Ashley Bryan's Puppets: Making Something from Everything

Wonderful book, using things found around the house. Great ideas that anyone who loves puppets will enjoy.

This book focuses on 36 puppets created by Ashley Bryan over a period of five plus decades. Unlike the earlier books which he authored or illustrated this book provides the reader with an insight to his creativity in using society's "cast away stuff" to create a royalty of African folklore. The photography is crisp and brilliant giving to each their unique display. The photo of Ashley in his studio provides of the numerous mediums with which he expressed himself. While displaying his "sea glass" stained glass panels it lacked his vibrant and creative use of paints. In addition to giving each of the puppets a name from countries or regions in Africa he has written his own verse for each of 33 of the 36 puppets. His gifts as an engaging story teller extend themselves as he invites the reader to write their "verse" for the three puppets who were included in the book without poems: Moriba, Barnabe, and Chioneso. To me this book summarizes the rich diversity of gifts which this man whom I have known for more than seventy years as a teacher, friend and mentor. Thanks be to God for Ashley's life and the horizons he creatively broadened through art and word. The mystery is in the story.

I love anything written by this brilliant man. My daughters and I actually had the good fortune of visiting Mr Bryan's island home a decade ago now, and were able to see his incredible hand made puppets and other creations in person. Like his books, his gentle nature and creative genius are evident in everything he does. This book is truly special.

I really enjoyed this book and had seen it at the Childrens museum!

My daughter loves it

A great book and inspiratuon for puppet making

The photographs show exquisite detail and the accompanying poems explain some of the materials and effects that were used in the making of the pupppets.This book is inspiring as well as an intriguing eye opening example of what can be created from found objects, I believe adults will be motivated and hopefully help children discover the world around them and how they can develop useful things out of the discards. A grand and handsome book and a great gift.

I love this book! I can't imagine how I missed it earlier. I make unusual dolls from found materials (and even more normal materials) and this is inspirational. I think this must have been meant as a children's book - but if you are an artist, particularly a mixed media artist, you will love it - grown up or not.