Caldecott Medal Winner

A Story a Story

by Gail E. Haley

Summary

Ananse the Spider Man climbs a spun thread to the sky god to buy all the world's stories, paying with three tricky captures: a leopard, hornets, and a fairy no one can see. Gail E. Haley cuts vibrant woodblock prints rich with African pattern and warm color, giving the trickster tale a bold, handmade texture. The book explains where folktales come from and carries the rhythm of West African oral storytelling onto the page.

Historical Context & Significance

The story retells a West African Anansi tale that explains how spider stories came to be told.