Kimmel, Eric A. (1994). Anansi and the Talking Melon. Ill. by Janet Stevens. New York, NY: Holiday House. ISBN: 9780823411047
B. Plot Summary:
Anansi and the Talking Melon is a West African tale retold by Eric Kimmel. The tale begins in Elephant's garden, where he is taking care of his melons. Anansi the spider, loves melons but is lazy and willing to grow and take care of them himself. Anansi squeezes inside of the largest, ripest melon and eats until he's full. When it's time to come out, he realizes that he's become too fat to escape. To pass the time while he waits to get thin again inside the melon, Anansi, a trickster, decides to play with Elephant's mind and act like a talking melon.
Elephant instantly believes that his melons can talk and decides to take it to the king at once. Anansi fools all of Elephant's friends as they travel with him to the King. When they arrive at the King's place, Anansi decides to be even more of a trickster and remain mute as the King tries to talk to him. The King grows impatient and is done with the "stupid" melon. Just then, Anansi talks and accuses the King of being stupid. The angry King throws the melon back to Elephant's house and it bursts. Anansi, continuing his pranks, climbs into the banana tree and calls out to Elephant as if he is a banana.
C. Critical Analysis:
Anansi and the Talking Melon features a beloved character from West African and Caribbean culture. This is not apparent from reading the story though. This fact was presented in the author's section. I would have liked to see more illustrations or vocabulary from these cultures in the book.
This trickster tale is humorous from beginning to end. I enjoyed the different personalities of each character in the story. Anansi, the trickster, is funny and keeps the reader laughing with his sassy rebuttals when the characters don't believe him. Elephant, the gullible, yet lovable protagonist is so hopeful that others will believe him. The characters really make this book a page turner. The teasing between characters will keep kids laughing and wanting to read this tale over and over again. This is another book with detailed illustrations, in particular the animals and melon. The line work and shading of the various animals is spectacular.
This is one tale that does not appear to have a theme to it. Even after Anansi tricks the Elephant the first time, he decides to trick him again at the end of the book. Anansi does not have a character change in the story.
D. Review Excerpts:
**Daryl Grabarek of SLJ states, "A talking melon? Elephant can’t believe his ears, and insists on taking his extraordinary find to the king. But unbeknownst to Elephant, his entourage, and the ruler, the duplicitous spider is inside the fruit, ready and eager to make fools of his friends. Exuberant spreads filled with comically expressive details portray a gullible group."
**Kirkus Reviews states, "Stevens's funny animals are delightfully expressive, while Anansi's spider-level perspectives provide generous close-ups of melons, a hippo, a warthog, et al. Good-spirited tomfoolery, with storytelling that reels along with the ease of a seasoned prankster."
E. Connections:
Readers will enjoy Kimmel's similar texts Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock and Anansi Goes Fishing. I can see students enjoying other trickster tales, such as Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears 0r The Boy who Cried Wolf. This book can be a fun reader's theater play! I've even seen this tale featured as a production at theaters for field trips.
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