Books with author Margaret Read MacDonald

Gecko may be small, but he has a giant-sized problem. Every night he is awakened by the fireflies outside his window. And when Gecko doesn't get his rest, he gets a little grumpy. So he goes to Elephant, the head of the village, to complain. His request that the fireflies stop working at night sets off a comical chain of problems for everyone in the village and complicates everyone's life. Through this cumulative tale from the Balinese tradition, Gecko learns that his well-being depends on that of the entire village and he finally goes to sleep, a little wiser.This Balinese folktale will teach readers the importance of respect, sharing and citizenship.

Recognized as Notable book for Global SocietyAnyone who teaches, lead, or speaks in public has had the experience of needing to fill short amounts of time in order to hold the audience's attention. The challenge is familiar to Margaret Read MacDonald, who for thirty-five years told stories to preschoolers every week. Here are more than eighty simple, short, pithy tales for many occasions: holidays, museum tours, history or nature walks, public speaking, media appearances, school visits, curriculum boosters. These traditional tales come from China, west Africa, Mexico, Japan, Thailand, Turkey, Syria, Cuba, the Ukraine, India, eastern Europe, and the Jewish, native American, and African-American traditions.

There was once a woman who had a little pot for a child. Tunjur! Tunjur! Tunjur!—that was the sound the pot made as it rolled everywhere. Unfortunately the pot wasn’t old enough to know the difference between right and wrong. That naughty pot ran off with things that did not belong to her until she learned her lesson . . . the hard way! In this retelling of a Palestinian folktale, children will discover that there are consequences for taking things that don’t belong to them.

Our relationship to the natural world is at the heart of the single largest problem we face today. We have a choice: hurt the earth and we hurt ourselves; care for the earth and we reap its bounty. This unique resource book has more than 40 stories from 30 cultures than touch on ecological themes. Story notes, source information and suggestions for further reading are also included.

"The world is all connected. Some things you just have to put up with."Gecko may be small, but he has a giant-sized problem. Every night he is awakened by the fireflies outside his window. And when Gecko doesn't get his rest, he gets a little grumpy. So he goes to Elephant, the head of the village, to complain. His request that the fireflies stop working at night sets off a comical chain of problems for everyone in the village and complicates everyone's life. In the end, Elephant teaches Gecko that everyone has a purpose in the village: the fireflies provide light, the buffalo provides safety and the rain provides nourishment. Everything is connected. Through this cumulative tale from the Balinese tradition, Gecko learns that his well-being depends on that of the entire village and he finally goes to sleep, a little wiser. This Balinese folktale will teach readers the importance of respect, sharing and citizenship. August House offers free lesson plans for Go to Sleep, Gecko!

Around the world each night, parents tell stories to children as they put them to bed. Margaret Read MacDonald, a folklorist, storyteller, and children's librarian, uses bedtime tales in the daytime to end her story hours on a calm note. Here, with accompaniment on dulcimer and autoharp by musician Richard Scholtz, she includes seven of her favorites from around the world including: "The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle" (British Isles), "Snow Bunting's Lullaby" (Siberia), "Chin Chin Kobokama" (Japan), "Grand is the Evening Sea" (Japan), "Kanji-jo, The Nestlings" (Liberia), "The Playground of the Sun and Moon" (Argentina and Chile), and "Counting Sheep." For Ages Three to Seven

As a companion to her award-winning story collection Three Minute Tales, Margaret Read MacDonald has compiled another delightful collection of entertaining stories from around the world to share on any occasion. This collection of authentic tales includes stories of tricksters, animals, origin tales, nature stories, strange events, riddles, stories of romance and more. It is also a great resource book for educators, performers and anyone looking for unusual stories to share with a group.

Recognized as Notable book for Global SocietyAnyone who teaches, lead, or speaks in public has had the experience of needing to fill short amounts of time in order to hold the audience's attention. The challenge is familiar to Margaret Read MacDonald, who for thirty-five years told stories to preschoolers every week.Here are more than eighty simple, short, pithy tales for many occasions: holidays, museum tours, history or nature walks, public speaking, media appearances, school visits, curriculum boosters. These traditional tales come from China, west Africa, Mexico, Japan, Thailand, Turkey, Syria, Cuba, the Ukraine, India, eastern Europe, and the Jewish, native American, and African-American traditions.

Conejito might be small, but he definitely has the courage to outwit his bullies. When Conejito begins his school holiday, he goes to visit his Tía Mónica―or is it the cakes and cookies he knows she will feed him when he arrives? But Conejito runs into a few obstacles on the way to his auntie's, including Señor Zorro, Señor Tigre, and Señor León. Conejito may want to eat Auntie Mónica's treats, but Mr. Fox, Mr. Tiger, and Mr. Lion want to eat him! With his own quick thinking and a little assist from Tía Mónica, Conejito outwits the bigger animals and makes his way safely home. This Latin American folktale from Panama highlight Rabbit's courage and resourcefulness to outwit Fox, Tiger, and Lion. It is also accompanied with a song that young readers will love. This folktale from Panama is a great way to introduce Spanish into your children's vocabulary!Award-winning author, Margaret Read MacDonald excels at producing a lyrical story that young readers are encouraged to participate in. In addition, Geraldo Valério's vivid illustrations instill whimsy and fun with each turn of the page.