A Pride of African Tales

Professional storyteller Donna L. Washington brings to life six traditional stories from several African nations in A Pride of African Tales, illus. by James Ransome, including Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and the Congo. She includes a strong range of selections, from a well-known trickster tale of Anansi (about a greedy young prince who desires to possess the moon and a talking skull, and which teaches a lesson on keeping one's mouth shut) to a lesser-known ""taboo story"" called ""The Wedding Basket,"" a graceful story of a rich man who does not respect his wife's wishes and loses her. Ransome's lush watercolor paintings make the African settings seem palpable.