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    Anasi the Spider
    Anasi the Spider
    Anasi the Spider
    Audiobook12 minutes

    Anasi the Spider

    Written by Gerald McDermott

    Narrated by John Joseph Akar

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Anansi, one of the great folk heroes of the world, is saved from a terrible fate by his six sons in this traditional tale from West Africa.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWeston Woods
    Release dateJan 1, 1974
    ISBN9780545404044
    Anasi the Spider

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    Reviews for Anasi the Spider

    4/5

    42 ratings30 reviews

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    • 5/5
      There is a clear distinction between good and evil in this story. The evil is trying to get rid of Anansi while the good is his sons who rescue him. The story has a focus on working together to reach a common goal and how everyone has an important role to play. The author notes how this story has been passed through generations of the Ashanti of West Africa in Ghana. The setting of this story is not descriptive. There is no time setting other than long ago. The place I assume would be in Africa since the story has been passed down through generations in that area, but there is no specific support for the story taking place in Africa.
    • 5/5
      Anansi has six sons, each with their own talent, when Anansi falls in the river his sons use their talents to rescue him. Anansi finds an orb and decides to give it to the son who saved him, since he can't tell which son saved him he asks a god to hang it in the sky and it becomes the moon. Both the text and the illustrations support an authentic voice (as far as I know). The pictures are boldly colored and contain small, pertinent details for careful observers. Excellent addition to any picture book collection for all ages.
    • 5/5
      This is a tried and true children's book that really stands the test of time. It gives a different perspective of a creature that is often feared in western culture. This is a great read for children if you are looking to bring diversity into their library.
    • 4/5
      I have enjoyed reading a few folklore tales from Africa. These stories are a right of passage for many children in Africa, making a transition from childhood to adulthood. Anansi the Spider is a folktale from the Ashanti people. I had a chance to read a little about them and would recommend others do before reading this book. Throughout the book the father spider gets in a lot of trouble and calls upon each of his sons to help him out by using one of their gifts.
    • 3/5
      Summary: This book is about a spider named Anansi. Anansi has six sons. Each one of Anansi’s sons has a unique name: See-trouble, Road-builder, River-drinker, Game-skinner, Stone-thrower, and Cushion. Each of their name is based on a talent that they possess. One day Anansi went on an adventure and got in trouble, but his son See-trouble could see that his father was in danger. All of Anansi’s sons set out to help rescue their father. Each sons used their unique talent to help save Anansi. Because his sons saved him he wanted to reward them with a bright light that he found. However, Anansi couldn’t decide which of his six sons to give it to. So then he decided to hang the bright light high in the night sky for all to enjoy. As it turns out the bright light was the moon. Personal Reaction- I think this is an awesome book regarding culture. I also think the author did a very good job of telling a traditional story about family and how they should work together while incorporating culture in the illustrations. This is definitely a book that I would want to read to my class when we discuss culture. The setting/culture of this book is from Ghana.Classroom Extension- (a) I could have me students draw spider pictures and color them of their family members to hang around our classroom. (b) As a class we could look at other things from this culture to help students have a better understanding the illustrations and people of Ghana. In addition we could look at a map together to see where the country was located, and possibly discuss other traditions and characteristic of Ghana culture.
    • 3/5
      In the prologue of this story mentions the original source for the tale. This story is from a long established culture, the Ashanti of West Africa, in the country of Ghana. Anansi the spider is a folk hero to the Ashanti, an animal with human qualities a mischief maker into many of his troubles. The plot is simple, a spider has six sons and the sons save Anansi the father of the spiders, in doing so the sons use their gifts in order to save their father. When it comes to reward their sons the father does not know who to give the reward to which is a big ball of white light... thus the white light goes up into the sky where it has always been and always be. A story explaining how the moon became. The illustrations are different, bright, colorful, and engaging, not surprising that the book is a Caldecott Honor Book. The story I believe from what I would guess I know about Western Africa represents the cultural norms... folktales regarding the sun, moon, creation, universe, etc... The story really did not do much for me, spiders killing a fish, spiders throwing stones at a bird for the rescue of a dad spider who's adventure landed him into trouble.Ages 5 and up.
