up pretty quickly that it's a "Cinderella" story so they feel a sense of success right away. I recommend it highly!

As the father of two adopted Ethiopian daughters, it is difficult to find books that speak to their culture and ethnic heritage. John Steptoe has done a wonderful job of showcasing what is essentially the "Cinderella" story within the African context. Not every hero/heroine must be of European descent and Steptoe proves this. The themes throughout the book transcend culture, but relate to that which is important for all cultures. Besides, and most importantly of all. this book is a good read. Highly recommended!!!