I was doubtful at first, but according to Mylife, she's living in NYC. Her daughter's name is Cecile.)

She grew up in Seattle.

She was a librarian at the Chicago Public Library and at the New York
Public Library. A storyteller, she traveled to Liberia and Ghana to
collect the stories of the trickster Spider and reportedly was the
first to popularize them in the States! (Typically, Spider is called
"Anansi.")

Jerry Pinkney illustrated the first book, at least, and it was
reissued in 1992 with a different cover. Stories include how Spider
got a thin waist, a bald head, why Spider lives on the ceiling, etc.
At least two stories resemble stories from "Uncle Remus." Another
story - that I think is from Nigeria - was about how wisdom was
scattered all over the earth.

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=571&q=joyce+arkhurst&gbv=2&oq=joyce+arkhurst&aq=f&aqi=&aql=1&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1344l9390l0l9781l69l31l0l4l0l13l219l2626l17.7.2l27l0
(book covers - including three for "The Adventures of Spider")

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/433440.Joyce_Cooper_Arkhurst
(reader reviews)


WORKS:

The Adventures of Spider: West African Folktales (1964)
Have You Seen A Comet? Children's Art and Writing from Around the
World (1971 - co-editor)
More Adventures of Spider (1972- "These stories focus on cleanliness, hospitality, and good manners and how Spider learns his lessons.")

Lenona.

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