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A Ring of Tricksters: Animal tales from America, the West Indies, and Africa
Newbery Medalist Virginia Hamilton and National Book Award-winner Barry Moser join forces to tell 11 humorous trickster tales from the story ring of the slave trade. Following the migration of stories during the Plantation Era, Hamilton presents readers with a fascinating history of the first African Americans and the wonderful stories they brought with them to the West Indies and America. Full color.
Paperback
First published November 1, 1997
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About the author
Virginia Hamilton
137 books270 followersVirginia Esther Hamilton was the author of forty-one works of fiction and nonfiction. She was the first Black writer awarded the Newbery Medal and the first children's writer to be named a MacArthur Fellow (the "Genius" grant). She also received the National Book Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 30, 2020
This book's combination of dialect-inflected writing and playful illustration almost bridges the gap between live-action storytelling and reading. The tales reflect a world where life is a constant string of contests over who can outwit who, but real tricksters can learn to quite enjoy it.
October 12, 2009
This is a beautiful book re-telling classic animal trickster tales from America, the West Indies and Africa (with interesting background on the Anansi stories). The author has included thorough background information on storytelling lore in general as well as the individual stories and characters. The illustrations by Barry Moser are gorgeous. The text includes a lot of dialect, which might make this book problematic for younger readers, but which would help a storyteller/teacher bring the stories alive in a read-aloud setting. The book is oversized, which shows off the illustrations and makes the text larger and easier to read. This would be an essential text to refer to when learning about this genre.
February 18, 2018
Four of the stories are from the African American tradition, three are from the West Indies, and four are from Africa. Several trickster animals are featured, including rabbits, spiders, turtles, and a miniature deer. Each set of stories is written in the appropriate dialect, with an explanation from the author concerning the dialect. The stories are humorous, with someone in each story receiving his just desserts. Barry Moser accompanies these stories with outstanding paintings of the various animals in all their glory. Following the stories are some extensive notes from the author regarding the origins and explanations of each story. An excellent anthology.
March 23, 2024
This is kind of an odd thing to rate. The art was perfect for it, the research and reproduction of the stories were both obviously well done, but the stories themselves ended up not being my favorite things.
June 3, 2008
CIP: "Eleven trickster tales that show the migration of African culture to America via the West Indies."
Maggie: Delightfully humorous trickster tales starring such memorable jokesters as Anasai, Hare, and Bruh Rabbit. Hamilton, the granddaughter of an escaped slave, has brought together a collection of stories which all have roots in Africa and which were brought to the Americas and the West Indies through unfortunate means. This book would be a great introduction to looking at other cultures and how many are interrelated. Recommended for ages 7 and up.
SLJ: "K Up-Hamilton offers readers and storytellers 11 animal trickster tales from the African diaspora. Most are quite familiar. "Bruh Wolf and Bruh Rabbit Join Together" is a variant of the popular tale about who gets the top or the bottom of the harvested crops. "The Cat and the Rat" takes a new twist when Bruh Wolf is brought in to help them share their find. "Cunnie Anansi Does Some Good" is a different take on name guessing. "Cunnie Rabbit and Spider Make a Match" is a tale about strength that also explains why animals have different colors or spots or stripes. It is the least successful offering as it lacks the humor and familiar touches found in "The Extraordinary Tug-ofWar." As in When Birds Could Talk & Bats Could Sing (Scholastic, 1996) and In the Beginning (Harcourt, 1988), Moser's humorous illustrations of the principal characters capture and complement the wily, dazed, and perplexed demeanor of the animals as described by Hamilton. A section of notes helps readers understand the colloquialisms and contractions in the retellings and gives an explanation about the tricksters and the specific geographical location of the diaspora they represent. The format, size, and attractive illustrations make this title a good choice for group sharing."
