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A magical middle-grade graphic novel about a girl who doesn’t lie but no one believes, and who winds up tangled in the web of a trickster spider of Ghanaian lore, Ananse.
Everyone says that the wild stories Nana tells are big fibs. But she always tells the truth, as outlandish as it sounds to hear about the troupe of circus squirrels stealing her teacher’s toupee. When another outlandish explanation lands her in hot water again, her parents announce that Nana will be spending the summer with her grandmother in Ghana.
She isn’t happy to be missing the summer camp she’s looked forward to all year, or to be living with family that she barely knows, in a country where she can’t really speak the native language. But all her worries get a whole lot bigger—literally—when she comes face-to-face with Ananse, the trickster spider of legend.
Nana soon discovers that the forest around the village is a place of magic watched over by Ananse. But a group of greedy contractors are draining the magic from the land, intent on selling the wishes for their own gain. Nana must join forces with her cousin Tiwaa, new friend Akwesi, and Ananse himself to save the magic from those who are out to steal it before the magic—and the forest—are gone for good.
“Energetic folk art–style illustrations [capture] the vibrant setting and colorful Ghanaian attire… a voyage of self-discovery while demonstrating the magical power of stories and their ability to reach across cultures and generations.“—The Horn Book
“Lush warm colors and patterns enhance the beauty of Ghana’s natural landscapes and outdoor market…[and] immerse young readers in Ghanaian traditions, folklore, and language.” — The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Highly stylized, vibrantly hued illustrations handily convey this lush tale.” — Publishers Weekly