A Pride of African Tales

Written by: Donna L. Washington

Illustrated by: James Ransome

          A Pride of African Tales is a collection of six tales of varying types from different regions in Africa that draw on the oral tradition of storytelling.  Each story is briefly introduced with the title, type of tale, where it is from (demonstrated on a map), and the main message/moral.  The six tales within this collection are "Anansi's Fishing Expedition" (a trickster tale from Ghana), "The Boy Who Wanted the Moon" (a pourquoi- story of how things came to be- from the Congo), "Shansa Mutongo Shima" (a cautionary tale from the Democratic Republic of the Congo), "The Roof of Leaves" (a tale of anger and forgiveness based on a real occurrence in the Congo), "The Wedding Basket" (a taboo story from Nigeria), and "The Talking Skull" (a fable from Cameroon).

          When working on this collection, Washington states that she "consulted as many written and oral sources as she could find" to increase the authenticity of the text (front book flap).  Throughout the book, she weaves the common thread of storytelling, allowing the various stories to come together for one purpose: to encourage oral storytelling.  In her Introduction, Washington even encourages readers to participate in and add their own flair to different stories through communication. "Stories are meant to be told.  Please accept my invitation to tell these stories. That is why they exist!" (p. ix).

           At the end of the work, Washington includes a section of "Story Notes and Further Reading" to describe her process in compiling information for each story presented, which serves to increase her authenticity.  For example, in the notes on "The Wedding Basket," she states that the original source is unknown because she has "never seen it in print before," because of the cultural emphasis on oral tradition (p. 70).  While this story has an unclear written history, most of the other stories have more documented history for Washington to draw upon in compiling her own version of the tales.

          Each tale focuses on different morals, many of which occur across cultures, such as the ideas of thinking before you speak, not judging a book by it's cover, forgiveness, and respect.  However, some of the morals, such as the emphasis on quick thinking in "The Roof of Leaves," are more unique.  Despite the various elements of each story, I appreciated the larger emphasis on the importance of sharing these values through storytelling throughout the book.  I think this point is powerfully stated at the end of "The Wedding Basket" when the rich man learns valuable lessons and shares them so they "were not lost on his children.  They passed them down to their children.  Now I am passing them on to you" (p. 57).  I love this quotation because I believe it demonstrates the power of Washington to pull readers into this rich tradition of oral storytelling!

           Ransome's skillful watercolor illustrations also work to draw readers in and add interest to this collection.  Ransome utilizes warm, vibrant colors to bring life to various characters, traditional clothing, and the landscape through various full-bleed illustrations.  He performed extensive research in attempts to accurately depict the various African settings in each story (taken from the illustrator information on the back cover flap), which adds significant authenticity to the work.  The full-bleed illustrations scattered throughout each story mesmerize readers and draw them into the text.  Even on the pages of mostly text surrounded by white background, Ransome adds small illustration details, which often look like strips of patterned textiles or plants, keep readers engaged.  Also, various maps of Africa are present to pinpoint the locations of each story's focus allow readers to become aware of the geographical implications of various settings.

          As Washington is a professional storyteller, actress, and author (stated on the back flap), I believe that this collection of tales cannot be fully appreciated and experienced unless read aloud.  Her language throughout each tale begs to be shared with others in a communal learning experience.  I think this book would make a good introduction to African folktales because it provides a brief introduction to six different types of tales, which allows readers to determine which ones they like best for further exploration.

Additional Resources:

General website on African Folktales (and others around the world)

Another version of "Anansi's Fishing Experience"