    • 5/5
      Anansi the spider gets lost one day in his travels, and each one of his 6 sons work together to use their special gifts to help bring their father home safely. Anansi wants to give one of his sons a prize for his rescue and cannot decide which son to give it to, so he asks for help from God, whom placed his gift (the moon) in the sky until Anansi decides which son deserved it most. I thought the story was special how all the sons were able to use their gifts. It was a little dissapointing that Anansi only wanted to reward one son because they understood each others special gifts and worked together so well to use them, I did not want to see them turn against each other. The illustrations were beautiful and colorful, it was a great way to represent the African culture and share a folklore from the Ashanti people.A great story to open up a discussion by asking if they think Anansi was right that only one son should get rewarded. And then talk about how the brothers used teamwork, and how they decided which gift would help solve each problem.
    • 4/5
      Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti by Gerald McDermott tells the story of one of the popular folk heroes, Anansi. This book was awarded as a Caldecott Honor Book. It tells the story of how Anansi goes on a journey and has to have the help of his six sons. After his adventure, he wants to award his sons with a special gift but cannot decide which son to choose so he sends the prize into the sky where it has always remained as the moon. The geometric and bright illustrations of this book will capture children's attention as well as the theme of working together as a whole. You could use the geometric illustrations to teach children about shapes and how shapes can be put together to make different figures. You could also use the book to discuss the importance of working together as a class.
    • 5/5
      I was referred to the Anansi tales by a colleague, prompted by a virtual trivia event where we were in a group that chose the team name Arachnids of the Caribbean. Anansi is a folk hero spider character that originated in Ghana. This children's book is delightful story, told as much by the expressive pictures as by the minimal words. This part of Anansi's story includes elements of family, mutual support and individual purpose.
    • 4/5
      Anansi the spider has 6 sons. Anansi runs into trouble and his sons find a way to save him. The all deserve a reward but only one reward is found, who to give it to is the dilemma. Maybe the ’God of all things’ (Nyame) can help.I am not familiar with African folklore and mythology, this one is new and very interesting to me. While it was written in a different cadence than most kids stories, the kids followed easily and understood the story. It even left it open for more conversation, by not saying everything out right and letting the kids form the conclusions. Such brilliant geometric designs in the background of the pictures also led to talk about cultural differences between here (in North America) and there (set in Ghana, Africa), while the pictures of the spider brothers were colorful and well defined enough to make it easy to follow which was which. The kids really enjoyed the adventure of the father, Anansi and the ending, they liked it because they were able to tell me the meaning of the final page.
    • 4/5
      This book tells one of the many Ashanti folktales (from Ghana) about Anansi the Spider, a prominent figure in Ashanti folklore. This particular story explains how the moon came to be; Anansi's sons help him get out of trouble as well. The main theme of the story is the importance of family and helping them when they are in trouble. This book can be used when talking about families, perhaps in conjunction with other books about different sorts of families. This book could also be used in connection with other creation stories from around the world, or for a lesson on what mythology and folklore is and how it is important to different cultures all around the world. The setting is very important because it is the jungle of Ghana, which is an interesting place for children to learn about. Learning about the setting and area where these folktales are told is important to understanding the impact they have on the culture.
    • 3/5
      Anansi the Spider is one of the great folk heroes of the world. He is a rogue, a mischief maker, and a wise, lovable creature who triumphs over larger foes. In this traditional Ashanti tale, Anansi sets out on a long, difficult journey. Threatened by Fish and Falcon, he is saved from terrible fates by his sons. But which of his sons should Anansi reward? Calling upon Nyame, the God of All Things, Anansi solves his predicament in a touching and highly resourceful fashion.
    • 3/5
