Stay at Home Story Time: Anansi the Spider

A folktale is a story that originated from an oral tradition and is passed down to each new generation. Anansi the Spider is the central character in African folktales of the Ashanti people of Ghana. These tales were also spread to the Caribbean by the slave trade from Africa. Anansi is a trickster, a rascal, and an animal with human traits. These entertaining tales are filled with humor and all-too-human behaviors.

 

Participate

You can learn more about Anansi stories at:

The Trickster Spider From West Africa and the Caribbean

Anansi the Spider

Connect

Find interesting activities related to Anansi stories below:

Anansi the Spider Lesson Plan

Cooking and Art activities 

More Anansi Fun

Retell an Anansi story to your friends. Use a spider you made as your story aide.

Discover

The library has a wealth of Anansi books for you to discover.

Anansi's Narrow Waist retold by Len Cabral

Anansi the Spider adapted by Gerald McDermott

Brother Anansi and the Cattle Ranch told by James De Sauza

Anansi Finds a Fool told by Verna Aardema

Anansi Goes Fishing retold by Eric Kimmel

Anansi and the Talking Melon retold by Eric Kimmel

Anansi Does the Impossible retold by Verna Aardema

The Adventures of Spider told by Joyce Cooper Arkhurst, a collection of 6 tales

Anansi and the Magic Stick retold by Eric Kimmel

Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock by Eric Kimmel

 

Learn more by looking up information about spiders and the Ashanti people in the World Book for Kids.