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From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

Ashley Bryan’s electrifying illustrations for three well-known African American spirituals, “Let It Shine,” “When the Saints Go Marching In,” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” were constructed from cut paper, which he used to compose vibrant tableaus. Bryan uses both concrete and abstract imagery to convey visual ideas for lines in the songs, creating art that references rural and urban landscapes and elements of nature, as well as expressing ideas about freedom and spiritual beliefs. Warm, vivid colors and an abundance of round or fluid lines suggest a sense of embrace in this singular volume. An author’s note provides background information on the importance of spirituals in African American life. (All ages)

CCBC Choices 2008 © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2008. Used with permission.

From School Library Journal

Starred review from January 1, 2007
PreS-Gr 5-Bryan's vibrant illustrations interpret and energize three beloved songs: "This Little Light of Mine," "Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In," and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." Although the artistic style is similar to that in "All Night, All Day" (Atheneum, 1991), here Bryan uses intricate cut-paper collages to accompany the lines of text at the bottom of the pages. Energy and movement course through many of the full-bleed illustrations, as when children-depicted in rainbow-colored silhouettes-use a boat, an airplane, a bicycle, and other means to carry their lights "Ev'ry where I go." At other times, the images offer comfort and security, as large multicolored hands embrace the world's wonders and "the little bitty baby" is cradled in an adult's protective arms. Simple melody lines and an explanation of the origin and importance of spirituals are appended. Yet, Bryan's illustrations demonstrate more than words the dynamic inspiration that these songs still provide. Readers will find themselves humming as they turn the pages."Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Horn Book

Starred review from January 1, 2007
Using only cut-paper and clamorous, swirling, out-of-sight colors (lilacs and magentas, pale and deep and olive greens, tangerine and cafe au lait), Bryan sets three spirituals to pictures that might be projected across the back of a performance stage, they are that dynamic, that monumental and stirring. The selections are universal favorites, something Bryan emphasizes by making his figures -- children and adults of all shapes and sizes -- a mix of vibrant hues. In "This Little Light of Mine" the children of the world circle 'round with candles, flashlights, strings of lights. "Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In" presents a darkened Klee-esque city ("when the sun refuse to shine") where two lone figures turn on a single light; opposite, the absent sun is represented, eerily, by three thin concentric circles. Throughout, the imagery is brilliant. Bryan has long been known for his exuberant decorative motifs -- which explode here when "they crown Him Lord of Lords." But in this instance, with three sets of lyrics that themselves are all imagery, all metaphor, his scope widens. In the climactic "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," familiar, well-loved images emerge and spiral and surge across the pages, in a fusion of color and form, until the quiet, intimate touch at the close: the "little bitty baby" perched on a little finger. With words and music appended: exciting, absorbing, immensely moving.

(Copyright 2007 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From Publisher's Weekly

Starred review from November 27, 2006
Bryan (Beautiful Blackbird
) again proves himself a maestro with scissors (depicted on the endpages) in a series of arresting, kaleidoscopic cut-construction-paper collages that interprets three beloved spirituals: "This Little Light of Mine," "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." Each page contains two lines of lyrics alongside images of nature or of children and adults with diverse skin tones frolicking harmoniously in settings both urban and pastoral. This wide spectrum of experiences suggests the songs' themes of utopian peace, tolerance and beauty. The hands appearing on the pages of "He's Got the Whole World..." convey a sense of power, reassurance and awe that evoke the wonders of God. An author's note describes a bit of the origin and history of Negro spirituals. Musical notations for each song are included at book's end. Ages 4-8.

From Booklist

November 15, 2006
The inspiring words of three well-known spirituals, "This Little Light of Mine," "Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In," and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," are matched with powerful construction-paper collage illustrations. Each double-page spread of this oversize picture book is an explosion of shapes and bright colors. Stocky figures, silhouetted against swirling colors are created from geometric shapes woven together. Rather than conceive a story to accompany the lyrics, Bryan presents series of scenes to reflect each set of lyrics. Children dance around with candles and march with saints; God holds a world of colored objects in his hands. The musical notation and lyrics for each song appear at the end of the book, as does a brief note from Bryan about the history of the spiritual and the changes he made in some of the lyrics. This will be hard to read without breaking into song.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)