Top life changing books
22 March 2025
Top Books That Changed My Life If there is anything we know for sure at AQUILA HQ, it’s that books
Have you heard the West African story about a trickster-spider man, called ‘Anansi and the box of stories’? It’s all about how Anansi endured many trials set by the sky god, Nyame. In order to be granted the box of stories, Anansi has to bring Onini the mighty python, Osebo the fierce leopard, Mboro the hive of hornets and finally Mmoatia, the invisible and bad-tempered spirit of the forest, to Nyame. Using skill, cunning and flattery, Anansi succeeds, and is given the stories. He presents these tales to humans to keep them entertained, and to bring them together for important occasions.
Anansi and the box of stories is one of many stories told by the griots of West Africa.
Wait, I thought we were talking about spiders. Who are the griots of West Africa? Ed
Like their global counterparts, the European troubadours and minstrels, the kathars of North India and the bards of the British Isles, griots are travelling oral storytellers. They move from village to village, entertaining people with theatrical tales and gossip. Sometimes they are accompanied by music and dancing.
But we have the internet now, what do we need storytellers for? Ed
In preliterate cultures, these travelling storytellers brought news and fun to special occasions like festivals and ceremonies. Stories helped people make sense of life’s chaos. The internet is also full of stories, but there’s nothing quite like listening to a storyteller performing live.
Do you want to have a go at telling a great story? Here are some top tips to help make your tale fun and memorable.
Start by building a collection of stories you love. These can be traditional fairytales, or folktales that have stuck with you. Do some research and find different versions of each story. Each version may have some details that you’d like to incorporate into your final version. Ask your friends and family if they have any favourites.
Break the story down into its most important parts. Take five minutes to read Anansi’s story on the next page. First we meet Anansi and describe him for the listener. Then Anansi decides to get the stories for people and goes to Nyame. Nyame gives him the trials. Anansi goes to Onini; then to Osebo; then to Mboro; before finally approaching Mmoatia. When he is done, he returns to Nyame, collects the prize and shares it with the world. These are the beats of the story – a beat is a unit of action. Dividing your story into beats will help you to memorise it. It will help you use different tones of voice for each beat, so that the story feels alive.
Make a list of the characters we meet in the story. What type of voice best suits each one? Look back at how they’re described in the story and play around with different voices.
Spend time in the world of your story. Imagine the weather, the sounds and the wider landscape. This will add a sense of reality to your tale, even if these details don’t all make it into your performance.
Next is the most important part of your preparation: practise telling your story as much as possible. Start in front of a mirror, then try an audience of friends and family. You could try recording your story as voice notes. Keep telling it until you know the beats by heart.
Decide what tradition of storytelling you belong to. Are you accompanied by music? Perhaps you’ll play a drum to determine the rhythm of your tale?
You may also want to wear a special item of clothing – a hat with a feather in it, or a special cloak? These can help you to step out of ordinary life and into your storyteller character.
As part of your performance, you might like to try what’s called a ‘call and response’ greeting, to bring the audience into the world you’re about to create. A popular one is ‘Crick/Crack’. When the storyteller is ready to begin they say ‘Crick?’ and if the audience wants to hear a story, they all respond ‘Crack!’ and this is repeated until the audience is warmed up.
Every culture has a trickster character, an archetype, who appears in stories to add that extra element of surprise. The trickster is unpredictable and doesn’t play by the rules. They look at the world differently, and use this skill to get their desired outcome. Can you think of any trickster characters that appear in stories you love?
Just like Anansi, oral storytellers are often tricksters – unpredictable people who use skill, cunning and flattery to mix magic into their tales and connect with an audience. Will you make like a griot and have a go yourself? What great stories will you tell?
If you enjoyed this brilliant blog, then why not think about a subscription to AQUILA magazine!
Words: Tanya Akrofi. Illustration: Thiago Limón
Top Books That Changed My Life If there is anything we know for sure at AQUILA HQ, it’s that books
The Linguistic Genius of J.R.R. Tolkien: Inventing Languages for Middle-earth ‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit…’ begins
Orphans in literature From Harry Potter to Alex Rider, where would children’s stories be without orphans? Katherine Rundell – winner
HOW TO TELL TALES Have you heard the West African story about a trickster-spider man, called ‘Anansi and the box
Let’s celebrate World Book Day! Ten Terrific Ways to Celebrate Hooray! World Book Day is 30 years old. Being held on
Step on it – forensic footprint casting Footprints are often vital evidence in a criminal case, and how they are
New Leaf Publishing Ltd 2025