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Fibbed
A magical middle-grade graphic novel about a girl who doesn’t lie but no one believes, and who winds up tangled in the web of a trickster spider of Ghanaian lore, Ananse.
Everyone says that the wild stories Nana tells are big fibs. But she always tells the truth, as ridiculous as it sounds to hear about the troupe of circus squirrels stealing her teacher’s toupee. When another outlandish explanation lands her in hot water again, her parents announce that Nana will be spending the summer with her grandmother in Ghana.
She isn’t happy to be missing the summer camp she’s looked forward to all year, or to be living with family that she barely knows, in a country where she can’t really speak the native language. But all her worries get a whole lot bigger—literally—when she comes face-to-face with Ananse, the trickster spider of legend.
Nana soon discovers that the forest around the village is a place of magic watched over by Ananse. But a group of greedy contractors are draining the magic from the land, intent on selling the wishes for their own gain. Nana must join forces with her cousin Tiwaa, new friend Akwesi, and Ananse himself to save the magic from those who are out to steal it before the magic—and the forest—are gone for good.
Everyone says that the wild stories Nana tells are big fibs. But she always tells the truth, as ridiculous as it sounds to hear about the troupe of circus squirrels stealing her teacher’s toupee. When another outlandish explanation lands her in hot water again, her parents announce that Nana will be spending the summer with her grandmother in Ghana.
She isn’t happy to be missing the summer camp she’s looked forward to all year, or to be living with family that she barely knows, in a country where she can’t really speak the native language. But all her worries get a whole lot bigger—literally—when she comes face-to-face with Ananse, the trickster spider of legend.
Nana soon discovers that the forest around the village is a place of magic watched over by Ananse. But a group of greedy contractors are draining the magic from the land, intent on selling the wishes for their own gain. Nana must join forces with her cousin Tiwaa, new friend Akwesi, and Ananse himself to save the magic from those who are out to steal it before the magic—and the forest—are gone for good.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2022
15 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
May 6, 2023
As my debut middle grade graphic novel, the story in Fibbed is so close to my heart. It’s about a young girl reconnecting with her family and her culture. It’s about discovering your voice and learning from the past. But most of all, it’s about searching for the truth, and finding instead, the power that comes in believing; in others, in ourselves, and in the intangible. I’m so, so proud to have written and illustrated every little piece of this book and I’m so grateful to everyone who chooses to pick it up. Thank you so much for taking the time to read Fibbed. I hope Nana’s story sparked your imagination, and brought some joy and fun into your day <3
-Elizabeth Agyemang
-Elizabeth Agyemang
February 25, 2025
I really liked the imagery (literary and literal) but the print on some of the pages was off and made the reading of the story weird. But that was only a little in the middle.
This is an allegory and folk tale that gets to the root of African traditions and colonization and theft of native livelihood, all while leaving pollution and dearth in once thriving ancient populations.
The story is fun and not so off-putting as it follows a school aged girl as she travels to abroad to visit family. Anansi stories appear and so does he.....
This is an allegory and folk tale that gets to the root of African traditions and colonization and theft of native livelihood, all while leaving pollution and dearth in once thriving ancient populations.
The story is fun and not so off-putting as it follows a school aged girl as she travels to abroad to visit family. Anansi stories appear and so does he.....
May 25, 2022
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Fibbed is multi-layered. I began by immediately loving how when Nana gets to Ghana, she feels this dsiconnect. How she doesn't speak Twi and while she is aware of her heritage, there's this gap. Talk about relatable diaspora feels. At the same time, Fibbed features Nana who no one believes. My heart broke for her especially as she keeps being called a liar! Drawing on Ghanian lore, Fibbed then turns into an action story. See what I mean about it being multi-faceted?
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
Fibbed is multi-layered. I began by immediately loving how when Nana gets to Ghana, she feels this dsiconnect. How she doesn't speak Twi and while she is aware of her heritage, there's this gap. Talk about relatable diaspora feels. At the same time, Fibbed features Nana who no one believes. My heart broke for her especially as she keeps being called a liar! Drawing on Ghanian lore, Fibbed then turns into an action story. See what I mean about it being multi-faceted?
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
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January 18, 2023Nana Busumuru keeps getting in trouble at school for making up stories that she swears are true. This time, the story involves a circus of squirrels making off with her teacher’s toupee. In Fibbed, the debut middle-grade graphic novel by Elizabeth Agyemang, Nana is sent back to Ghana, her parents’ homeland, in an attempt to reset her moral compass. Nana experiences some culture shock, but she soon figures out how the storytelling that caused her problems in America is also woven into Ghanaian culture. The bright pages of Agyemang’s narrative involve Nana and her new friends opposing developers seeking to steal magic from the villagers, and the role of the trickster spider Ananse who possesses all the world’s stories. As all this unfolds, the pages of Fibbed explore the connections between truth, lies, fiction, stories, myth, and journalism in a tale that ends with a satisfying resolution on all levels.
May 1, 2023
Kid gets sent to spend some time with family in Ghana over the summer. Meets Ananse, discovers plot to steal magic from the ground.
Gets a little magical realismish in parts - I want to use the term "associative" for some reason.
Bright full-color illustrations, and didn't feel like everything else I've read.
I was most into it when it was depicting the experience of going to Ghana for the first time, showing the cultural differences from America. But I'm pretty into travelogues as a rule.
Gets a little magical realismish in parts - I want to use the term "associative" for some reason.
Bright full-color illustrations, and didn't feel like everything else I've read.
I was most into it when it was depicting the experience of going to Ghana for the first time, showing the cultural differences from America. But I'm pretty into travelogues as a rule.
March 8, 2023
This had promise, but I just didn't enjoy how the story was executed. It was unclear at times if Nana was lying (if so, why does she feel like she needs to lie) or if these fantastical things were really happening (if so, how are they happening) and the takeaway was muddled as a result.
February 18, 2023
Fibbed is a pretty great middle grade graphic novel! The story follows a girl named Nana who is constantly witnessing magical things and never believed. Her parents send her to stay with her grandparents in Ghana for the summer, where with her cousin and new friend she discovers that illegal colonialist mining is sucking the magic from the earth and having a devastating impact on the environment and community. Her and her friends team up with Ananse to fight back. It has a great focus on Ghanaian culture, the power of storytelling, and the importance of protecting our communities. It's a really cute story with compelling characters. The art is cute and vibrant. I wasn't keen on how the speech bubbles were laid out, which was sometimes hard to follow, but it isn't a huge issue.
Overall I really enjoyed this and would recommend it! I'll be keeping an eye out for more works from the author.
Overall I really enjoyed this and would recommend it! I'll be keeping an eye out for more works from the author.
August 6, 2022
This story was so clunky that I had a hard time enjoying it. Nothing seemed to flow, and at the end it didn't seem like everything had really been explained or wrapped up satisfactorily, almost as if it had been storyboarded, but the transitions and magical world building weren't solidified..This was a really good premise with a strong comment on colonialism and the ravaging of Africa's resources and people, but I can't say I liked it.
October 27, 2022
A fun middle grade graphic novel mostly set in Ghana, although the main character is Ghanaian-American. Retells traditional Ananse stories within a modern setting. This also has good insights for third culture kids, as Nana tries to navigate being the foreigner in her grandmother's country. The illustrations definitely capture the Ghanaian setting; I felt they were less successful capturing the expressions and actions of people.
June 15, 2022
What it’s about: Nana is often accused of lying, to the point that she gets in trouble at school for saying it was circus squirrels that stole the principal's toupee. Nana's family decide to send her to visit family for the summer, so Nana is sent to Ghana.
Once there, Nana finds it difficult to fit in, particularly with her cousin who seems to take an instant dislike to her. But Nana's grandmother is kind and patient, even when Nana messes up. It's Grandmother who teaches Nana about the magic tree in their back yard.
When Nana stumbles on a mining operation in the sacred woods, she's confused - especially when they seem to be mining the area's magic.
Nana teams up with her cousin, a friend, and the trickster Anansi to try to end the mining operation and restore magic to the area.
What I thought: This book was a bit confusing. It seems to play fast and loose with the idea of magic - it might exist, or it might just be part of the stories being told. Anansi might be a magical trickster spider being, or he might not be.
While the story was sort of interesting despite being a bit confusing, the art did not work for me. The layouts were a little consuming to me. Speech bubbles pushed through panels in ways that made it difficult to follow some parts of the conversation in places. Additionally, my ARC of this book wouldn't let me increase the image sizes, so there were places the details were difficult to make out.
I like that the story is trying to create a metaphor for how colonial powers undermined and of destroyed cultures in Africa. It's a bit heavy-handed; I feel like with a little massaging, it could have pulled off the trick a bit better, but it's creating a point of comparison for later discussion. But the story takes too long to get there. I suppose Agyemang is trying to build a bridge for readers between America and Ghana - there are some culture elements that get brought up and explained. I guess one could argue that it's laying the groundwork for the characters and setting, but it's a long way to get to the "good stuff".
There's also sort of an allusion to climate change - the magic mining operation is being done by a giant machine, and it's causing the local plants to die. This one seems like it could use a little beefing up - it's a bit thin, if it's not just something I'm putting on the story myself.
Why I chose those shelves: Trigger, bullying, violence: The miners kidnap and threaten Nana and her friends; issue, political, racism, sociology: This story is a thinly veiled (threadbare) allegory for the plundering of resources by colonial powers - the head bad guy is a blond haired, blue eyed man; Black: Almost all the characters are Black, and the story mostly takes place in Ghana; mythology: There are several digressions into African myths, particularly regarding Anansi; fantasy, supernatural, magic: The story seems to go back and forth as to whether what is going on is "really" happening, but the mining of magic is treated like an actual "thing", which adds to the confusion - there is even a scene where the magic seems to actually work (in a very genie-of-the-lamp-tricking-people-with-interpretation-of-the-wish kind of way); coming of age: Nana is treated as an immature liar, and she tries to overcome that reputation; climate change: mining the magic of the forest is killing the plant life in the area.
Why I rated it like I did: This story has potential, but I feel like it could use a bit more editing to reach more of that potential.
Once there, Nana finds it difficult to fit in, particularly with her cousin who seems to take an instant dislike to her. But Nana's grandmother is kind and patient, even when Nana messes up. It's Grandmother who teaches Nana about the magic tree in their back yard.
When Nana stumbles on a mining operation in the sacred woods, she's confused - especially when they seem to be mining the area's magic.
Nana teams up with her cousin, a friend, and the trickster Anansi to try to end the mining operation and restore magic to the area.
What I thought: This book was a bit confusing. It seems to play fast and loose with the idea of magic - it might exist, or it might just be part of the stories being told. Anansi might be a magical trickster spider being, or he might not be.
While the story was sort of interesting despite being a bit confusing, the art did not work for me. The layouts were a little consuming to me. Speech bubbles pushed through panels in ways that made it difficult to follow some parts of the conversation in places. Additionally, my ARC of this book wouldn't let me increase the image sizes, so there were places the details were difficult to make out.
I like that the story is trying to create a metaphor for how colonial powers undermined and of destroyed cultures in Africa. It's a bit heavy-handed; I feel like with a little massaging, it could have pulled off the trick a bit better, but it's creating a point of comparison for later discussion. But the story takes too long to get there. I suppose Agyemang is trying to build a bridge for readers between America and Ghana - there are some culture elements that get brought up and explained. I guess one could argue that it's laying the groundwork for the characters and setting, but it's a long way to get to the "good stuff".
There's also sort of an allusion to climate change - the magic mining operation is being done by a giant machine, and it's causing the local plants to die. This one seems like it could use a little beefing up - it's a bit thin, if it's not just something I'm putting on the story myself.
Why I chose those shelves: Trigger, bullying, violence: The miners kidnap and threaten Nana and her friends; issue, political, racism, sociology: This story is a thinly veiled (threadbare) allegory for the plundering of resources by colonial powers - the head bad guy is a blond haired, blue eyed man; Black: Almost all the characters are Black, and the story mostly takes place in Ghana; mythology: There are several digressions into African myths, particularly regarding Anansi; fantasy, supernatural, magic: The story seems to go back and forth as to whether what is going on is "really" happening, but the mining of magic is treated like an actual "thing", which adds to the confusion - there is even a scene where the magic seems to actually work (in a very genie-of-the-lamp-tricking-people-with-interpretation-of-the-wish kind of way); coming of age: Nana is treated as an immature liar, and she tries to overcome that reputation; climate change: mining the magic of the forest is killing the plant life in the area.
Why I rated it like I did: This story has potential, but I feel like it could use a bit more editing to reach more of that potential.
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October 5, 2022This was a really cute story about stories and how difficult it can be to be disbelieved. Nana has been sent to live with her grandmother in Ghana for the summer. She's had a challenging school year getting in trouble regularly for what appear to be pranks but she claims are the work of circus squirrels. To the adults in her life this sounds like a lie and they don't believe her. In part to give her some time away and in part to send her to her grandmother who also loves stories, Nana's parents send her to Ghana.
Once there, Nana finds most of her family welcoming and more open minded than anyone in the U.S. This surprises her, but old habits of staying silent and assuming she'll be disbelieved and punished die hard. Nana finds it difficult to speak up when strange things start happening even though her grandmother seems open to hearing Nana's stories.
Something is also afoot in the village. Strange business men are selling potions in the market and the plants around town are dying. Nana accidentally stumbles on both Ananse and the machinery these men are using to suck the magic out of the nearby forest. Nana's cousin and their sort-of friend from school make a deal with Ananse to try and help the forest and get the adult to believe what they've discovered.
This was a really interesting look at how stories can be true even when they seem unlikely. Of course there is magical realism interwoven into the story and lots of folklore which made the book feel very grounded in Ghanian/Ashanti worldview. But I think in some ways it reveals the lie of magical realism. Nana is right, there were circus squirrels and magic is real in her world. The adults just want to present a "logical" interpretation of the world around them. Bu the stories are true and are part of the world and their veracity is tied to how you see the world not some underlying truth that can be adhered to.
Agyemang sets the book up so there could be more in a series of books featuring Nana and her two new friends. I hope to see more.
Once there, Nana finds most of her family welcoming and more open minded than anyone in the U.S. This surprises her, but old habits of staying silent and assuming she'll be disbelieved and punished die hard. Nana finds it difficult to speak up when strange things start happening even though her grandmother seems open to hearing Nana's stories.
Something is also afoot in the village. Strange business men are selling potions in the market and the plants around town are dying. Nana accidentally stumbles on both Ananse and the machinery these men are using to suck the magic out of the nearby forest. Nana's cousin and their sort-of friend from school make a deal with Ananse to try and help the forest and get the adult to believe what they've discovered.
This was a really interesting look at how stories can be true even when they seem unlikely. Of course there is magical realism interwoven into the story and lots of folklore which made the book feel very grounded in Ghanian/Ashanti worldview. But I think in some ways it reveals the lie of magical realism. Nana is right, there were circus squirrels and magic is real in her world. The adults just want to present a "logical" interpretation of the world around them. Bu the stories are true and are part of the world and their veracity is tied to how you see the world not some underlying truth that can be adhered to.
Agyemang sets the book up so there could be more in a series of books featuring Nana and her two new friends. I hope to see more.
December 1, 2022
Nana is constantly being accused of lying. She's really telling the truth, but no one else seems to see the crazy circus squirrels causing mischief. Nana wanted to go to a journalism camp, but instead she is shipped off to her grandmother in Ghana since she's in trouble again. Nana struggles with the language and culture shock in Ghana, but finds a kindred spirit in her grandmother who actually believes she's been telling the truth about all the things she sees. Which comes in handy when Nana has to attend school with her cousins, gets lost in the forest and runs into Ananse, the trickster spider, and uncovers a plot of the local factory to suck the magic from the surrounding land dry. Nobody is going to believe her. She needs to work with Ananse, but everyone knows you've got to be on your toes when making deals with the trickster. Can she outwit Ananse, save the town from the evil corporation trying to leach the land of magic, and get enough people to believe her to help stop them?
Other than Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys, I've never seen an Anansi/Ananse story in English for anyone over 8 years old. Elizabeth Agyemang's graphic novel beautifully honors these folktales and retells them for an older audience while also spinning an engaging tale of a big corporation trying to take advantage of a small town, and a girl who is struggling to feel comfortable with who she is, especially in places where she feels like she's supposed to fit in but doesn't. It is done brilliantly. I loved learning about what life is like for a typical family in Ghana, and hearing some fo the Ananse tales I hadn't heard before. And the ending is both funny and redeeming. Highly recommended.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. The Western contractors of the factory threaten the native Ghanans and Nana who stumble on their secret, but no one is actually hurt. The magic draining is starting a famine.
Other than Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys, I've never seen an Anansi/Ananse story in English for anyone over 8 years old. Elizabeth Agyemang's graphic novel beautifully honors these folktales and retells them for an older audience while also spinning an engaging tale of a big corporation trying to take advantage of a small town, and a girl who is struggling to feel comfortable with who she is, especially in places where she feels like she's supposed to fit in but doesn't. It is done brilliantly. I loved learning about what life is like for a typical family in Ghana, and hearing some fo the Ananse tales I hadn't heard before. And the ending is both funny and redeeming. Highly recommended.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. The Western contractors of the factory threaten the native Ghanans and Nana who stumble on their secret, but no one is actually hurt. The magic draining is starting a famine.
January 20, 2023
Nana is tired of being called a liar - fantastic things do happen to her. But she's always getting in trouble and has a reputation. So when her parents send her to Ghana for the summer, ostensibly to get to know her family and the village her mom grew up, it's hard not to see it as a punishment. And that impression isn't helped by the fact that her cousin Tiwaa dislikes her, and Nana has to go to the local school. When Ananse, the trickster god, notices her, he enjoys playing tricks on her. Tiwaa doesn't believe her, but her grandmother, who has had an encounter with Ananse before, believes her. When Nana, Tiwaa, and a classmate find out that people are stealing magic from the land, they enter into a bargain with Ananse to stop them. But people have to believe them first.
I'm disappointed and, honestly, a little embarrassed. I chose this for the student's choice book bracket and, my first impression is it doesn't deserve it. As a purchase for the collection-at-large, sure, but it just doesn't hold up as particularly good- or high-quality. And I wanted it to!
The colors are vibrant, all the characters are dark-skinned with natural hair, and the love for African culture and mythology shines through... but the art is just bad; it's amateur, the proportions and perspective are off, and it's not very pleasant to look at. The story is serviceable, but it's not the clearest and there are some logical gaps (ex. Nana explaining to a classroom full of Ghanaians how to pronounce her Ghanaian name!).
And it must be a printing error because other reviews mention it, but there were ~3 badly blurred pages near the middle, which should have been caught and fixed.
I'm hoping kids can look bad the lack of quality and enjoy the story and colors and window into another culture.
I'm disappointed and, honestly, a little embarrassed. I chose this for the student's choice book bracket and, my first impression is it doesn't deserve it. As a purchase for the collection-at-large, sure, but it just doesn't hold up as particularly good- or high-quality. And I wanted it to!
The colors are vibrant, all the characters are dark-skinned with natural hair, and the love for African culture and mythology shines through... but the art is just bad; it's amateur, the proportions and perspective are off, and it's not very pleasant to look at. The story is serviceable, but it's not the clearest and there are some logical gaps (ex. Nana explaining to a classroom full of Ghanaians how to pronounce her Ghanaian name!).
And it must be a printing error because other reviews mention it, but there were ~3 badly blurred pages near the middle, which should have been caught and fixed.
I'm hoping kids can look bad the lack of quality and enjoy the story and colors and window into another culture.
August 4, 2023
When Nana is falsely accused of stealing a teacher's toupee and lying about it (she saw a circus squirrel take it, but no one believes her), her parents decide to send her to Ghana for the summer, to her family there. Nana struggles to adapt, there, away from her friends and everything she's comfortable with--she even has to go to school, because their school is in session. She doesn't get on with her cousin, and there's a mean kid in school, too. But soon, all three of them get wrapped up in a fantastical plot involving Ananse, the trickster, and why the trees around the village are dying. Of course, no one believes the kids when they tell the adults what is happening, because there is magic involved. Is there any way that Nana can get people to believe she's telling the truth, and to save the village?
I liked this one pretty well, though I often felt confused about what was happening, and it was sometimes hard to know how to follow the panels; the speech bubbles were often so big they intruded into other panels, which didn't help the confusion. I did love seeing something not just inspired by Ghanaian lore, but taking place there as well--we don't see enough books set in different countries, except maybe England. Especially great that this is a graphic novel, so will reach more kids. I liked the color palette a lot, though I didn't love the art style, which is just personal taste; too flat for me, so the lack of dimensionality also made things a little confusing, but others who are more visually cosmopolitan will likely have no trouble. I thought Nana was a sympathetic character, and believable (unlike her true but wildly improbable stories!). The novel includes two recountings of Ghanaian folktales, to help the main character understand how to approach problems.
I liked this one pretty well, though I often felt confused about what was happening, and it was sometimes hard to know how to follow the panels; the speech bubbles were often so big they intruded into other panels, which didn't help the confusion. I did love seeing something not just inspired by Ghanaian lore, but taking place there as well--we don't see enough books set in different countries, except maybe England. Especially great that this is a graphic novel, so will reach more kids. I liked the color palette a lot, though I didn't love the art style, which is just personal taste; too flat for me, so the lack of dimensionality also made things a little confusing, but others who are more visually cosmopolitan will likely have no trouble. I thought Nana was a sympathetic character, and believable (unlike her true but wildly improbable stories!). The novel includes two recountings of Ghanaian folktales, to help the main character understand how to approach problems.
August 21, 2022
Nana tells truths that sound like lies to everyone else, and this gets her into a lot of trouble at school and at home. Her parents decide a change of scenery might be good for her, and send her to Ghana for the summer to visit her grandmother and extended family. While there, she gets caught up in a mystery involving the trickster Ananse and something causing local trees, including in the forbidden Sacred Forest, to die. With the help of her cousin and a new friend, she discovers an evil at the center of the Sacred Forest stealing the magic from the land. Will the kids be able to convince everyone that they're telling the truth about what's happening, or will they have to fight it themselves?
There's a lot going on here: a coming-of-age story, the pain of not believed when she's telling the truth, learning to believe in herself, wrapped up in learning about her culture and heritage. This last part is integrated into the story smoothly, without feeling info-dumpy. There's some nice character growth, and not just for Nana. I found the ending satisfying, as well as kinda funny. The story is followed by an author's note with the history of Ananse in Ghanaian culture, and about the three tales covered in the text. An engaging way to learn a bit about Ghana and its culture and folklore!
There's a lot going on here: a coming-of-age story, the pain of not believed when she's telling the truth, learning to believe in herself, wrapped up in learning about her culture and heritage. This last part is integrated into the story smoothly, without feeling info-dumpy. There's some nice character growth, and not just for Nana. I found the ending satisfying, as well as kinda funny. The story is followed by an author's note with the history of Ananse in Ghanaian culture, and about the three tales covered in the text. An engaging way to learn a bit about Ghana and its culture and folklore!
January 2, 2024
I had fun reading this story. Part of why I read it is because African folklore has always intrigued me and I wanted to read new tales that I hadn’t learned before. This is a modern take on the Ananse the Spider tale and follows a Ghanaian American girl who is known for telling outlandish but true stories that no one believes. Her parents sent her back to their hometown so she can better connect with her culture and a larger adventure unfolds with her meeting the infamous Ananse the Spider. I think this story did a good job bringing a lot of cultural facets of Ghana and Africa as a whole to light and shedding light on the history of colonization and it’s modern manifestation in a creative way. Only one star off because I felt there were a few plot holes in this and the story felt a little more convoluted than it needed to be (if it’s intended for middle school students after all). It’s also made a bit hard to follow when some pages don’t have much text and others have walls of text from only one or two speakers. But the visual graphics are neat and it’s a good quick story to read through in a day
September 5, 2022
I wanted to like this, but I was pretty underwhelmed. Nana (a girl, not a grandmother) has a reputation for lying in her school in America. She tells outlandish lies like "a troupe of circus squirrels stole my teacher's toupee." As a result her family sends her Ghana to stay with her grandmother and go to school with cousins. She doesn't speak the native language. Her cousin isn't very welcoming or kind to her. She barely knows her family there.
She and her friends at her new school uncover a plot that some selfish contractors have hatched to take all of the magic from Ghana and sell it. Ananse, the trickster spider enters the scene and helps Nana and her friends to save the forest and the magic.
The end papers have beautiful African graphic designs.
Things that fell flat for me:
The injection of fantasy into what I assumed was a realistic fiction book.
The artwork felt hastily done. I had a hard time telling the characters apart from each other.
She and her friends at her new school uncover a plot that some selfish contractors have hatched to take all of the magic from Ghana and sell it. Ananse, the trickster spider enters the scene and helps Nana and her friends to save the forest and the magic.
The end papers have beautiful African graphic designs.
Things that fell flat for me:
The injection of fantasy into what I assumed was a realistic fiction book.
The artwork felt hastily done. I had a hard time telling the characters apart from each other.
October 23, 2022
After getting trouble for lying (again), Nana's parents send her to stay with her grandmother and other family members in Ghana for the summer. It's supposed to be fun, but it feels like a punishment. There, she struggles to fit in, and after an argument, she runs into the forbidden forest to fetch a soccer ball. She stumbles upon a corporation stealing magic from the forest, which is harming the whole village's trees. She also stumbles upon Ananse. Maybe with the trickster spider, they can stop the corporation? The use of bold colors really reminds you of the setting and the culture. The first 20 or so pages are the slowest, and then it's fast-paced for the rest of the book. A great adventure where kids save the day! For fans of The Witch Boy and Ikenga. For more Anansi, the Tristan Strong series is amazing!
December 3, 2022
A great debut about an American girl who goes to visit her family in Ghana after getting into some trouble at school when she tries to teen the truth but no one believes her (which makes the title ‘fibbed’ feel a little like a fib itself).
I liked the glimpse into a new country and culture, but the story had a habit of slingshotting quite a bit, from one point to another, so it was a bit to get used to. The ending kind of wrapped up strangely without many of the stories coming full circle- though I’m glad there was a logical explanation for the circus squirrels.
All in all, I recommend it for the lovely story telling and neat takes on the dangers of colonialism, but go in knowing the story sometimes leaps around.
I liked the glimpse into a new country and culture, but the story had a habit of slingshotting quite a bit, from one point to another, so it was a bit to get used to. The ending kind of wrapped up strangely without many of the stories coming full circle- though I’m glad there was a logical explanation for the circus squirrels.
All in all, I recommend it for the lovely story telling and neat takes on the dangers of colonialism, but go in knowing the story sometimes leaps around.
January 31, 2023
Give FIBBED to any middle grade reader who loves mythology!!!
When Nana gets in trouble one to many times for telling lies, her parents decide it might be good for her to spend summer in Ghana with her grandmother and extended family instead of going to journalism camp with her best friend. What seems like a punishment, turns into an unforgettable summer.
In Ghana, Nana must work with legendary trickster of mythology (Ananse), her cousin, and a new friend to save the magic of the forest. Rich in allegory, FIBBED will naturally open up discussions about colonialism, land rights, and tradition. It will also inspire young writers to incorporate the magic around them into their stories.
When Nana gets in trouble one to many times for telling lies, her parents decide it might be good for her to spend summer in Ghana with her grandmother and extended family instead of going to journalism camp with her best friend. What seems like a punishment, turns into an unforgettable summer.
In Ghana, Nana must work with legendary trickster of mythology (Ananse), her cousin, and a new friend to save the magic of the forest. Rich in allegory, FIBBED will naturally open up discussions about colonialism, land rights, and tradition. It will also inspire young writers to incorporate the magic around them into their stories.
September 5, 2022
I really liked parts of this book, especially the reliance on traditional stories and the concepts of storytelling. I felt like the parts that were more about Nana telling fantastic stories and not being believed weren't incorporated as well as they could have been. Her distress over not being believed is real, though, and it makes her a sympathetic character. Ananse is, appropriately, neither entirely sympathetic nor unsympathetic, and I liked that. I also liked how colonization and exploitation of natural resources is the real heart of this book, because that issue is handled fairly well. The art is a little simple, but it works.
June 19, 2022
Five out of five stars! It was a fun and dynamic read about the power of storytelling and believing in yourself even when others doubt you. I loved seeing Ghana and its rich beauty through Nana’s eyes as she visits for the first time and becomes immersed in her culture and her family traditions. It was so rewarding to see Nana finally come into her skin and take what she had learned from her grandmother’s story and her experiences, on how to make people listen to her. I hope to see more of Nana and her friends in the future.
October 2, 2022
If you enjoy novels with rich stories and magic I highly recommend reading Fibbed. Nana, the main character, is sent to spend a summer in Ghana at her grandmother’s because of her tendency to tell “elaborate stories”. Once there she finds herself getting into even more trouble and then comes face-to-face with the legendary trickster and storyteller master himself, Ananse. Will Nana be able to outsmart Ananse and save the village’s magic in time?
Read the full book review on the blog at: https://www.lifeofafemalebibliophile....
Read the full book review on the blog at: https://www.lifeofafemalebibliophile....
March 6, 2024
This is a beautiful and fun middle grade graphic novel. In it, Nana travels from America to stay with her family in Ghana for the summer after getting herself in trouble by telling wild stories that no one believes. She's struggling to adapt to life in Ghana until she and her cousin and a friend meet Ananse (the trickster spider) in the forest. Now getting people to believe her is much more important.
I loved the vibrant illustrations and wonderful depiction of life in Ghana. I also loved seeing Ananse as a character, having grown up with his stories as a child.
I loved the vibrant illustrations and wonderful depiction of life in Ghana. I also loved seeing Ananse as a character, having grown up with his stories as a child.
November 29, 2025
Quirky, fun graphic novel for middle grade readers. The ending didn't feel totally satisfying but all in all it was a good story. Her struggles to fit in to life in Ghana feel especially relatable. I liked it better than other "go stay in the village with your grandma" stories I've read - the main character is not rebellious or disrespectful, just sad. Setting feels rich and authentic. The illustrations really bring it to life. Magic is seen as real - mostly the forest and the character Ananse. Content is clean.
did-not-finish
July 9, 2022Got through 3 chapters before giving up. The art is so amateurish that I’m surprised this got published by a major house. Also couldn’t stand everyone not believing her when the things she was talking about were right there. Sure, “Circus squirrels took the bread” sounds outlandish, but when you can look out the window and literally see them wearing little circus outfits, like… why are you still all “there she goes! telling tall tales again!”??
August 4, 2022
This has quickly become one of my favorite Ananse stories. I love how layered the lessons were. It was great seeing Nana have that experience of visiting Ghana on her own and learning about her culture. The friendship she built with her cousin and Akwesi was sweet. This is such a perfect read for kids!
September 11, 2022
I was intrigued by all of the elements of this middle grade graphic novel: the Ghana setting, the Ananse/trickster folktales, and the colonialism represented by workers stealing magic from the forest. However, for me each element of Fibbed felt underdeveloped and it just did not gel as a cohesive, satisfying story.
June 11, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this middle grade romp. Full of Ananse/Anansi and Ghana and culture. My 10yo flew through this in one sitting and wants to learn more about oral storytelling traditions in African and Black American culture.
It was a great choice to peak interest in our upcoming folktales and mythology unit.
It was a great choice to peak interest in our upcoming folktales and mythology unit.
August 31, 2023
3.5
i leaned a lot about african folklores, whether they were the religions, gods, and even traditional games the people play.
i also loved the message of this book, which is to tell the truth even if u know deep inside that not everyone believes in u. ur truth may be stranger than the made-up lies, but they ARE the truth. eventually, evidence will be seen by the world.
i leaned a lot about african folklores, whether they were the religions, gods, and even traditional games the people play.
i also loved the message of this book, which is to tell the truth even if u know deep inside that not everyone believes in u. ur truth may be stranger than the made-up lies, but they ARE the truth. eventually, evidence will be seen by the world.
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