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The Storyteller's Start-Up Book: Finding, Learning, Performing and Using Folktales
Finding, learning, performing, and using folktales.
For those who want to begin storytelling but don't know where to start, The Storyteller's Start-Up Book offers everything one could ask for. Margaret Read MacDonald, an award-winning folklorist and children's librarian who is also a touring storyteller, offers basic start-up information on finding stories, looking at them critically, starting a "story bank," networking with other storytellers, and creating a storytelling event. In chapters on learning and performing folktales, MacDonald offers the reader suggestions for finding his or her own performance style. Most importantly, MacDonald presents twelve fool-proof tales that will work for the first-time storyteller. Arranged in ethnopoetic style to relay a sense of rhythm, the stories encourage audience participation and feature enough repetition to make them easy to remember. These multicultural tales selected from the folklore of Angola, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, Siberia, Wales, and Zaire will delight any audience. Includes excellent bibliographies to help the new teller continue to explore the world of storytelling.
For those who want to begin storytelling but don't know where to start, The Storyteller's Start-Up Book offers everything one could ask for. Margaret Read MacDonald, an award-winning folklorist and children's librarian who is also a touring storyteller, offers basic start-up information on finding stories, looking at them critically, starting a "story bank," networking with other storytellers, and creating a storytelling event. In chapters on learning and performing folktales, MacDonald offers the reader suggestions for finding his or her own performance style. Most importantly, MacDonald presents twelve fool-proof tales that will work for the first-time storyteller. Arranged in ethnopoetic style to relay a sense of rhythm, the stories encourage audience participation and feature enough repetition to make them easy to remember. These multicultural tales selected from the folklore of Angola, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, Siberia, Wales, and Zaire will delight any audience. Includes excellent bibliographies to help the new teller continue to explore the world of storytelling.
216 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 1993
9 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Read MacDonald
92 books78 followersFollow
Biography
Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald travels the world telling stories....always on the lookout for more great folktales to share. She shapes these found stories into tellable tales which anyone can share with ease. Filling her folktale collections with these delightful tales, she creates perfect read alouds for you and your family. MRM wants everyone to experience the joy of a beautifully told tale. She hopes you will read them a few times...then put down the book...put down the electronic device...and just TELL the story to your children!
Some of her favorite folktales she expands into picture books...hopefully with delightfully readable language while will roll right out of your mouth. Share them with your children and then....act the tales out! Revisit the tales by TELLING them! At bedtime. While on the road. Fill your pockets with great stories to share wherever you go.
Joining her Folklore Ph.D. with her 30 plus years as a children's librarian, Margaret brings folktales to life in playful, lilting language which should delight both reader and listener.
See her performance schedule at: www.margaretreadmaconald.com
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 23, 2010
Great intro book to storytelling and how to pick the stories you want to read. Didn't really like the twelve tellable tales in the back, except for "Yonjwa Seeks a Bride," as it involved wrestling for your bride and the imagery was amusing. It will definitely be a good addition to my professional collection.
September 9, 2017
I read this in preparation for a story-telling class I'm about to take in a few days. This book was a quick, easy read that made all my apprehensions disappear. I can be a storyteller, and you can too! In addition to being well written and well-sourced, MacDonald also provides stories in the back and what audiences they're best for, showing that she not only provides resources for the reader, but makes them accessible, too.
However, I find that it should be mentioned that this isn't a book filled with criticisms or history or cultural backgrounds--it's simply how to make yourself into a better story-teller. This is definitely worth a read if you're interested in telling stories at your local library or school.
However, I find that it should be mentioned that this isn't a book filled with criticisms or history or cultural backgrounds--it's simply how to make yourself into a better story-teller. This is definitely worth a read if you're interested in telling stories at your local library or school.
March 26, 2022
Soovitan neile, kes tahaksid jutuvestmist proovida. Tegelikult ajab närvi, et YouTube'is on jutuvestmist puudutavad videod ainult äri ja müügiga seonduvad. Õnneks on ka heade jutuvestjate lugusid ja esinemisi, ent siiski liiga vähe. Olen kuulanud Jan Blake'i ja Diane Ferlatte'i esitust - väga erinevad, aga mõlemad äärmiselt nauditavad! See raamat esitab mõned näitlikud lood, mida keeleõpetajadki saavad tundides kasutada kirjanduse õpetamise eesmärkidel või lihtsalt inspiratsiooniks. Eesti õpetajatel tuleks need lood enne tõlkida ja vaadata, kuidas meie emakeele seisukohast seda kõike kasutada saab, aga esmapilgul tundub vägagi tehtav.
