Ananse and the Lizard: A West African Tale

Title: Ananse and the Lizard: A West African Tale

Author/Illustrator: Pat Cummings

Publisher: Henry holt and Company, LLC

Publication Year: 2002

Professional Source: Kent County Library

Genre (and subcategory, if appropriate): Traditional Books (Non-European Origin)

Audience: Children

Awards: None

Critical Response:

Ananse and the Lizard is an African fable about a spider named Ananse who thinks that he will marry the daughter of the village chief and therefore rise to power. Instead he is outsmarted by Lizard, who marries the princess himself and leaves Ananse in the dust. Furious, Ananse vows to get his revenge on Lizard, should he ever see him again. Then the story concludes with a clever note for the reader: “So if you look there, hiding in the corner…doesn’t that lizard seem a bit nervous? Well, now you know why…Because long ago someone did warn Lizard.” (37)

This story presents a lighthearted explanation for why lizards often stretch out their necks and look from side to side in nature. It is for the reader’s pleasure, but it is also a didactic tale with a clear message. Ananse, the main character, let his pride blind him to Lizard’s antics, even though Lizard is known to be an untrustworthy character. Ananse could have kept himself out of trouble if he had not bragged about his fortune so early, creating “a tale of a night so-o-o dark, and wall so-o-o high, and his future bride so-o-o beautiful.” (17) If Ananse had been a little less foolish, Lizard would not have been able to trick him. The lesson for the readers is that being cocky and arrogant can cause a person to act like a fool, which can have dire consequences.

Children and parents alike will find themselves enjoying the story due to the vibrant characters and the skillful storytelling. Older readers will be able to predict the ending before The clever explanation for lizards’ necks is delightful.

The pictures in the story are very vibrant and reminiscent of the African style of artwork, using bold, solid colors and heavy lines in the illustrations. The human characters pictured all wear the traditional sweeping, colorful garb of West African tribes. These pictures also show that the author made sure to depict an authentic picture of the African people. This can be seen in the subtle nuances—a baby wrapped in cloth and strapped to a mothers back, or a basket of fruit being balanced on a woman’s head. Ananse is the only animal character depicted wearing African clothes as well, and this is likely so that he is recognized as being the main character instead of being just a normal spider.