BL: "Gr. 3-6. Similiar in format and design to Hamilton and Moser's Newbery Honor Book, In the Beginning: Creation Stories from around the World, this is a stunning collection of trickster tales from Africa and the diaspora. Some of these wily, bold creatures like Bruh Rabbit and Anansi will be familiar; others like the Africans' Cunnie Rabbit and Hare will be less well known. Moser's elegant and imaginative watercolors are a revelation. They strike a delicate balance between the characters' animal natures and human traits, often playing off the humor and wit of the narratives. Many of the tales are very funny, like the slapstick opener that finds the wily Bruh Rabby outsmarting the fiddling Bruh Gator. A few, such as "Buzzard and Wren Have a Race," are more restrained and pensive. In language that is simple yet eloquent, innovative yet accessible (especially when read aloud), Hamilton interprets three black vernaculars, including a version of the daunting Gullah. Hamilton's introduction is thoughtful, and the notes that accompany each yarn are fascinating; however, students of folklore might have appreciated the identification of specific sources and archives. This is but a minor flaw in an undeniably handsome and well-written book that showcases two masters at the top of their form."
Maggie: Delightfully humorous trickster tales starring such memorable jokesters as Anasai, Hare, and Bruh Rabbit. Hamilton, the granddaughter of an escaped slave, has brought together a collection of stories which all have roots in Africa and which were brought to the Americas and the West Indies through unfortunate means. This book would be a great introduction to looking at other cultures and how many are interrelated. Recommended for ages 7 and up.
SLJ: "K Up-Hamilton offers readers and storytellers 11 animal trickster tales from the African diaspora. Most are quite familiar. "Bruh Wolf and Bruh Rabbit Join Together" is a variant of the popular tale about who gets the top or the bottom of the harvested crops. "The Cat and the Rat" takes a new twist when Bruh Wolf is brought in to help them share their find. "Cunnie Anansi Does Some Good" is a different take on name guessing. "Cunnie Rabbit and Spider Make a Match" is a tale about strength that also explains why animals have different colors or spots or stripes. It is the least successful offering as it lacks the humor and familiar touches found in "The Extraordinary Tug-ofWar." As in When Birds Could Talk & Bats Could Sing (Scholastic, 1996) and In the Beginning (Harcourt, 1988), Moser's humorous illustrations of the principal characters capture and complement the wily, dazed, and perplexed demeanor of the animals as described by Hamilton. A section of notes helps readers understand the colloquialisms and contractions in the retellings and gives an explanation about the tricksters and the specific geographical location of the diaspora they represent. The format, size, and attractive illustrations make this title a good choice for group sharing."
BL: "Gr. 3-6. Similiar in format and design to Hamilton and Moser's Newbery Honor Book, In the Beginning: Creation Stories from around the World, this is a stunning collection of trickster tales from Africa and the diaspora. Some of these wily, bold creatures like Bruh Rabbit and Anansi will be familiar; others like the Africans' Cunnie Rabbit and Hare will be less well known. Moser's elegant and imaginative watercolors are a revelation. They strike a delicate balance between the characters' animal natures and human traits, often playing off the humor and wit of the narratives. Many of the tales are very funny, like the slapstick opener that finds the wily Bruh Rabby outsmarting the fiddling Bruh Gator. A few, such as "Buzzard and Wren Have a Race," are more restrained and pensive. In language that is simple yet eloquent, innovative yet accessible (especially when read aloud), Hamilton interprets three black vernaculars, including a version of the daunting Gullah. Hamilton's introduction is thoughtful, and the notes that accompany each yarn are fascinating; however, students of folklore might have appreciated the identification of specific sources and archives. This is but a minor flaw in an undeniably handsome and well-written book that showcases two masters at the top of their form."
March 2, 2014
Hamilton, Virginia. A Ring of Tricksters: Animal Tales from America, the West Indies, and Africa. New York: The Blue Sky Press, 1997.
These tricksters folktales are divide by Tricksters-American, Tricksters-West Indian, Tricksters-African, The one I read is from West Indian.
