Tricky Anansi the Spider plays a joke on Elephant and the other animals after Anansi gets stuck inside one of Elephant's melons, convincing everyone that Elephant has actually grown a talking melon.

Eric A. Kimmel, has written, retold, and adapted a number of stories from around the world, including two other Anansi titles, Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock and Anansi Goes Fishing. The Anansi tales are originally from West Africa but are also familiar in Caribbean culture, where Anansi is a beloved folklore character. Professor of Education at Portland State University, Dr. Kimmel and his wife, Doris, live in Portland, Oregon. Janet Stevens has written and/or illustrated many popular books, including Coyote Steals the Blanket: A Ute Tale. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.