Raw Head, Bloody Bones: African-American Tales of the Supernatural [Hardcover]

Mary E. Lyons (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

Fifteen black and African-American tales of the supernatural from various states and several Caribbean countries. Includes commentary on black folklore in the New World.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

These 15 African American tales, divided into four spooky sounding sections--"Gullah Goblins," "Ghosts," "Monsters" and "Superhumans"--derive their bewitching quality from the rhythms of the spoken word and the dancelike quality of early African American speech. In "Dead Aaron," a corpse that stubbornly refuses to stay dead dances around with "hestet yellow teeth a-snappin, and he bald bonehead a-wagglin." The stories are intended as moral lessons: in "Bloody Bones," for example, the wielder of a gossiping tongue is beheaded. Lively, lilting cadences provide a quixotic contrast to the often gruesome subject matter; thorough introductions present cultural insight into the origins of what to most readers will be an entirely new genre in fiction. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- Here is a new cast of ghastly characters for lovers of monsters and scary stories: an ominous night doctor; a one-eyed shape-changer; a sea serpent; Raw Head, the giant who sweats blood all over his hairless head; and other horrors. Many of the 15 stories come from South Carolina, especially from the Sea Islands, while others are from Florida, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Michigan, and the Cape Verde Islands. Most were collected 50 years ago or more by Zora Neale Hurston among others, and many are not in print in other collections. In retelling these delightfully eerie and gruesome stories, Lyons has preserved the richness and immediacy of the African and African-American oral traditions. Vigorously told in rhythmic and colorful language, the stories demand to be read aloud, preferably by the light of a candle, as Lyons suggests in her introduction. The use of dialect (particularly pronounced in the Gullah stories from the South Carolina Sea Islands) adds to the sense of authenticity, but careful editing and a conversational style ensures their readability. Short informative notes at the end of each tale provide a context and explain any unfamiliar words. Even without illustrations, the brevity of the selections and their steady pace should make this collection a favorite with reluctant readers. In addition to being a valuable resource for storytellers, the notes and reading lists link the stories to the history of slavery and suggest a place for them in social studies curricula. --Susan Giffard, Englewood Public Library, NJ
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (October 31, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684193337
• ISBN-13: 978-0684193335
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,029,628 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, May 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Raw Head, Bloody Bones: African-American Tales of the Supernatural (Hardcover)

As a former teacher of upper elementary and middle school students with many years experience, I found this book to be fascinating and would have no trouble recommending it to students in fourth grade and up. It has the scares kids love, plus a wonderful flow of language that is quite captivating. Based on stories told by the Gullah people of South Carolina and the people of Cape Verde Islands, the Bahamas, and Jamaica, this is the kind of book kids won't want to put down. Excellent!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating!, July 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Raw Head, Bloody Bones: African-American Tales of the Supernatural (Library Binding)

This happens to be one of the best compilations of African American tales out there, next to Zora Neal Hurston. I only wish the author wrote a fatter book! Too bad there aren't more of these in print. It's fascinating for both adults and children. In it you'' find all kinds of spooky and grotesque characters from boo-hags to conjure men. Excellently and poetically written in the lingo of the culture that these tales came from and close to the creative dialect of the tellers. I really wish she'd write another book on spooks!

2 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Inappropriate for children in their formative years., November 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Raw Head, Bloody Bones: African-American Tales of the Supernatural (Hardcover)

As an elementary school librarian, I agree this book would be captivating for children. However, the material and language are not age appropriate. This was brought to my attention by a student and is now no longer on the shelf.