August 18, 2020
This is a good book to start learning story-telling craft. I was particularly impressed with the section that brought drama concepts into the telling of a story. If you're wanting to become a story-teller and are looking for a starting place, this book can certainly provide that. Plus the author adds dozens uon dozens of other book titles on story-telling craft to provide other styles of teaching/learning, if hers is not concise or appropriate enough.
June 12, 2019
A lot of good ideas for becoming a good storyteller. There are also many resources listed and some of the author's favorite stories compiled.
July 28, 2020
This is a good resource book. I did a retelling of Turtle of Koka that has been a big hit through the years!
October 5, 2022
Definitely outdated, but also still provides helpful tips for storytelling.
May 2, 2012
This is a more informal storyteller's informational book.
Chapter 1: Your Place in Tradition. This chapter talks about different types of storytellers, esp. in different cultures. There is mention of ancient stories and how they've survived and evolved.
Chapter 2: Learning the Story in One Hour. There are different tips for learning stories in this chapter.
Chapter 3: Performing the Story. There are tips to use during the performance, including questions to ask yourself to help evaluate how you're doing. The questions deal w/ communication, delivery, scripting, control, and then suggests that you keep storytelling to gain experience.
Chapter 4: Story as Event. You should plan the effect of the story, set up a physical space/place for a "magical" event, plan the flow of your program, plan for and avoid disaster.
Chapter 5: Playing w/ the Story. This chapter talked about the benefits and pitfalls of audience participation. Some audiences don't respond at all and some respond too much and you lose them. Music can be used to enhance a story. Pg. 45 contains an example of a Gecko story and how it can relate to lots of subjects (math, social studies, language arts, art, music, etc.)
Chapter 6: Teaching Others to Tell. 1) Tell your story; 2) Talk thru the story (point out structure); 3) Break the class into small groups, 1 person starts, and at a certain signal, another person in the group starts where they left off.
Chapter 7: Telling it Everywhere. There are tips for telling to different age groups and suggestions for where you might tell.
Chapter 8: Finding the Story. There are many stories written down that didn't translate well to print and vice versa. There are different types of story collections you could look at, investigate different cultures, start a story bank, etc.
Chapter 9: Looking at Stories Critically. Examine them and try different ones, suggestions of authors should read. Avoid overly simpliefied tellings that remove rhythm/rhyme and avoid overly written tellings. Suggestions for other genres to explore.
Chapter 10: Defending the Story. Some parents abhor all folk/fairy tales although psychologists defend scary stories as a way for children to work out their own fears.
Chapter 11: Accepting the Role of the Storyteller. Checklist of things that make a story teller such as someone who listens to stories, identifies w/ story teller, seeks out storytelling to listen and opportunities to tell, sees stories as reflection of personal values/beliefs, ability to master technique, understands and fulfills needs of audience, has opportunity to practice in a supportive environment. DON'T BE AFRAID TO TELL TALES FROM OTHER CULTURES, otherwise they'll die out and we'll miss amazing cultural experiences/opportunities. Grant yourself permission.
Chapter 12: Networking with Other Tellers. Different associations, guilds, contact info, etc.
Chapter 13: Why Tell? Values of story telling such as: literary & imaginitave skills, awareness of other cultures, understand ourselves, sense of group belonging, respite from life, pass on morals/values/behaviors, preserve tradition, calm or energize a group, pride in performance.
Chapter 14: Belonging to the Story. Practice and have pride in your telling! (Don't tell any old crap!)
Chapter 15: Stories Audiences Have Loved: 12 stories w/ instructions, ages, motif & type #, background, etc. Most of these stories I would be appalled/embarrassed to tell in a school, esp. those involving violence (kid getting eaten by a bear, cutting his way out of the bear; tale of man w/ 3 wives, trying them all and then punishing the one who ate too much, by getting eaten alive by turtles...) There were some I really liked though.
