African Trickster Tales

Hello. Do you like funny stories. I am full of them. My stories are about silly, sneaky, and super-smart animals. Sometimes a little spider plays tricks on a big tiger. Sometimes a slow tortoise wins a race with his clever thinking. I am the giggles you share when you hear a good story. I am the lessons you learn without even trying.

I am African Trickster Tales. For a long, long, long time, before there were lots of books, I lived in people’s voices. In places like Ghana and Nigeria in West Africa, grandparents would gather all the children around a warm fire at night. They would tell my stories. They told tales about Anansi the Spider, who was clever but sometimes got into trouble. They told stories about Ijapa the Tortoise, who used his smart brain to outsmart bigger animals. When people traveled across the big ocean to new homes, they brought me with them in their hearts. My stories helped them feel strong and happy.

Today, you can still find me. I live in colorful picture books and fun cartoons. I am in the stories your family might tell. I am here to make you laugh. I am here to show you that even someone small can be very, very smart. I am here to remind you to always be kind. My stories are a special gift, passed down to help everyone remember to use their brains and their hearts.