Trickster tales are what they are. This has a Sky God. ( )

Starts with a glossary which includes background on the story, pronunciation for the wonderful sounds, and Ashanti language / culture. Ends with: "And from that day to this, the folk stories of West Africa have been called Anansi Tales."

Folk Tales/Nursery Rhymes/Classics

Peppered with Verna Aardema's trademark ideophones--words that mimic actual sounds--this book makes an ideal read-aloud. Brilliantly realized characters and West African flavor come together in Desimini's extraordinary collage illustrations. Includes a glossary of West African terms and pronunciations. Full color.

"Long, long ago, when the earth was set down and the sky was lifted up, all folktales were owned by the Sky God." So begins this story about the iconic West African trickster figure Anansi, who decides to buy the Sky God's stories for the people on earth. The price may seem impossibly high, but Anansi knows he can rely on his clever wife Aso to help him...

Well known for her many wonderful adaptations of African folklore, Verna Aardema delivers her second Anansi tale with Anansi Does the Impossible, following upon Anansi Finds a Fool (1992). This engaging Ashanti tale is accompanied by Lisa Desimini's colorful collage illustrations, and includes a short glossary. Anansi, who can appear either as a spider or a human, is shown here in his arachnid form, in contrast to a recent retelling of the story, Anansi and the Box of Stories (2008). Whether they already know and love Anansi, or are discovering him for the first time, young folklore enthusiasts will enjoy this retelling of the tale. ( )