Elizabeth Reneau, Sundiata: Lion King of Mali Response

Wow, I love picture books! I forgot how magical these books can be. Specifically, Sundiata: The Lion King of Mali, written by David Wisniewski, had bold colors and solid illustrations which made the book easier to read and more enticing to finish. The specific medium in which this book had been made was in drawing form, either computer generated or hand-drawn and scanned. The interesting part of these drawings is that the distinct lines illustrate the setting of Africa well, emphasizing the thatched roofs and pieces of clothing. Another part of the picture side of this book (which I loved) was the map at the start of this interesting story. The map was a pre-cursor to the adventure in which Sundiata was about to go on in order to fulfill his destiny. Now, let’s dive into the adventure of Sundiata.  

Sundiata was a child who was born without the ability to speak or walk. He was poked fun at by the inhabitants of the land and was threatened by an evil being (the kings first wife), Sassouma. Sundiata had every right to give up and live a life in insolation, but he fought. That is something I found so admiral about his character. Every time something in life seemed to come his way he never backed away from the challenge. Instead, he was as strong as a lion and charged on ahead. I also loved something else in regards to his character dynamic. HIS HEART. Sundiata’s heart was put on display for the audience to see when the nine great witches of Mali were sent to kill him. The way the witches had to kill this boy was through anger. Sundiata had to become angry in his heart for the witches to strike and take his final breath. However, he showed a heart full of kindness, limiting the witch’s ability to kill. This scene to me was one of the most powerful in the whole book because it showed that Sundiata’s selflessness was that fit for a King.

Another character whom I found most intriguing was Sundiata’s mother, the woman which possessed the Spirit of the Buffalo. This woman, Sogolon, was not one of particular beauty, but someone who embodied strength, grace, and wisdom. She was treated as basically an object for trade at the beginning of the story which I was not a fan of in regards to the treatment of women; however, she displays feminine strength throughout the book when leaving Mali and supporting her child.

Now, I have saved the best for last… the ending!!! I was reading this story and honestly almost began to cry (I know… I am a bit dramatic) because Sundiata showed people LOVE more than anything else. He had every right to be upset, to never save his home, and to take revenge on everyone who made him feel like less than human. BUT HE DID NOT DO THAT!! That is what makes the story so beautiful. It reminds the audience to first show love and kindness before anger, which in my opinion is something the world needs to hear.