      I had mixed feelings for this book. I liked this book because of the plot and illustrations. However, I did not enjoy some of the word choices or organization of the story. The plot is about six spider sons that help their father, Anansi. This story is important for young readers because it shows that working together to help someone you care about is important. Each spider son also had a specific role for helping the father spider. For example, one spider’s name was “Rock Thrower”. This spider’s job is to throw rocks at the bird that tries to eat his father. In order to successfully save the father spider, the son spiders work as a team. I liked that the author shows the readers that every person is important in a team based atmosphere. The illustrations have colors that contrast and help emphasize the spider characters. I did not like the organization of the words. For example, “They were very happy that spider family.” The word organization is confusing, however this could be the author’s style of writing. Overall, I liked the big idea of the story. The big idea of the story is to work together especially with your family and to show appreciation through love instead of material items.
    • 4/5
      What I enjoyed most about this is book is that it is not only a folktale, but it can also be used to teach a multicultural lesson.
    • 5/5
      The story of Anansi is a classic folk tale that displays the importance of balancing individual talents with working together, and the phenomenon of "the whole being greater than its parts". Anansi is a glimpse into another culture where universal values and excitement can be found. Anansi presents readers with a creative and imaginative explanation for how the moon ended up in the night sky.
    • 3/5
      The illustrations are interesting but this is more of a Baron Munchhausen tale of extraordinary companions than an actual trickster tale.
    • 5/5
      Summary:Anansi the spider is a tale of how the moon was put into the sky. Anansi was a spider and he had many sons, each with his own special talent. One day Anansi went traveling and ran into some trouble. One of his sons could see that their father was in trouble so they all rushed to save him. Each of his sons contributed to saving their father by using their special talent. One night Anansi came across a big, glowing ball of light. He decided that he wanted to give this to one of his sons for saving him, but he couldn't decided which one deserved it most. So he called to the God Nyame to ask for his help. He asked him to hold the ball of light while he decided which son deserved it most. When he told his sons about it, they all began arguing. When the God Nyame saw this he decided to put the ball of light up in the sky and it remains there today.Personal Reflection:I believe that this story does of good job of teaching that everyone is special. Everyone may not be the same or be able to do the same things, but everyone has their own special talent. I think that the illustrations do a good job of keeping the feel of the culture in the book.Classroom Extension Ideas:1. I think it would be special for the kids to sit in a circle and go around and each one say what their special talent is.2. Have the children say what super power or talent they would have if they could pick any in the world, and how would they use it to help people.
    • 3/5
      I had mixed feelings about this book after reading it. I liked the book because of the way it was written. The story was engaging and it flowed. The story was engaging because once things started happening to Anansi and he was rescued you wonder what was going to happen to him next. So the story kept my attention because I wanted to know what trouble his sons would save him from. What I didn't like about the story is I illustrations. Though the book focused on the African culture, and the colors used reflected that, the pictures seemed a little dark to me. The big idea of this story is that no matter how insignificant a person may seem, everyone is good and useful for something.
    • 3/5
      This book is about a father spider and his six sons. Each son has a very special gift. Father spider got lost one night. Each son, using their gift, helped rescue their father. Father spider was so thankful for his sons. One night, father found a beautiful, white globe and wanted to give it to the son that deserved it the most. He could not decide who deserves it the most so it sits in the sky until he does.I thought this was a cute book with a happy ending. Positive teamwork is important. Everyone is special in their own way!I would have students create a spider out of construction paper. As another part to this activity, I would have my students create a special talent/gift that their special spider would have.
    • 5/5
      Although it's a bit long winded for my toddler, we enjoyed the rhythmic text and beautiful illustrations.
    • 4/5
      I love the folktales about Anansi the spider! I remembered reading these stories when I was in elementary school, and have enjoyed sharing them with my own children-- They love him, especially because Anansi is such a clever, good-hearted trickster.
    • 4/5
      I loved re-reading this with my daughter, as this was a favorite of mine when I was a child! I love the drawings and the colors! Beautiful to read!
    • 4/5
      Summery: This is a story about Anansi the Spider he has six sons each of them have a gift. One day when Anansi gets into trouble each of his sons gifts come into play to help save Anansi's life. He rewards his sons with a gift of the moon but can’t decide which son to give it to so he puts it up in the sky for all to see.Personal Reaction: This book is great for children it is very colorful and motivating. The illustrations are very good and the story is something most kids will have never heard before.Classroom Extension Ideas: To inform the Children in a class discussion that it is okay to be different and to express ones self, ask the children if they have any questions about the book. Have the kid’s drawl a picture of what they think the moon looks like that Anansi gave his sons.
