Customer Reviews

Anansi Does The Impossible!: An Ashanti Tale (Aladdin Picture Books)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book was such a delight. My first grade class could not wait to hear what Anansi would do next. For the first time, Anansi uses his trickery to help someone other than himself! It was refreshing to have the author show how Anani's wife, Aso, helped him to reach his goal. I think my readers learned a lot of valuable lessons from this story.

The Anansi series are a great read. As usual the author keeps us in suspense as to who and how Anansi will trick. My first grade class loved it. They were at the edge of their seats. I can't wait to read more to them.

Both of my children, ages 2 and 5, love this book. The two-year-old, normally wiggling and wandering around the room during story time, stays put for this one. They can't wait to see what tricks Anansi and Aso will be up to next!

I just love this version of how Anansi--with the help of his cunning wife--becomes the owner of stories. The illustrations in this book are wonderful and unique in the realm of Anansi tales for children. The spiders look like spiders--though with gentle, chubby-cheeked human faces as to show their emotions and expressions. Their clothes are colorful and seem culturally appropriate for their setting. It's quite clever how the illustrator shows recognizably human gestures with spidery legs.

One of the best images is the prideful Anansi standing "nose to nose" with the Sky God as he boldly announces that he has come for the stories. Viewers can even see the spider's cocky shadow carefully included on this page.

A nice touch in this book is the little "Glossary" near the front of the story, which gives pronunciations and definitions of the names and terms used in the tale. Example:pesa (PAY-suh): The breathy sound of whispering. // The glossary is of great benefit to readers who share the story out loud.

This book would be worth sharing with classes and with young family members. Even adults can appreciate the resourceful spider couple as they plot to do the impossible. Overall, I was impressed with this tale, and I recommend it for school and home libraries.

I am surprised that reviewers have not had an issue with the content in the section of the story where Anansi traps the fairy. I would not read this book aloud to my classes because of lines like "...slap her spanking place" and the fairies discussing hitting hard and hitting again to teach the wooden fairy a lesson! Dragging fairies, the snake, and even the hornets off to an angry god also does not convey appropriate social messages. Many other Anansi books are much more appropriate for teaching about these traditional stories - such as the ones by Eric Kimmel.