Folktales

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: A West African Tale - Verna Aardema
The real reason mosquitoes buzz is revealed in this Caldecott award winning classic for children.
Ashley Bryan's African Tales, Uh-Huh - Ashley Bryan
Fourteeen stories retold and illustrated by the award-winning author.
Beautiful Blackbird - Ashley Bryan
Adapted from a tale from the Ila-speaking people from Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).
Ananse and the Lizard: A West African Tale - Pat Cummings
Anansi stories abound, but this offers a slight variation: the clever spider is outsmarted by a lizard.
Myths of West Africa - Bridget Giles
Examines the many different peoples that have lived in West Africa and some of the myths that reflect their beliefs.
A Story, A Story - Gail E. Haley
Recounts how most African folk tales came to be called "Spider Stories".
Black Folktales - Julius Lester
Twelve folktales, culled from the black experience in Africa and America, retold by the author.
Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales - Nelson Mandela
A collection of traditional stories from different parts of Africa, featuring varied characters and themes--some familiar, some newer.
Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti - Gerald McDermott
One of many stories about the mischievous spider who figures prominently in African folklore.
The Spider Weaver: A Legend of Kente Cloth - Margaret Musgrove
In this retelling of a tale from Ghana, a wondrous spider shows two Ashanti weavers how to make intricate, colorful patterns in the cloth they weave.
Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali - D.T. Niane
Sundiata: Lion King of Mali - David Wisniewski
African Storyteller: Stories from African Oral Traditions - Harold Scheub
Sense Pass King: A Story from Cameroon - Katrin Tchana
A young girl outsmarts a king in this retelling of a traditional story from Cameroon.
The Cow-Tail Switch: And Other West African Stories - Harold Courlander