Book Review: The Story of Lightning & Thunder by Ashley Bryan

TWU course

Book Review: The Story of Lightning & Thunder by Ashley Bryan

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bryan, Ashley, 1993. THE STORY OF LIGHTNING & THUNDER. New York: Macmillan.
ISBN 0-689-31836-7

2. PLOT SUMMARY
THE STORY OF LIGHTNING & THUNDER is based on folk stories from Nigeria, West Africa.
The characters are Ma Sheep Thunder and Son Ram Lightning. Thunder was a mother sheep, and Lightning was her son, a ram. Son Ram Lightning is a young ram who wants to help the village,but he causes the village more trouble.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The illustrations showcase a village on the west coast of Africa. The people are showcased as happy people who live together in a village until Son Ram Lightning starts "with a biff, bam, butt he sent people flying or falling to both sides." Son Ram Lightning is a happy young ram, who continues to cause trouble, but he is trying to help the people who live in the village. At the end of the story, Ma Sheep Thunder and Son Ram Lightning finds peace in the sky.   

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Joyful in both word and palette, this African story tells why lightning and thunder reside in the sky and not on earth, as they once did (i.e PUBLISHERS WEEKLY).

A delightful adaption of a Nigerian folktale about "Ma Sheep Thunder" and her "Son Ram Lightning," who live in a village where the people rely on them to call their friend Rain down from the clouds over the mountains (i.e KIRKUS REVIEWS).

5. CONNECTIONS
Other stories to read.
Branley, Franklyn M. FLASH, CRASH, RUMBLE, AND ROLL.
Bruchac, Joseph. THE STORY OF THE MILKY WAY: A CHEROKEE TALE.
Bryan, Ashley. THE NIGHT HAS EARS: AFRICAN PROVERBS.