Drawing its title from one of Muhammad Ali's signature taunts ("float like a butterfly/sting like a bee"), writer Ntozake Shange and illustrator Edel Rodriguez's Float Like a Butterfly is the featured title for this edition of Beyond the Page, where children's literature "comes to life" at host Shelley's "Beyond the Page Café." Divided into three segments, the show opens with an animated rendition of the book, which touches on highlights in the life of Muhammad Ali, who was born Cassius Clay in Louisville, KY and felt firsthand the injustices of the segregated South. Winning a gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games at the age of 18, Ali would beat Sonny Liston four years later to claim the world heavyweight boxing championship. Stripped of his title when he refused to fight in the Vietnam War, Ali regained the crown in the infamous 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" against George Foreman in Zaire. Limited but effective animation of Rodriguez's colorful pastels enhances Shange's chronicle of highlights in Ali's life and career. In the second segment, Shange talks about why she found Ali's story compelling ("he maintained personal integrity through thick and thin, and dealt with the consequences of personal choices"), and Rodriguez discusses his use of pastels. In the final segment, viewers visit a gym where trainer Rocky Garza helps inner-city kids to build self-esteem and keep off the streets. A solid entry in a fine series, this video/book combo is recommended. Four other new titles in the series are also available at the same price: Henry's First-Moon Birthday, Under the Lemon Moon, Visiting Langston, and I Love Saturdays y Domingos. Aud: K, E, P. (R. Pitman)
Float Like a Butterfly
(2002) 17 min. $79 (teacher's guide and book included). Disney Educational Productions. PPR. Color cover. Closed captioned. ISBN: 0-89625-891-2. Volume 18, Issue 3
Float Like a Butterfly
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