Source
University of Florida’s Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature
Baldwin Call #39h12441
Description
This adaptation retains Bannerman’s original text, and many of the illustrations are direct imitations of the original pictures. However, illustrator Kurt Wiese and animator A. V. Warren distort these visual recreations to negatively portray the characters as Black caricatures. For instance, all of the human characters have absurdly round, red mouths and prominent white eyes, and Sambo has kinky, Afro-like hair. Interestingly, Wiese also noticeably depicts all of the characters as much slimmer than the originals, resulting in an emaciated Sambo and a trim – but still Mammy-like- Black Mumbo.
The moveable elements further reduce the characters to unflattering caricatures. During one confrontation with a tiger, the reader can manipulate Sambo to make him fall to his knees before the animal, a new addition to Bannerman’s narrative that emphasizes the boy’s helplessness. Another encounter has the tiger lift the nearly-naked and visibly frightened Sambo by his underwear. By consistently highlighting Sambo’s physical and emotional weakness, rather than his ingenuity as Bannerman’s original text does, these moveable scenes portray the boy as a disempowered object of ridicule.
Creator
No author attributed
Contributor(s)
Illustrated by Kurt Wiese, Animations by A.V. Warren
Publisher
Garden City Publishing Co
Publication Date
1933
Format
Unpaged; colored illustrations; 24 cm.
Language
English