Magnolia Flower

by Zora Neale Hurston, Ibram X. Kendi Narrated by Sheryl Lee Ralph

Overview

From beloved African American folklorist Zora Neale Hurston comes a moving adaptation by National Book Award winner and #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist and Antiracist Baby, Ibram X. Kendi. Magnolia Flower follows a young Afro Indigenous girl who longs for freedom.

Born to parents who fled slavery and the Trail of Tears, Magnolia Flower is a girl with a vibrant spirit. Not to be deterred by rigid ways of the world, she longs to connect with others, who too long for freedom. She finds this in a young man of letters who her father disapproves of. In her quest to be free, Magnolia must make a choice and set off on a journey that will prove just how brave one can be when leading with one's heart.

The acclaimed writer of several American classics, Zora Neale Hurston wrote this stirring folktale brimming with poetic prose, culture, and history. It was first published as a short story in The Spokesman in 1925 and later in her collection Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick (2020).

Tenderly retold by #1 New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-winning author Ibram X. Kendi, Magnolia Flower is a story of a transformative and radical devotion between generations of Indigenous and Black people in America. This book reminds us that there is no force strong enough to stop love.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"[A] powerful example of Black and Native resistance—an aspect of history that far too often goes undiscussed. Wise’s earth-toned, opalescent illustrations make the trees, water, and flowers feel just as key to the tale as the humans. The excellent marriage between lyrical text and stunning visuals makes for a moving, memorable story. An artfully rendered tale of life and love that also conveys an essential but often overlooked chapter in U.S. history." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Digital illustrations from Wise (The People Remember) make for a bountiful, nature-centered accompaniment to this romance set against the changing landscape of freedom for Black and Indigenous peoples. — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Freedom forges a path to love. Kendi uses poetic and accessible prose to restate Hurston's historical truths. [Wise’s] gentle digital illustrations have a vivaciousness that reinforces the depth of Hurston's characters as well as the vastness of the world encompassing them. — Shelf Awareness (starred review)

I hope that the luminous spirit of the GREAT Zora Neale Hurston is forever shining down on Loveis and Ibram for their most gracious retelling of this sweet yet powerful folktale; a declaration of love. — Derrick Barnes, Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Honor, NY Times Bestseller, Ezra Jack Keats Award and the two-time Kirkus Prize winner

Digital illustrations are a real complement to the story, creating a lush landscape filled with beautifully drawn flora. Bright pinks, yellows, and aqua blues fill each page and are a perfect accompaniment for lyrical text. — School Library Journal

[A] pleasing introduction to Hurston's oeuvre. — Booklist

Kendi adapted this 1925 short story about Afro-Indigenous love and resistance into a picture book so children wouldn’t have to wait to absorb Hurston’s rich folkloric tales. — New York Times Book Review

[A] true launchpad for recentering the narrative of U.S. history, honoring Zora Neale Hurston and her legacy, and building cultural awareness and sensitivity. (5 STARS!) — Common Sense Media

Both the lyrical text and the flowing digital illustrations let the theme of love running through Hurston’s stories shine. — Horn Book Magazine

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2022-07-13
Scholar Kendi adapts a short story published by Hurston in the Spokesman in 1925.

The Mighty River tells the whimsical, mischievous Brook the story of Bentley, who flees slavery for a Florida forest where Black and Native people live free together as Maroons. Bentley marries Swift Deer, a Cherokee woman who escaped the Trail of Tears, and they have a daughter named Magnolia Flower, who “came at the time of the flowers opening.” When the Civil War ends, Magnolia falls in love with John, a Black man whom Bentley dislikes because he is poor. Bentley locks John up in their house to keep him away from Magnolia, but one night, Magnolia frees John and escapes with him by boat, making the Mighty River a part of their story. The tale comes full circle when Magnolia and John return 47 years later to reflect on and affirm their love. Deeply committed to sharing Hurston’s writing with young readers, Kendi writes in his author’s note about the elements of Black folklore in the story, such as making nature a speaking character. And, as he stresses in a historical note, the tale is a powerful example of Black and Native resistance—an aspect of history that far too often goes undiscussed. Wise’s earth-toned, opalescent illustrations make the trees, water, and flowers feel just as key to the tale as the humans. The excellent marriage between lyrical text and stunning visuals makes for a moving, memorable story. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An artfully rendered tale of life and love that also conveys an essential but often overlooked chapter in U.S. history. (Picture book. 5-10)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940178595718
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	09/06/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	Up to 4 Years

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