Anansi and the Moss-covered Rock [Paperback]

Eric A. Kimmel (Author), Janet Stevens (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1990 | Age Range: 5 and up | Lexile Measure: 380L (What's this?)

Anansi the Spider uses a strange moss-covered rock in the forest to trick all the other animals, until Little Bush Deer decides he needs to learn a lesson.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4 Anansi the Spider happens upon an unusual stone that magically puts him to sleep for an hour. The master trickster decides to use the rock to get the food stores from the rest of the local residents. Each animal is taken in turn to the strange moss-covered rock, says the magic phrase, and promptly falls asleep to have its food pilfered by Anansi. All the while, however, Little Bush Deer silently watches. Ultimately, it is small and shy Deer who outwits Anansi and returns the food to its rightful owners. Although no specific source is given, Kimmel has retold a West African tale (said to be known in Caribbean culture). The text is rhythmic, nicely building suspense to the inevitable conclusion. Stevens' complementary, colorful illustrations add detail, humor, and movement to the text. Here, Anansi is portrayed as a large eight-legged arachnid; his expression is in his motion. The other animals are almost realistic, although with facial expressions that are characteristic of the artist's work. This new picture book Anansi tale will be welcomed by all trickster fans. Maria B. Salvadore, District of Columbia Public Library
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Eric A. Kimmel is a well-known folklorist and the author of numerous books for children, including Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, a Caldecott Honor Book illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, and The Rooster's Antlers: A Story of the Chinese Zodiac, illustrated by YongSheng Xuan. He lives in Oregon.

Janet Stevens has written and/or illustrated many popular books, including Coyote Steals the Blanket: A Ute Tale. She lives with her husband, Ted, and their two children, Lindsey and Blake, in Boulder, Colorado.

Product Details

• Age Range: 5 and up
  
• Paperback
• Publisher: Holiday House; Reprint edition (February 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823407985
• ISBN-13: 978-0823407989
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,128 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eric A. Kimmel is a native New Yorker who lives in Oregon. He was born in Brooklyn, NY where he learned to love books and traditional stories from an early age. He could hear five different languages without leaving his block. Eric taught teachers as a professor of Education at Indiana University at South Bend and Portland State University. His favorite classes were children's literature, language arts, storytelling, and handwriting. He left the university in 1993 to become a full-time writer, a dream he had had since kindergarten.

Eric's books have won numerous awards. He and his wife Doris have traveled all over the world, sharing his books and stories with school children in China, Africa, and Turkey.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly Delightful and Enjoyable December 29, 1997

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

My second graders loved it! Kimmel is an expert storyteller. His Anansi tale is humorous and utterly delightful! It also teaches children a valuable lesson, as do all tales of this type! This is definitely a book for which children of all ages will sit still.The illustrations are colorful and eyecatching. It adds the perfect touch to this wonderful little book. I can only hope that the author, Eric Kimmel, continues producing stories of such high quality.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for reading or telling May 8, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock is a staple in my storytelling repetoire. Small children appreciate the repetition; older children appreciate the humor; adults enjoy the pure playfulness of the tale. In short, this is another example of folktales being excellent (or not surviving).

The book is well written and well illustrated - I hope it becomes a children's classic as it deserves to be

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars "What a strange moss-covered--" KPOM! September 21, 2003

By Jens Alfke

Format:Paperback

My kids (ages 8 and 5) think this book is hilarious -- I just now finished [re]reading it to my daughter, who made me repeat the schtick between Anansi and the little mule deer about six times in a row, ending up with us acting out the two parts. A little boisterous for bedtime, maybe, but we had a ball. The idea of a strange moss-covered rock that knocks out anyone who says "what a strange moss-covered rock!" is pretty surreal, but if you suspend your disbelief the rest of the tale, and its moral lesson, follow like clockwork.
The illustrations are well done, too. Some of the animals are a little too cartoony-cute, but Anansi has an intriguingly zig-zag shape, and it's a nice sight gag to see them using ceiling fans and aluminum lawn chairs. Also, if you flip back through the book you can find little mule deer peeking out from the background on nearly every page, which is a huge bonus as far as the kids are concerned.
A previous reviewer condemned this story as violent -- but it's not suggested or shown anywhere in the book that the rock hits the animals on the head. Instead it's just "KPOM!" and the animal falls in a faint. My kids and I hadn't even considered the being-hit-on-the-head theory at all: they just figured the rock was magic. Maybe they just haven't watched enough Bugs Bunny cartoons...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite children's book March 11, 2007

By Justin B. Hovland

Format:Paperback

As a kid I learned how to read with Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock. I had my parents read it to me until I had memorized it, then I read it, associating the words I knew were there with what was there. It was hands down my favorite book as a child and I believe that the moral in it helped build a moral character into me. I never saw any violence in the story, just thought that when you said the magic words you fell asleep - magically. I am 21 now and still have a soft spot for the story, and will likely read it to my own children someday.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, well illustrated story. July 18, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

I find this book useful in teaching teachers about the folk lore of Africa. It also is useful in showing teachers an interesting way to introduce and discuss values with young children.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Read Aloud March 5, 2011

By A. Contreras

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I use to read this book to my class when I was teaching. Now I read it to my 2 year old daughter. She loves it. It's fun looking for the little bush deer. She loves it when the animals KPAO! Defintely a great read aloud. It's a 380L level.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Be careful when you see a moss-covered rock! May 27, 2009

By R Schmidt VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Anansi the Spider finds a moss-covered rock. When he says out loud, "moss c______ r___, he faints! "Ah-ha!" Anansi thinks. "I know how I can make use of this power!" [my words].

He invites his friends to visit the moss c______ r___. They say the words out loud, pass out for an hour, and Anansi raids their larders.

Can't anyone stop Anansi?

The themes of this book are:

1) Crime doesn't pay;
2) What goes around, comes around;
3) Watch out for animals with doe eyes;
4) Don't ever say, "moss c______ r___"; and
5) Don't strike up a conversation with a spider.

This should be a fun book to read to your favorite little person, who will probably never even ask the question, "why does a moss covered rock do this?'

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny Story: Strange moss-covered Rock...KPOM! June 13, 2008

By Arcturus70

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book includes one of my favorite Anansi tales, and I love how the clever spider is portrayed by the illustrator--as a "real-looking" spider rather than some sort of spider / human hybrid that seems to grace the pages of many children's books. This more "spidery" persona of Anansi makes him appear all the more crafty, sneaky, and greedy--much to the delight of readers.

It's brilliant how the animals maintain a taste of realism while also sporting some recognizable human qualities too--like sitting in porch chairs and rocking chairs! This is a refreshing approach, and the illustrations are so fun! A joy to look at! You just have to laugh at a fainting hippo and a dejected lion.

The story is well told too. We all wait for Anansi to be outwitted by Little Bush Deer after his reign of trickery and food collecting!

Readers who enjoy this book may also enjoy "Anansi and the Magic Stick," which is created by the same author / illustrator pair: Eric A. Kimmel and Janet Stevens. For readers who like an Anansi that is a spider that has a human face, check out Verna Aardema's "Anansi Does the Impossible."

This book makes a great addition to the family and / or school library.