Part of the fun of working at Speakaboos is exploring what kinds of folk tales exist around the world. In the spirit of Black History Month, I’d love to share some background information on our Anansi stories. This may be a fun and creative way to introduce themes of Black History and African-American heritage into the classroom and home.

Anansi tales are said to have originated in Ghana, among the Ashanti tribe. Like the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen and the Grimm Brothers, Anansi stories hold a similar place in West African and Jamaican folklore and culture. The tales started out in the oral tradition and have only been written down within the past 100 or so years. Because of the oral tradition, it’s likely that the Anansi stories we read in the present day may not be exactly what they were when they first started. The word ananseem, or “spider tales” in English, has become such an inherent part of West African storytelling that the word is used to discuss all fables from the area. s. Anansi is best known as being a “trickster” hero, whose cleverness ultimately leads the tales to a final moral lesson in the story. Children all over the world, from Africa, to the Caribbean, to the United States are familiar with this trickster and see his footprints throughout the media. Even Sesame Street tells his story!

In Anansi Tries to Steal All The Wisdom of the World, the spider quite literally tries to do just that. In hearing all the different pieces of advice and experiences of the other animals and insects, Anansi learns that wisdom is not something that you can keep all to yourself, bottled up in a gourd, but rather is something that must be shared with everyone. At first, the spider comes off as selfish, but by the end of the story, children will learn about the importance of sharing.

To celebrate Black History Month here at Speakaboos, we’re offering Anansi Tries to Steal All The Wisdom of the World for free on our website.

Here’s a photo of part of our team at a recent recording wearing some pretty awesome Speakaboos t-shirts. A very special thanks to CustomInk, who did all our t-shirt printing!” We’ll certainly wear them with pride.

In other exciting news, our free storybook video of the week is “The Ugly Duckling” read by Cady Huffman. Related content is available – a word jumble, lesson plan, and a wordsearch in our games section. Enjoy!

The digital world changes every day. What was new and innovative a month ago has been replaced by an updated version or as Apple calls them, a new “generation.” Smart phones, eReaders, iPads, Nooks, whatever tool you choose, these devices are everywhere and it will only be a matter of time before they are legitimate necessities for all of us.

Most of my favorite memories as a child are those of my parents reading to me before bed or when I was sick, or just because I convinced them to. My father used to try to skip pages while reading Dr. Seuss, and I always knew which pages he’d tried to get past. Now, there are Apps that read to your children and online websites, much like ours, that do this sort of thing for you. Even for book lovers, those of us who love the feel of a book, falling into the digital revolution is unavoidable. Kindle sales have skyrocketed, surpassing not only Adult hardcover but also mass-market paperback sales. The growing question is then: when do we give up beloved picture books or board books and replace those formats with an electronic device?

According to Publisher’s Weekly, children’s books remain the top media platform in middle class homes – a bit of a surprise, notes Judith Rosen. Further, 80% of teen readers read physical books and have yet to switch over to digital copy. It seems that time may only be the real determinant for whether books will fade out. Children book sales, however, remain relatively consistent and have not been affected as much as Adult sales have. Parents still purchase books and children still request them.

Where will Apps fit into the book world and story telling? Children’s apps have become more creative and many find different ways to engage children. It may be something as simple as a parent handing over their cell phone while sitting in an office, waiting for an appointment, or on a long car ride. There are apps that include games or enhanced digital stories, where the story is read aloud and set to animation much like ours. The market is vast, however, and sifting out the quality apps takes effort by the consumer.  A few companies are working on developing “books you can play with and games you can read.” Until publishers just know what will sell, it’s uncertain which apps will be available in the future and just what their role will be in and outside the home.

For information on the Speakaboos “Stories2Go” App, click here.

Just in time for Christmas, Speakaboos has released the classic poem “The Night Before Christmas” written by Clement Clarke Moore.  Get into the holiday spirit with this story read by Sean Patrick Thomas, the star of “Save the Last Dance”.

Enjoy this story as well as several other classic Christmas tales like “A Christmas Carol” and “12 Days of Christmas“. All of these stories are complete with great Christmas-related games and activities.

Mini Christmas Tree – Arts and Crafts

Angel Ornament – Arts and Crafts

Christmas Trivia Game

Gingerbread House - Recipes