Title: Cunnie Anansi Does Some Good
Characters: Cunnie Anansi (spider), Sima Tiger, and Breda Parrot
Setting: Jungle, homes of Sima, Breda, and Anansi
Theme: Deceit, sneakiness, trickery
Genre: Folktale, trickster
Plot/Summary: Anansi the spider is known to be clever and to make trouble for others through trickery and deceit. Anansi tells his friends Sima and Breda that they should all change names. Anyone who could not identify them by their new name would get hung upside down and they could all eat the food nearby. They all agreed. They ended up placing Sima's and Breda's mom upside down and eating food. But, Anansi managed to make up excuses to go his his mom's and prep her by telling his new name. Of course, when they all approached Anansi's home, Sima and Breda realize they've been tricked and made fun. Simaand Breda try to play a trick of their own but end up in Anansi's mother's trap. She lets them know is cleverer than them.
Target Audience: Grade: k-2
Personal/Critical Response: This fable brings up a good point of not blindly following someone's ideas always or to think of other's motives. Otherwise, you may end up looking foolish. Alertness and awareness, and thinking things out is what Sima and Breda needed to do.
These tricksters folktales are divide by Tricksters-American, Tricksters-West Indian, Tricksters-African, The one I read is from West Indian.
Title: Cunnie Anansi Does Some Good
Characters: Cunnie Anansi (spider), Sima Tiger, and Breda Parrot
Setting: Jungle, homes of Sima, Breda, and Anansi
Theme: Deceit, sneakiness, trickery
Genre: Folktale, trickster
Plot/Summary: Anansi the spider is known to be clever and to make trouble for others through trickery and deceit. Anansi tells his friends Sima and Breda that they should all change names. Anyone who could not identify them by their new name would get hung upside down and they could all eat the food nearby. They all agreed. They ended up placing Sima's and Breda's mom upside down and eating food. But, Anansi managed to make up excuses to go his his mom's and prep her by telling his new name. Of course, when they all approached Anansi's home, Sima and Breda realize they've been tricked and made fun. Simaand Breda try to play a trick of their own but end up in Anansi's mother's trap. She lets them know is cleverer than them.
Target Audience: Grade: k-2
Personal/Critical Response: This fable brings up a good point of not blindly following someone's ideas always or to think of other's motives. Otherwise, you may end up looking foolish. Alertness and awareness, and thinking things out is what Sima and Breda needed to do.
February 27, 2017
These are old tales, some not readily recognizable but containing all the slyness, humor and spirit that you might expect from a book about changelings and deceivers.
The book is enlivened by realistic but slightly anthropomorphic illustrations of various creatures. Alligators look like gators, elephants look like elephants, squirrels like squirrels, etc. They occasionally sport odd little touches (like hats or fiddles) to make us remember these are stories about human quirks but they remain undeniably animal like in form.
There is the idea that all stories come from tricksters (one in particular—Anansi, who makes frequent appearances in this book). The suggestion that all stories are a form of trickery runs thickly throughout these pages. What are stories but a way to amuse, entertain and mislead our audience? They are meant to play on the emotions, illicit tears or laughter and, most importantly, win them to the side of the teller. These stories were meant originally to reveal foibles of neighbors, family and friends. They are humorous and pointed satire, educating others to the fools in their midst without naming names—much like Aesop’s fables were crafted to do.
This book takes us far from Aesop but reminds us that all stories about tricksters are the same…or are they?
Ha. Fooled you.
The book is enlivened by realistic but slightly anthropomorphic illustrations of various creatures. Alligators look like gators, elephants look like elephants, squirrels like squirrels, etc. They occasionally sport odd little touches (like hats or fiddles) to make us remember these are stories about human quirks but they remain undeniably animal like in form.
There is the idea that all stories come from tricksters (one in particular—Anansi, who makes frequent appearances in this book). The suggestion that all stories are a form of trickery runs thickly throughout these pages. What are stories but a way to amuse, entertain and mislead our audience? They are meant to play on the emotions, illicit tears or laughter and, most importantly, win them to the side of the teller. These stories were meant originally to reveal foibles of neighbors, family and friends. They are humorous and pointed satire, educating others to the fools in their midst without naming names—much like Aesop’s fables were crafted to do.
This book takes us far from Aesop but reminds us that all stories about tricksters are the same…or are they?
Ha. Fooled you.
August 1, 2015
Ring Of Tricksters: Tales From America, West Indies & Africa by Virginia Hamilton, illustrated by Barry Moser.
