Storytelling

Are you ready "to spin a yarn for a young'un?" Here's a collection in which you're sure to be interested. It includes a variety of resources on the age-old art of storytelling. The following titles include books on technique and how-to, as well as suggestions for stories to tell. In addition to hardcopy resources, there are multimedia presentations of stories that engage all the senses, plus Internet links to several informative storytelling websites. Let's get started, but, first, everyone c'mon down front and up close!

Books: How To

Storytelling With the Flannelboard by Idalee Vonk: Stories and patterns for telling stories on the flannelboard.

Felt Board Fun by Liz and Dick Wilmes: Expand the use of your flannel board. Themes, stories and patterns for telling stories with felt.

Apples From Heaven: Multicultural Folktales About Stories and Storytellers by Naomi Baltuck: A collection of international folktales about storytelling and the role of stories in transmitting information, history, and values.

Stories in My Pocket: Tales Kids Can Tell by Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss: Includes 30 stories chiefly from folk literature, helpful tips for storytelling, and an overview for the adults involved in the activity.

The Storytelling Handbook: A Young People's Collection of Unusual Tales and Helpful Hints on How to Tell Them by Anne Pellowski: This helpful book covers everything the young teller needs to know, with a wide variety of amusing, offbeat and easy-to-tell stories.

The Parent's Guide to Storytelling: How to Make Up New Stories and Retell Old Favorites by Margaret Read MacDonald: Telling a story is made effortless with this diverse collection of stories that has hints and techniques to help with remembering and retelling them. This beginner's guide includes bedtime stories, folktales, scary stories, improvisational ideas, storytime activities and more.

Storytelling Activities by Norma J. Livo and Sandra A. Rietz: Includes helpful techniques on story mapping and delivery, with story suggestions appealing to any age.

Best-Loved Stories Told at the National Storytelling Festival selected by the National Association for the Preservation and Perpetuation of Storytelling: A collection of 37 traditional and adapted folk and fairy tales, original tales, true narratives, and ghost stories, told at the annual National Storytelling Festival from 1973 to 1990.

Eleven Nature Tales: A Multicultural Journey by Pleasant DeSpain: Folktales from around the world that emphasize ecological lessons and truths. Each tale is presented in simple, direct language that will be easily accessible for young readers or listeners.

Bringing the Story Home: The Complete Guide to Storytelling for Parents by Lisa Lipkin: More than 100 original ideas and activities for children aged three to ten. In addition to folklore from many cultures, it features a rich sampling of original story ideas from parents that will inspire you to invent your own.

Noodlehead Stories: World Tales Kids Can Read & Tell retold by Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss: A collection of folktales from around the world, all featuring the character of the fool, with tips for telling the stories aloud, related activities, and source notes.

The Storyteller: Howard Terpning walks through the sacred land of the Piegan Blackfeet Tribe recounting stories of their religion, their brave deeds and their fight for survival.

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: This retelling of a West African tale follows the chain of events that result from a mosquito's boasting. Features narration by James Earl Jones.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie: Based on the book by Laura Numeroff, this is an interactive reading adventure relating a day in the life of a child and a mouse.

The Little Prince: Read the famous story of the Little Prince as you listen to Kenneth Branagh read it aloud.

The Emperor's New Clothes read by John Gielgud: Story adapted by Eric Metaxas from the Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale.

Micawber written and narrated by John Lithgow: A squirrel named Micawber loves the paintings he sees through the windows of the nearby art museum. One day he notices an artist copying the old masters, and he decides to do the same -- with surprising results.

The Velveteen Rabbit: Narrated by Meryl Streep and based on Margery Williams' award-winning storybook of the same name, this collaborative recording is pleasantly soothing. George Winston's piano conjures up enchanted seasons, beginning with the opening Christmas scene. Here, the Boy receives the Velveteen Rabbit as a gift.

Tales Around the Hearth by Heather Forest: Includes these stories: The Mitten; Rabbit's Hole; House on the Hill; Try Try Again; The Lion and the Mouse; The Turnip; The Town and Country Mouse; The Boy Who Cried Wolf; The Crow and the Pitcher; The Grandfather Clock; and The Cap My Mother Made for Me.

Good Night: Enchanting Story Visualizations With Sleepytime Music as created and told by Jim Weiss: Includes: Tropical Island; The Unicorn; Mountain Cabin; The Farm; Treehouse in the Forest; and Mermaids' Lagoon.

Green Eggs and Ham and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss: Includes: Green Eggs and Ham; Yertle the Turtle; The Rabbit, the Bear and the Zinniga-Zanniga; The Big Brag; and Bartholomew and the Oobleck.

National Storytelling Network: Two organizations, both headquartered in Jonesborough, Tennessee are dedicated to advancing the art of storytelling - as a performing art, teaching aid, and cultural transformation process. Check this site for festival dates.

Storyteller.net: Features tellers, stories, articles and short bios of professional storytellers.

Folklore, Myth and Legend: Links to hundreds of fables, fairy tales, tall tales, myths and legends.

Tim Sheppard's Storytelling Resources for Storytellers: Comprehensive collections of articles, links and information on the oral tradition and the art of storytelling.

Preschool Fingerplays, Action Poems, Nursery Rhymes and Songs: This site is arranged by themes to help you find just the right activity to match to your story.

MoJo's Musical Mouseum: This link takes you into the subject index to this kiddie music site. You can find the lyrics to many songs to accompany your stories, and some even have a "play song" feature that will help you if you don't know the tune.

Aesop's Fables Online Collection: A huge collection of fables for you to adapt to your own storytelling style.