    • 4/5
      The story is about a father spider and his 8 spider sons who all have different gifts for various reasons. The father gets in a bad situation and the sons set out to find and in the end help their father by using their special gifts. In the end, the father is so appreciative of each son that he doesn't know how to give which son the one gift he has to endow with. So, he asks the Creator to decide for him and in the end the one gift ends up being shared by all and not just by the spider sons alone. I really liked the story because it was teaching from a mythological stand point that a lot of cultures teach from in the history of their cultures. A lesson in life so to speak. The illustration was very bright and colorful and caught ones attention very well. I would use this in my classroom not only for the colors of the book and how it captures the attention of children but also to teach children how mythology is used to teach people human lessons in life. I probably would use this with a third grader class or there about.
    • 5/5
      This book was about a spider named Anansi, He had 6 sons and named them See Trouble, Road builder, River drinker, Game skinner, Stone thrower, and Cushion. As we read, father gets into trouble and each son is able to help their father with each of their talents. Father found a gift for one of his sons for helping him, but did not know which one to give it to since all of them helped him. He called Nyame, The god of all things, to hold on to this gift. As they continued to argue, Nyame took it and put it in the sky. It is the moon.I enjoyed this story because it had suspense when we did not know what the gift was until the end. It relates to real life because it makes children think if thats really where the moon came from. In the classroom, I would make spider cupcakes with different characteristics and ask the children to give each a name based on the characteristics. I would also have a poll to see where each child thinks the moon came from.
    • 5/5
      This is an folktale of the Ashanti people in Ghana, Africa. Anansi is a huge spider with some human features. He has six sons. The basic plot is that Anansi goes for a walk one day and gets in trouble with a fish, then a falcon. All six sons help save their father. He finds a glowing orb in the forest and wants to give it to one of his suns as a reward, but he can't decide who to give it to. He asks Nyame, the God of all things, for advice. The problem is resolved when Nyame takes the glowing globe high into the sky where all six sons can enjoy it; this is how the moon got in the sky. McDermott's colorful and sharp illustrations, influenced by African patterns, were awarded a Caldecott honor. This is a good book for reading aloud or acting out, because the text is written to mirror the cadence of African English speech. Stories like this one, which explain how something came to be, are sometimes called porquoi (from the French word for "why) or just so stories. The story is also useful for promoting multiculturalism, particularly in showing that other cultures may believe in different gods, and have different ways of understanding the world and how it came to be. This is a great book for a public or school library children's collection.
    • 5/5
      The pages of this book are fun and intriguing. You can stare at them for a while. The story is of a father who has six sons with special talents. They use their talents to save the father. When the father can't decide who to reward, he calls on Nyame, god of all things to help him. Nyame rewards them all with a bright moon in the night sky.
    • 4/5
      This book was about a spider named Anansi and his six sons. His sons each have a unique gift, and their names describe these gifts: See Trouble, Road builder, River drinker, Game skinner, Stone thrower, and Cushion. Anansi gets into trouble and each son helps with their own specific talent. Anansi wanted to give a gift to his sons for helping him. He gave the gift to Nyame to hold, and the sons saw it in the sky, and it was the moon. I love the simple words used to tell this story, and the vibrant illustrations.
    • 5/5
      I like this book for three reasons. The first reason are the pictures used in this book. They are very big and colorful. There are not a lot of words written on the book. However you can understand the story and keep reading by looking at the pictures and making the story in your head. I like the idea that you can read look at pictures and read again and still know what the story is about. Secondly, I love the characters of the story. Each son has a special power and with their special power Anansi gets saved. The sons represent the good in people. I also love the plot especially the ending, where it shows that the folktale is about the moon and why it shows up every night. The big idea of this book is to be aware of an African folktale about the moon and how it was suppose to be a star given to one of the sons and it is there to remind us about the love and sacrifice that the sons did to save their father. A great folktale to use in the classroom.
    • 5/5
      I loved it. Great for storytime for small children