Ananse and the Lizard: A West African Tale

In this delightful new tale about the old West African trickster, children learn why lizards stretch their necks. Ananse arrives in a busy Ghanaian village to join the many young men who hope to win the hand of the Chief's daughter by guessing her name. The crowd thins out when the penalty for error is announced, but Ananse is confident. In fact, he overhears the servants talking and immediately fancies himself a Chief. Lizard now steps forward and a-s-s-s-ks to be the messenger of Ananse's news to the palace. In fact, of course, Lizard becomes the bridegroom and the spider storms away threatening to tear him to pieces. That is why, to this day, Lizard looks every which way. Cummings's retelling of this "Rumpelstiltskin" variant is humorous and folksy while her gouache-and-watercolor paintings capture the brightly colored array of Ashanti patterns and the bustling activities of the village streets. The insects, especially Grasshopper, move their many appendages humorously. Cummings credits her version to a story found in a bookshop in Ghana where she has traveled extensively. A vivacious retelling, vibrantly illustrated.-Susan Pine, New York Public Library

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

The avaricious arachnid returns in this trickster-gets-tricked tale from Ghana. Ananse the Spider and scheming Lizard both aim to marry the chief's daughter and thus acquire half his kingdom. Potential husbands, however, must correctly guess the daughter's name; anyone who guesses incorrectly will have his head "chopped off and fed to the buzzards!" Cummings (Angel Boy) sets the scene with ample descriptions and asides, and dialogue helps expedite the lengthy narrative. "I, Ananse the most wise... the most clever... I alone know the name of the Chief's daughter!... And soon, I will be so-o-o rich!" the greedy Ananse announces after fortuitously overhearing the princess addressed as Ahoaf . Mixed-media paintings energize the retelling with dramatic use of color and detail. (Even Ananse, a stylized spider with human expressions, is arrayed in distinctive, multicolored West African garb.) The vantage shifts easily from an elevated spider's-eye view of a bustling village scene to a close-up of the villagers' expressive faces. In an especially reptilian-feeling illustration, Lizard's thick green neck extends across a spread, his half-lidded eyes bulging and thin lips slyly smirking, as he procures Ahoaf 's name from Ananse and claims her for himself. With Ananse vowing revenge, the concluding lines explain "why a lizard stretches its neck"-because Lizard is still on the lookout. This dynamic book will keep readers on their toes, too. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

Copyright 2002 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.