Mirandy and Brother Wind by Patricia McKissack is a fictional story based on a family photo of McKissack's grandparents winning the town's cakewalk competition as children. McKissack is a very famous children's author who has composed more than 100 stories along with her husband, Frederick, all about African Americans.
The story tells about how Mirandy sought desperately to have Brother Wind as a dancing partner because she knew that with the wind as a partner, they were certain to win. She tried a number of means to capture the wind, many of which failed. Finally one day she was able to trap him in her family's barn where she would release him the night of the dance. Upon arrival at the dance, she speaks with Orlinda who makes fun of her dear friend Ezel. She decides that instead of partnering with Brother Wind, she partners with Ezel and Brother Wind assists them to cake walk like no other couple.
Jerry Pinkney is the illustrator of this beautifully crafted tale. His illustrators serve to further engage the reader. Prominently known for his illustrations of African American stories, Pinkney's use of detailed and creative pictures match the text perfectly. His illustration of Brother Wind (a living force in this story) is most impressive because his use of color and shading gives this inanimate force a life-like persona. He also accurately portrays the setting (rural America during the early 1900's) and characters with life like portraits and landscapes. Pinkney received the Caldecott Honors Award in 1989 for this text and it is clear to this reader why he was considered for such a high honor.
The story tells about how Mirandy sought desperately to have Brother Wind as a dancing partner because she knew that with the wind as a partner, they were certain to win. She tried a number of means to capture the wind, many of which failed. Finally one day she was able to trap him in her family's barn where she would release him the night of the dance. Upon arrival at the dance, she speaks with Orlinda who makes fun of her dear friend Ezel. She decides that instead of partnering with Brother Wind, she partners with Ezel and Brother Wind assists them to cake walk like no other couple.
Jerry Pinkney is the illustrator of this beautifully crafted tale. His illustrators serve to further engage the reader. Prominently known for his illustrations of African American stories, Pinkney's use of detailed and creative pictures match the text perfectly. His illustration of Brother Wind (a living force in this story) is most impressive because his use of color and shading gives this inanimate force a life-like persona. He also accurately portrays the setting (rural America during the early 1900's) and characters with life like portraits and landscapes. Pinkney received the Caldecott Honors Award in 1989 for this text and it is clear to this reader why he was considered for such a high honor.
I especially love the author's note at the onset of this text that details where she received this idea from. After viewing a photo of her grandparents on the eve of their cakewalk win, she got to thinking how they won such a difficult competition. I think that she used her imagination to craft a magical story about how the wind literally carried them across the dance floor. This is a craft move that other authors might try--using an image to extend a creative story. I'm sure her grandparents would be glad to know that she found inspiration in their story!
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