Chapter 1: Your Place in Tradition. This chapter talks about different types of storytellers, esp. in different cultures. There is mention of ancient stories and how they've survived and evolved.
Chapter 2: Learning the Story in One Hour. There are different tips for learning stories in this chapter.
Chapter 3: Performing the Story. There are tips to use during the performance, including questions to ask yourself to help evaluate how you're doing. The questions deal w/ communication, delivery, scripting, control, and then suggests that you keep storytelling to gain experience.
Chapter 4: Story as Event. You should plan the effect of the story, set up a physical space/place for a "magical" event, plan the flow of your program, plan for and avoid disaster.
Chapter 5: Playing w/ the Story. This chapter talked about the benefits and pitfalls of audience participation. Some audiences don't respond at all and some respond too much and you lose them. Music can be used to enhance a story. Pg. 45 contains an example of a Gecko story and how it can relate to lots of subjects (math, social studies, language arts, art, music, etc.)
Chapter 6: Teaching Others to Tell. 1) Tell your story; 2) Talk thru the story (point out structure); 3) Break the class into small groups, 1 person starts, and at a certain signal, another person in the group starts where they left off.
Chapter 7: Telling it Everywhere. There are tips for telling to different age groups and suggestions for where you might tell.
Chapter 8: Finding the Story. There are many stories written down that didn't translate well to print and vice versa. There are different types of story collections you could look at, investigate different cultures, start a story bank, etc.
Chapter 9: Looking at Stories Critically. Examine them and try different ones, suggestions of authors should read. Avoid overly simpliefied tellings that remove rhythm/rhyme and avoid overly written tellings. Suggestions for other genres to explore.
Chapter 10: Defending the Story. Some parents abhor all folk/fairy tales although psychologists defend scary stories as a way for children to work out their own fears.
Chapter 11: Accepting the Role of the Storyteller. Checklist of things that make a story teller such as someone who listens to stories, identifies w/ story teller, seeks out storytelling to listen and opportunities to tell, sees stories as reflection of personal values/beliefs, ability to master technique, understands and fulfills needs of audience, has opportunity to practice in a supportive environment. DON'T BE AFRAID TO TELL TALES FROM OTHER CULTURES, otherwise they'll die out and we'll miss amazing cultural experiences/opportunities. Grant yourself permission.
Chapter 12: Networking with Other Tellers. Different associations, guilds, contact info, etc.
Chapter 13: Why Tell? Values of story telling such as: literary & imaginitave skills, awareness of other cultures, understand ourselves, sense of group belonging, respite from life, pass on morals/values/behaviors, preserve tradition, calm or energize a group, pride in performance.
Chapter 14: Belonging to the Story. Practice and have pride in your telling! (Don't tell any old crap!)
Chapter 15: Stories Audiences Have Loved: 12 stories w/ instructions, ages, motif & type #, background, etc. Most of these stories I would be appalled/embarrassed to tell in a school, esp. those involving violence (kid getting eaten by a bear, cutting his way out of the bear; tale of man w/ 3 wives, trying them all and then punishing the one who ate too much, by getting eaten alive by turtles...) There were some I really liked though.
November 13, 2014
This is a great introductory book on storytelling for a couple reasons. To start, it's accessible. Secondly, while it doesn't go into much depth, it ends most chapters with a bibliography, often annotated. While someone could quickly outgrow the text, the bibliographies would remain a useful resource.
November 8, 2014
A good guide for beginning storytelling. MacDonald writes clearly and from a very solid foundation. She incorporates well-known tropes and international tales, and her positive message, that anyone can develop into a great storyteller, comes through.
January 26, 2008
A very practical and handy introductory text for those interested in starting storytelling.
February 27, 2008
really great for learning how to do storytelling.
May 19, 2015
Older, but timeless for storytellers! Great suggestions as well as fabulous tales to start with in the back.
to-buy-or-borrow
July 7, 2015Reading a couple of excerpts from this book for a class whetted my appetite to read the whole thing.
June 1, 2011
Contains some very useful information on the art of storytelling.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews