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Virginia Hamilton
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The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales Paperback – Picture Book, January 4, 1993

by Virginia Hamilton (Author), Leo Dillon (Illustrator), Diane Dillon Ph.D. (Illustrator)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 870 ratings
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"The well-known author retells 24 black American folk tales in sure storytelling voice: animal tales, supernatural tales, fanciful and cautionary tales, and slave tales of freedom. All are beautifully readable. With the added attraction of 40 wonderfully expressive paintings by the Dillons, this collection should be snapped up."--(starred) School Library Journal. 

This book has been selected as a Common Core State Standards text Exemplar (Grade 6-8, Stories) in Appendix B.
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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    3 - 10 years, from customers
  2. Print length
    192 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    5 - 6
  5. Lexile measure
    660L
  6. Dimensions
    8.13 x 0.5 x 10.06 inches
  7. Publisher
    Knopf Books for Young Readers
  8. Publication date
    January 4, 1993
  9. ISBN-10
    9780679843368
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0679843368
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This widely lauded anthology boasts stunning black-and-white artwork and stirringly told stories with such evocative titles as "The Beautiful Girl of the Moon Tower" and "Wiley, His Mama, and the Hairy Man." All ages.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

"The well-known author retells 24 black American folk tales in sure storytelling voice: animal tales, supernatural tales, fanciful and cautionary tales, and slave tales of freedom. All are beautifully readable. With the added attraction of 40 wonderfully expressive paintings by the Dillons, this collection should be snapped up."--(starred) School Library Journal.  

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0679843361
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (January 4, 1993)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780679843368
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0679843368
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 - 10 years, from customers
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 660L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 5 - 6
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.14 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.13 x 0.5 x 10.06 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 870 ratings

About the author

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Virginia Hamilton

Virginia Hamilton

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Virginia Esther Hamilton was born, as she said, “on the outer edge of the Great Depression,” on March 12, 1934. The youngest of five children of Kenneth James and Etta Belle Perry Hamilton, Virginia grew up amid a large extended family in Yellow Springs, Ohio. The farmlands of southwestern Ohio had been home to her mother’s family since the late 1850s, when Virginia’s grandfather, Levi Perry, was brought into the state as an infant via the Underground Railroad.

Virginia graduated at the top of her high-school class and received a full scholarship to Antioch College in Yellow Springs. In 1956, she transferred to the Ohio State University in Columbus and majored in literature and creative writing. She moved to New York City in 1958, working as a museum receptionist, cost accountant, and nightclub singer, while she pursued her dream of being a published writer. She studied fiction writing at the New School for Social Research under Hiram Haydn, one of the founders of Atheneum Press.

It was also in New York that Virginia met poet Arnold Adoff. They were married in 1960. Arnold worked as a teacher, and Virginia was able to devote her full attention to writing, at least until daughter Leigh was born in 1963 and son Jaime in 1967. In 1969, Virginia and Arnold built their “dream home” in Yellow Springs, on the last remaining acres of the old Hamilton/Perry family farm, and settled into a life of serious literary work and achievement.

In her lifetime, Virginia wrote and published 41 books in multiple genres that spanned picture books and folktales, mysteries and science fiction, realistic novels and biography. Woven into her books is a deep concern with memory, tradition, and generational legacy, especially as they helped define the lives of African Americans. Virginia described her work as “Liberation Literature.” She won every major award in youth literature.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
870 global ratings
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5 Stars
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I am extremely excited to share some of my favorite childhood stories with my kids. I’ve been looking for this book for years and now I can add it to my collection.
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Top reviews from the United States

Tiffany Buck
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2024
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This is my favorite childhood book. The first time I read it was in 3rd grade and now as an adult it brings back so many good memories of my mother taking me to the library.
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SJC07
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful & timeless book
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2007
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I first heard of this book when I was in 5th grade (about 10-11 yrs. old)...I'm 28 now. My African-American teacher would read us stories from it. I remember enjoying the stories so much that I bought this book for my son about 2 yrs. ago. My son is almost 3 now & while he can't read yet, I know he will enjoy the stories as much as I have. This book comes with a CD & is narrated by the author & James Earl Jones...the narration was well done. I listened to the CD & I felt as if I had gone back in time. The narrators are so vivid & they really get your attention. The CD is definitely a plus & the book was well written. I really like that the stories have morals & life lessons that we can learn from. I recommend buying this version of the book because it comes with the CD. I also recommend this book for children 9 & up. This book would be a great addition to anyone's book collection. I hope my review is helpful.
13 people found this helpful
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Sioux
5.0 out of 5 stars This book had me by the cover
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2023
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I'm a traveler because I love to find the beauty and cultural beauty of people around the world. I was in a bookstore at Lake Tahoe and saw this cover. When I arrived home I decided to investigate further and had to order it. I'm so happy I did. What a delightful, upbeat book of folktales. It's not even my heritage, just a wonderful way to perceive possibilities in this world.
5 people found this helpful
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Tara
5.0 out of 5 stars I need More
Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2020
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This is an excellent picture book (with paragraphs to read of course) for children and even adults of black folklore and the history of Africans and African Americans on slave plantations and the magic they carried with them. I never heard such a story before until I first read Kwame Imbalia’s book.

I would love to read and learn more about the folklore and tales of Africans and African Americans and our history.
2 people found this helpful
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Candice Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BOOK
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2020
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I had this book when I was a child. I may be dating myself but when I originally came into possession of this book it came with an audio cassette that featured James Earl Jones narrating some of the stories. The tape broke and I could never find a decent replacement until recently!!! Not only am I glad to have this book again, but I am beyond ecstatic that it came with an audio cd with said narrations. Great book, and great stories. God Rest Virginia Hamilton
11 people found this helpful
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Cyndi
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2018
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Beautifully written. We homeschool and are doing a comprehensive course study about segregation and slavery. This book and the history surrounding it has been a wonderful edition. After reading The Story of Ruby Bridges and Pink and Say, the whimsical stories telling hard truths has been a welcome change of pace. Many people have probably heard the tales of Brere Rabbit, Fox, Bear and the like. Anyone interested in a wonderful telling in audiobook form should look for Danny Glover reading Brer Rabbit and the Wonderful Tar Baby.
18 people found this helpful
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Minnette Coleman
4.0 out of 5 stars Escaping From Slavery by Flying
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2016
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(My granddaughter, Miss Alicia, is giving me this review. She is ten and these are her words) These are different types of stories about black folktales. My favorite folktale was the last one 'The People Could Fly'.The characters in the story get together and they believe they can fly out of slavery and be free. The believe that they can fly because of one slave who told them about their tribe in Africa that could fly.
One reason its my favorites is because it reminds me of Harriet Tubman escaping slavery with other slaves. Another reason I liked the book is that most of the illustrations show what each story is telling about slavery. Other children should read it because it teaches them what was going back in the 1800 and 1700s.
The first time I read the book was with my grandmother when I was little and then I started reading it on my own.
28 people found this helpful
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Marcus A. Lewis
5.0 out of 5 stars Still one of my favorite books
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2012
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In 1985 I was working in shipping& receiving at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, CA. The store manager (a good friend of mine) asked me if I wanted an advanced reading copy of "The People Could Fly." That is where my experience with the book began. I then went on to meet Ms. Hamilton and the Dillons, who all signed my copy of the book. My wife and I raised our two daughters on the tales contained in this book.

It's hard to believe that nearly twenty-seven years have passed since then. I recently recommended this book to a friend, looking for good stories to read to her young son. And my mother was also in search of a book for her two great-grandsons. In my opinion this book should be a staple in every home, but especially those with black children in them. It is a great collection of illustrations and tales.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Alexandra
5.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in Canada on December 29, 2019
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Interesting topic
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白雪姫
5.0 out of 5 stars 大変面白かった！！☆7つです。
Reviewed in Japan on December 28, 2022
Verified Purchase
本書は、アフリカ殻から奴隷船に乗って、無理にアメリカ本土に連れてこられた黒人奴隷たちの民話です。
最初の動物昔話は、ヨーロッパに似たものがあったり、日本の「鶴と亀」に良く似た話があったり、発見や驚きに満ちていました。本格昔話は、グリム童話の「赤ずきん」に良く相似した話があります。「月の塔の美少女」は、悪い大魔王から、お姫様を障害物を乗り越えて、助け出して結婚するヨーロッパ共通の話があります。他に、奴隷が知恵で主人から自由になる話や、独特のもがたりがあります。巻末の解説を読むと、私はアメリカは歴史のない国だと思っていましたが、かつて奴隷だった人たちが代代語り伝えてきた民話が残っているのだなあと学びました。良書に出会えました。
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miss a blair
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it. Happy memories
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2015
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Love it. Happy memories. Classic book. So glad to have again as i was searching for this book. So happy.
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絵平　手茉莉
5.0 out of 5 stars 歴史の重みを感じる一冊。
Reviewed in Japan on July 8, 2022
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ふと「世界各国の民話・昔話を読みたいな～」と思い立ち、アマゾンで検索。出逢ったのがこの『福音館文庫　昔話』シリーズ。ちらりと読める本文画像に心をわしづかまれ、ほぼ全巻購入（個人的に、古本はイヤなので……）
イタリア・インド・アフリカときて、四冊目の『アメリカ黒人民話集』。う～ん、重い。アフリカ本土のあっけらかんとした雰囲気（でも残酷なやつはけっこう残酷！）と違うものを、やはり感じる。特に最後の章の奴隷制に関する数話！　表題作の「人間だって空を飛べる」はちょっぴり涙ぐんでしまった（元々涙腺緩いほうではあるけれど）
この流れで来たので、次に読むのは『南アフリカの八つのお話』かな～。
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Cosmo
5.0 out of 5 stars Flying High!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 12, 2015
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This is a fantastically enchanting story with illustrations that are truly works of art. A totally uplifting remembering of the magic-realisms of African people!
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