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Anansi Finds a Fool: An Ashanti Tale
Lazy Ananse seeks to trick someone into doing the heavy work of laying his fish trap, but instead he is fooled into doing the job himself
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 8, 1992
85 people want to read
About the author
Verna Aardema
53 books35 followersA prolific American children's author and teacher, Verna Norberg Aardema Vugteveen - more commonly known as Verna Aardema - was born in 1911 in New Era, Michigan. She was educated at Michigan State University, and taught grade school from 1934-1973. She also worked as a journalist for the Muskegon Chronicle from 1951-1972. In 1960 she published her first book, the collection of stories, Tales from the Story Hat. She went on to write over thirty more books, most of them folkloric retellings. Her picture-book, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, won co-illustrators Leo and Diane Dillon a Caldecott Medal. Aardema was married twice, and died in 2000 in Fort Myers, Florida. (source: Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 6, 2010
I loved Anansi stories and "Just So Stories" and Brer Rabbit stories when I was a kid--and, really, they are all related. It's been a long time since I read such stories, but as I'm reading "Anansi Boys" right now, I was inspired to read more of the Anansi stories in picture book form. I'm grateful to my friend Abigail for recommending two excellent books for starters, "Anansi Does the Impossible" and "Anansi Finds a Fool" both by Verna Aardema.
In this tale, Anansi takes on his human form (he is often seen as a spider) and wants to some tasty fish--but he doesn't want to do any work so he gloatingly tells his wife that he will "find a fool" with whom to go fishing and trick that man into doing all the work. Annoyed, Anansi's wife tells this to her friend and the friend tells her husband and they cook up a plan to trick Anansi! It's really so funny and absurd how easily Anansi is tricked and the "moral of the story" is a treat ;-)
Of course, this could all be viewed as a lot of mean-spiritedness and maybe it is. Or, it could be viewed as a necessary lesson in humbling a very cocky person. (Really, there is nothing god-like about Anansi here!) But, gosh, I loved this sort of story when I was a kid--where you know the main character is getting tricked and they have no idea and you are so wise and all-knowing sitting there watching the story unfold ;-) The illustrations are lovely and luminous and add to the appeal of this charming folktale.
Something I loved about both the Anansi stories I read is that his wife, Aso, is very wise and cunning herself. No cowed woman here! Woo hoo!
In this tale, Anansi takes on his human form (he is often seen as a spider) and wants to some tasty fish--but he doesn't want to do any work so he gloatingly tells his wife that he will "find a fool" with whom to go fishing and trick that man into doing all the work. Annoyed, Anansi's wife tells this to her friend and the friend tells her husband and they cook up a plan to trick Anansi! It's really so funny and absurd how easily Anansi is tricked and the "moral of the story" is a treat ;-)
Of course, this could all be viewed as a lot of mean-spiritedness and maybe it is. Or, it could be viewed as a necessary lesson in humbling a very cocky person. (Really, there is nothing god-like about Anansi here!) But, gosh, I loved this sort of story when I was a kid--where you know the main character is getting tricked and they have no idea and you are so wise and all-knowing sitting there watching the story unfold ;-) The illustrations are lovely and luminous and add to the appeal of this charming folktale.
Something I loved about both the Anansi stories I read is that his wife, Aso, is very wise and cunning herself. No cowed woman here! Woo hoo!
February 6, 2013
Verna Aardema won the 1976 Caldecott Medal for her acclaimed book 'Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears' and an ALA Notable Book award for 'Who's in Rabbit's House' in 1977. In 1992, when she was 81 years old, Ms. Aardema published 'Anansi Finds A Fool: An Ashanti Tale'. A "fool" indeed. Most often, I have seen Anansi depicted as a mischevious spider; here, Anansi is a human being- an absolute dolt, if truth be told. Based on an African legend, this story tells the tale of Anansi the man- a man so simultaneously lazy and greedy that you find yourself hoping he does not succeed in his attempts to trick a friend.
Call me "species-centric"- but for me, this all would have rung truer if Anansi was indeed a spider. Anansi was savvy and resourceful enough to craft a fishing trap from the fronds a palm tree, yet he was too wrapped up in his desire to not tire from performing physical labor that he even lost touch with his feelings- both the emotional and the physical. Dangers abound in this otherwise harmless tale: Anansi is just too ignorant and self-absorbed to realize that their unleashings are all his own doing.
Whereas young, primary students may likely revel in Anansi's misfortunes and missteps; I found them summarily annoying. I kept waiting for him to catch on to his rival's reverse psychology, as surely Anansi the spider would have done...eventually, at least. It's bad enough to come up defeated in a private setting; it's far worse when the humiliation is public and the victim remains blind to it. (I believe, in today's venacular, this is known as being "clueless".) Young listeners will be captivated by the clever use of onomatopeia, should easily find the story's moral or lesson, but may not be sophisticated enough to appreciate the subtle role the women play in this tale. For me, as an increasingly curmudgeonly cynic, I really just wanted Anansi to finally wise up and become a collaborator. If not that, then at the very least- a spider.
Call me "species-centric"- but for me, this all would have rung truer if Anansi was indeed a spider. Anansi was savvy and resourceful enough to craft a fishing trap from the fronds a palm tree, yet he was too wrapped up in his desire to not tire from performing physical labor that he even lost touch with his feelings- both the emotional and the physical. Dangers abound in this otherwise harmless tale: Anansi is just too ignorant and self-absorbed to realize that their unleashings are all his own doing.
Whereas young, primary students may likely revel in Anansi's misfortunes and missteps; I found them summarily annoying. I kept waiting for him to catch on to his rival's reverse psychology, as surely Anansi the spider would have done...eventually, at least. It's bad enough to come up defeated in a private setting; it's far worse when the humiliation is public and the victim remains blind to it. (I believe, in today's venacular, this is known as being "clueless".) Young listeners will be captivated by the clever use of onomatopeia, should easily find the story's moral or lesson, but may not be sophisticated enough to appreciate the subtle role the women play in this tale. For me, as an increasingly curmudgeonly cynic, I really just wanted Anansi to finally wise up and become a collaborator. If not that, then at the very least- a spider.
October 22, 2018
When lazy Anansi, the famed West African trickster figure, decides to go fishing, he looks around for a fool he can convince to do all the work. Imagine his surprise when Bonsu, also known for his cleverness, offers to accompany him. Will Anansi be able to trick his friend? And what do their wives, Aso and Laluah, have to do with it...?
This Ashanti folktale, which illustrates the point that "When you dig a hole for someone else, you will fall into it yourself," is a humorous story of a trickster being caught in his own trap. I particularly enjoyed the sly humor of the women here, who know perfectly well what their husbands are up to. Taken from Robert S. Rattray's Akan-Ashanti Folk Tales , published in 1930, Aardema's retelling is an engaging adaptation. Bryna Waldman's watercolor illustrations, which depict Anansi in his human form, perfectly express the humor of the story.
This Ashanti folktale, which illustrates the point that "When you dig a hole for someone else, you will fall into it yourself," is a humorous story of a trickster being caught in his own trap. I particularly enjoyed the sly humor of the women here, who know perfectly well what their husbands are up to. Taken from Robert S. Rattray's Akan-Ashanti Folk Tales , published in 1930, Aardema's retelling is an engaging adaptation. Bryna Waldman's watercolor illustrations, which depict Anansi in his human form, perfectly express the humor of the story.
September 22, 2016
* Book Summary
The book is about a lazy man named Anansi, who wants to start a fishing business but doesn't want to do any of the work and wants a partner who will do all the work for him. He finds a partner but things do not work out as he wants them to.
*awards
None author is Winner of Caldecott Medal and Brooklyn Art Books for Children Award
* Grade Level/ Interest level
2nd-4th Grade
* Appropriate Classroom Use
Read aloud learning about good characteristics
*Student Who Might Benefit From Reading
All students
* Small Group Use
I would give this book to any students who do not work well in groups to teach them the importance of group work.
* Whole Class Use
I would use this book to talk about fairness and honesty.
*Related Book In Genre
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears
*Multimedia Connections
N/A
The book is about a lazy man named Anansi, who wants to start a fishing business but doesn't want to do any of the work and wants a partner who will do all the work for him. He finds a partner but things do not work out as he wants them to.
*awards
None author is Winner of Caldecott Medal and Brooklyn Art Books for Children Award
* Grade Level/ Interest level
2nd-4th Grade
* Appropriate Classroom Use
Read aloud learning about good characteristics
*Student Who Might Benefit From Reading
All students
* Small Group Use
I would give this book to any students who do not work well in groups to teach them the importance of group work.
* Whole Class Use
I would use this book to talk about fairness and honesty.
*Related Book In Genre
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears
*Multimedia Connections
N/A
April 6, 2018
In this book, Anansi wants to find someone to go fishing with him who will do all of the work. His plan is to sit back and take some fish home at the end of the day. Another man, Bonsu, agrees to go fishing with him, but tricks Anansi into doing all of the work. Time after time, Bonsu gets out of the work while getting Anansi deeper into trouble. Eventually, they don't catch any fish and end up with a broken fishing basket. Anansi's wife laughs to hear how foolish her husband had been, ending the story with a clear lesson.
I gave this book four stars because it is a creative story which teaches a lesson to the reader. At the end, Anansi's wife states the moral of the story, one which is important for kids to know. You can't try to get out of work, for you must do it yourself. Sometimes it is hard to get the moral out of a story, especially when it is too complicated for kids. This book meets its purpose by sending out a clear message. It also has clever characters and a village setting which is unique to many kids. The reader is sure to leave this story with a lesson learned.
I gave this book four stars because it is a creative story which teaches a lesson to the reader. At the end, Anansi's wife states the moral of the story, one which is important for kids to know. You can't try to get out of work, for you must do it yourself. Sometimes it is hard to get the moral out of a story, especially when it is too complicated for kids. This book meets its purpose by sending out a clear message. It also has clever characters and a village setting which is unique to many kids. The reader is sure to leave this story with a lesson learned.
April 19, 2018
This book is about Anansi who decided to start a fishing business and he wanted a partner to do all of the work but get all of the fish. But instead Bonsu his partner convinced Anansi to do all of the work and he ended up not getting any of the fish. The story provides a great lesson for students to learn about. Lastly, the illustrations are beautiful and colorful.
I gave this book a rating of four stars because I think that lesson behind the story is important to share with students and the I love the illustrations are gorgeous.
I gave this book a rating of four stars because I think that lesson behind the story is important to share with students and the I love the illustrations are gorgeous.
November 21, 2010
This is a fun trickster tale, where Anansi has the tables turned on himself. The story is fun and the illustrations are bright and nicely detailed, with lots of expression. The women laughing at the men's antics are humorous and add some levity to the story, although a wife laughing at her husband's foolishness and shame is probably not a great example to depict to children.
February 29, 2012
Traditional literature, trickster tale from West Africa (Ghana)
Anansi wants to trick a friend into doing all the work at fishing, but he ends up being the stupid one. I loved the pastel full page watercolor illustrations, with ombré text boxes. The "tricks" in this story, however, are so easy to spot they border on ridiculous.
Anansi wants to trick a friend into doing all the work at fishing, but he ends up being the stupid one. I loved the pastel full page watercolor illustrations, with ombré text boxes. The "tricks" in this story, however, are so easy to spot they border on ridiculous.
Read
February 17, 2013Anasi is a lazy man and he wants to find someone to trick into doing all of his work for him and then he can reap the benefits things don't happen the way he plans and he ends up getting tricked. This boom would be great to integrate culture and literature. It also could be used to teach students right from wrong.
August 4, 2010
A good tale with nice illustrations about how Anansi tries to trick a friend into doing all the work, but ends up being tricked himself. I thought that Anansi was supposed to be a trickster god. He didn't seem very godly in this book. Hmmm...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2012
Anansi as a human; very realistic pictures, gentle style with soft colors. Anansi is the one tricked in this tale. Minimal information about Ashanti culture, limited to a small, difficult to find glossary on the copyright page.
December 15, 2012
This is an African folktale and, like some of our fairytales, this has been homogenized for kids. Anansi is lazy and wants someone else to do the work for him. Finds who he thinks is a fool, but he is the one who gets it in the end.
August 31, 2014
Anansi decides he's going to begin a fishing enterprise, in which he does none of the work and takes all of the credit. The tables turn on him when his friend Bonsu discovers his scheme. Cute book; it's entertaining to see how Bonsu contrives to make Anansi's plot fall apart.
July 31, 2008
Lots of surprises for two African fellows out to start a fishing business.
December 28, 2008
"When you dig a hole for someone else, you will fall into it yourself"
...If only that were actually true.......
Oh Anansi, its a good thing your wife is easy going with a good sense of humor!
...If only that were actually true.......
Oh Anansi, its a good thing your wife is easy going with a good sense of humor!
March 4, 2010
Anansi finds that being lazy is more work than he thought. It's a good thing his wife is so easy-going! Good read-aloud choice.
January 7, 2011
Delightful tale with lively illustrations and since coyote trickster tales are popular here, can be a positive bridge into another culture.
March 19, 2011
We've loved all our encounters with Anansi stories! Fabulous stories with a moral that will crack you up and give you some good exposure to African culture.
April 7, 2011
Funny story with a good message.
December 7, 2012
A great story that teaches the readers not to take short cuts in life, and not to make fools of your friends. I would use this as a book discussion in my classroom.
April 12, 2011
-Another Anasi tale about his mischievous ways
- An entertaing book
- An entertaing book
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews