Spiderman Anancy

by James Berry, Joseph Olubo (Illustrator)

Both spider and man, Anancy can change his nature as the situation demands. He is anything from a lovable rogue to an artful prince, relying on cleverness and cunning to outwit his adversaries.

James Berry retells these stories of Spiderman Anancy in colorful language that evokes the rich heritage of their Caribbean and West African origins. All the lively, capricious characters are here: proud and stupid Bro Tiger, wily Bro Puss, nasty Bro Monkey. Over and over they pit their wits against Anancy, and over and over he outsmarts them. Those who are familiar with these characters will be pleased by their lively incarnation in these twenty short stories; those who are not will be introduced to an important family of myth and legend.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Childrens, Fantasy, Folk Tales, Fairy Tales

119 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

James Berry, OBE, Hon FRSL (1924-2017) was a black Jamaican poet and writer who settled in England in the 1940s. His poetry is notable for using a mixture of standard English and Jamaican Patois.

Reviews

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Berry assembles twenty stories about Jamaican trickster Anancy Spiderman and his companions Tiger, Rabat, Monkey-Mother and many more in this collection of folk tales. The tales read like they are being told by a wise storyteller. Berry shares stories about Tiger's attempts to gain the upper hand with Anancy, Anancy's bid to gain shiny things, the saving of Tacooma's tree, Monkey-Mother's stealing of Mrs Dog First Child. It's a collection of stories that are fresh, stories you have never heard before, stories that are clever as well as wise.

[Ernest Hogan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caribbean folk tales with African roots. An good alternative to Marvel.

[Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting stories but somewhat repetitive.

[Mathew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first James Berry I have read and being a fan of the Anansi trickster tales from Africa, I was looking forward to this a lot. Berry, who is by trade better known for his poetry, works well at bringing a blend of oral Jamaican language to the story in which he explores the witty and clever Anansi who will trick his friends as much as he will trick his enemies for his own gain - the first anti-hero perhaps?

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

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