Explore the Gullah language and culture of the South Carolina Lowcountry in a new children's book, "A Gullah Alphabet," written by Margie Willis Clary and illustrated by Dennis L. Brown (Sandlapper Publishing Inc., 2007, 36 pages, $16.95, ISBN 13-978-0-87844-184-6). "A Gullah Alphabet" is a unique book inspired by the late Gullah storyteller Joe Harold Middleton, whose knowledge and presentation of the language through the telling of stories brought enjoyment to all who heard him. The hardcover book features beautifully simplistic sketches by Brown, a self-taught painter whose connection with the Lowcountry and the Gullah people is evident in the book's lively drawings depicting the simple, telling phrases in both the Gullah dialect and English. Charleston-based author Clary, a retired elementary school teacher, is a professional storyteller, and her short sentences, translated into Gullah by Middleton, speak volumes about life on the state's sea islands -- "C iz fa de chillun, ney Mudda fut day play. C is for the children, at Mama's feet they play." "A Gullah Alphabet" is especially a treasure for teachers or parents looking for a new, exciting way to teach young children the alphabet, how to read and about a culture that extends from Georgetown onto the seas islands of Charleston and Beaufort and down to Hilton Head. For more information, visit www.sandlapperpublishing.com.

Special to The T&D

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