The collection of animal tales from American, the West Indies and Africa has sections on Trickster stories from each area. There is commentary from Ms. Hamilton about the included tales.
My favorites are "Buzzard and Wren Have a Race" and "Cunnie Anansi Does Some Good."
The illustrations by Barry Moser are nicely woven into the story text.
Age Range: 4 and up
Lexile Measure: 540L
The collection of animal tales from American, the West Indies and Africa has sections on Trickster stories from each area. There is commentary from Ms. Hamilton about the included tales.
My favorites are "Buzzard and Wren Have a Race" and "Cunnie Anansi Does Some Good."
The illustrations by Barry Moser are nicely woven into the story text.
Age Range: 4 and up
Lexile Measure: 540L
February 16, 2010
Written by Newbery Medalist Virginia Hamilton and National Book Award-winner and illustrator Barry Moser. This hardcover book contains 11 different trickster tales from America, the West Indies, and Africa. The book explains the evolution of trickster tales from Africa to America via the West Indies. Among the included stories are a few of the classic Anansi tales. The illustrations are large and simple, yet captivating. It's nice to have multiple stories in one book. It could be a great book to begin a unit on trickster tales, it could even be used as a calayst for students to write their own trickster tale.
Grade Range 2-3+
Grade Range 2-3+
October 12, 2008
Trickster Tales. CIP Summary: "A ring of tricksters: animal tales from America, the West Indies, and Africa."
This book contained several trickster tales, with a few of the classic Anansi tales. The illustrations were very playful. It was nice to have a bunch of stories in one book. It might be nice for the children to make their own Anansi trickster tale. I think this book would be used best with third graders or older.
This book contained several trickster tales, with a few of the classic Anansi tales. The illustrations were very playful. It was nice to have a bunch of stories in one book. It might be nice for the children to make their own Anansi trickster tale. I think this book would be used best with third graders or older.
June 25, 2013
Wonderful trickster tales partly written in the vernacular of the country/culture from which they originated. The illustrations are gorgeous. I appreciated the brief introductions to each section and the historical notes at the end as well. They were not necessary but were interesting to read and were helpful in understanding where the stories from and why Hamilton chose to present them the way she did. Lovely compilation and lots of fun!
April 24, 2015
I'm not entirely sure why I didn't love this book. I wanted to love the stories, but just . . . didn't. The stories were sweet and good, but the unfamiliar language left me feeling kind of lost for understanding in some places. Maybe I didn't connect with the stories because they were new to me, not having culturally grown up accustomed to these stories. The illustrations were absolutely incredible and I look forward showing the book to my class to see what they think.
November 24, 2009
I loved learning about trickster characters and stories from America, the West Indies, and Africa. The American trickster is Bruh Rabbit, the West Indian trickster is Anansi the Spider, and the African tricksters are Hare, Spider, and Rabbit! Includes how the stories are actually spoken, which could be tricky for re-telling.
April 18, 2010
Delightful African and African American stories in mild dialect about sly and tricksey animals like Cunnie Rabbit (a miniature deer), Bruh Rabbit, my favorite wise old turtle, and above all, Anansi the spider trickster. Beautiful illustrations as well.
September 12, 2015
You know I didn't even know that this was a picture book when you recommended it to me.
February 26, 2016
I can't help it; I'm a total softy. We're supposed to laugh with the trickster, but I feel like it's always disproportionate revenge.
August 19, 2023
Twelve tales emerging from enslaved people of the plantations and fields located in Africa, the West Indies, and the Southern regions of America. The practical jokesters and tricksters of animal folk lore are the main subjects of these tales. Using wit and cunning over strength and size the smaller ones prevail.
June 18, 2022
A very enjoyable collection of tales.
September 18, 2022
Quite a good set of tales. But it's difficult to understand how the "African word for spider..." is the same for every single African country!
November 7, 2014
All of these tales are about animals from around the world. Animals in these tales tend to be tricksters. The tales are from the Deep South in the United States to Africa and beyond. These stories were fun to read and they help to show what others cultures think.
Recommended age 8-13
Reading Level 5th-6th grade
Recommended age 8-13
Reading Level 5th-6th grade
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews