Anansi and the Magic Stick

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kimmel, Eric. 2009. ANANSI AND THE MAGIC STICK. Ill. by Janet Stevens. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 0-8234-1443-4

 

PLOT SUMMARY

Anansi the Spider is known for his laziness. In fact, the other animals spend quite a bit of time teasing him, hoping he will finish his chores. However, Anansi prefers sleeping his days away rather than working to fix his house or clean his yard.  When his animal neighbors become too much, Anansi decides to take a walk. He realizes that Hyena never does any work other, yet his house is perfectly clean.  And it’s then that Anansi sees the magic stick complete the chores that Hyena should have been doing.   During Hyena’s nap, Anansi steals the magic stick and decides to have it do his chores.  Things get out of hand and suddenly Anansi’s laziness has the entire village floating downstream in a river that was mistakenly made.  While things end up happy in the end, the reader also learns that Anansi did not learn his lesson and that he will continue his tricky ways.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

With full page illustrations and small text boxes, this picture book’s main power is with the illustrations.  Bright colors and humorous action scenes will have readers, young and old, giggling as a result of Anansi’s blunders.  It would be easy for youngsters that are not quite reading to understand the story through the illustrations.  The text repeats phrases throughout the book like, “working, working, working” and “quick, quick, quick” which can certainly be an opportunity for listeners to participate in the reading.

 

REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “Whether it is with the braying voice of Zebra, the snorting of Warthog, the pride of Lion, the slyness of Hyena, or the tiny timid voice of Anansi, Terheyden's narration makes the characters come alive.”

 

BOOKLIST: “It's a long way from the original tale, but Kimmel tells it with cheerful energy and Stevens' chaotic mixed-media illustrations, with lots of bright pink and green, show Anansi's friends and neighbors--warthog, lion, hyena, zebra, and, in one picture, Kimmel and Stevens--caught up in the mess.”

CONNECTIONS

The beautiful illustrations and enjoy story make this a story that will certainly be returned to time and time again.  If the folktale was enjoyed, there are many modernized folktales that can be read. Here are a few:

Brett, Jan. THE MITTEN. ISBN 0399231099

Polacco, Patricia. THUNDER CAKE. ISBN 0698115813

Reinhard, B.J. SANJI’S SEED. ISBN 0764222104