Books in American Storytelling from August House series

Winner of Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award & Selected as Outstanding by the Parent CouncilNationally acclaimed storyteller J.J. Reneaux grew up Cajun for true, surrounded by the stories, music, food, and culture of rural communities in southeastern Texas and southern Louisiana. Cajun Folktales serves up a spicy gumbo of more than twenty traditional Cajun animal stories, fairy tales, ghost stories, and humorous tales. A traditional storyteller who collects by word-of-mouth, Reneaux has developed her repertoire over years of collecting―on front porches, school playgrounds, and her beloved fishing trips. She has refined her work in performances nationwide, including the National Storytelling Festival, where she has appeared numerous times. These stories of Cajun treasure and lost jewels will teach readers the importance of resourcefulness, courage and responsibility. Publishers Weekly wrote, "While the tales of African Americans and Native Americans have been much anthologized, the vibrant oral folk tradition of the Cajun has been more or less neglected by American publishers. This excellent anthology by Reneaux helps plug that inexplicable gap. Reneaux, a noted storyteller and a Cajun herself, retells 27 tales she heard in childhood from relatives or has heard since from fellow Cajuns. Their folklore is as spicy and interesting as their famed food and reflects a variety of flavors and influences."

Old Man Hawkins was a larger-than-life character among deer hunters, or more precisely among tellers and hearers of tall tales. His self-proclaimed method of hunting deer by holding a mirror in one hand and his rifle in the other pointing backward over a shoulder was, he said, to be fair to the deer. It was a story, Davis tells us, that would occupy his father on the drive to Grandmaf_(tm)s house.

Remember the Monster Stick? The greatest-and most dangerous-fishing rod ever? What about Buck, who simply ain't no ordinary dog? Anyone who has seen the Lepp boys perform or read their book, The Monster Stick will never forget them. In this recording, we revisit West Virginia with Bil Lepp as he tells some of the stories that made his brother Paul and himself repeat winners of the West Virginia State Liars Contest.

An affirmation of enduring friendship and an adventure story, all rolled into one. The best friend of our youth has no replacement ever. Though we may start out as two peas in a pod, we often lose touch with one another. In this affecting tale of two adults who reclaim their childhood bond after thirty years apart, the comforts of friendship are affirmed with humor and wit. The second story, The Frog Jumped Twice, recalls a childhood lesson, learned at no small cost, that comes to full flower ....

Winner of NAPPA Gold Award & Parents' Choice Award Did you ever look carefully at a spider's web? If their purpose is simply to catch flies, why do spiders weave such beautiful, intricate webs? Did you ever wonder what causes thunder? Why is the sea salty? How did tigers get their stripes? In this collection of delightful tales from around the world and through the ages, each story explains why an animal, plant, or natural object looks or acts the way it does.Following each story are tips for telling―especially written for children, but suitable for any age―that include suggestions for timing, intonation, gestures, and body language. There are also short modern, scientific explanations for each story subject and a map showing in what area of the world each story originated. Designed for use in primary and middle grades, this book is perfect for children to read on their own as well as those who want to learn to tell stories.It's also a wonderful resource for adults who tell stories to children, and for teachers to use in conjunction with science, language arts, or social studies curricula.

The late Jackie Torrence, known to audiences nationwide simply as The Story Lady, had a way with words. These lively, engaging stories feature characters from folklore (Br'er Rabbit and Tar Baby) and from the Bible (Hosea and Gomer, the Lost Son), with a few of her family stories that have proven to be crowd pleasers ( Pa's Trip from Town: A Ghost Story, and The Strawberry Pie). The title essay encourages African-American youth to learn and preserve the stories of their people as a source of ....

This collection of 18 stories serves as both a historical teaching tool and a method for exploring slavery.From African roots to the present day, scholar and storyteller Rex Ellis animates the African-American experience, weaving the strands of African folklore, early American history, and contemporary interpretations into a rich quilt. His stories spin a thread from the Windward Coast of West Africa to the shores of Jamestown and beyond. He uses storytelling as both a historical teaching tool and a method for dealing with controversial subjects. Ellis's unique style of storytelling educates, informs, and inspires courage and trust.

When a story shares a universal message, it finds its way into that pantheon of tales that is shared with many diverse cultures.People just can't live together without telling stories. We tell stories that are funny, ironic, insightful, or just simply pleasing to the tongue and ear. Stories just seem to happen. When a story happens with the force of universality, it finds its way into that pantheon of tales that is the common denominator of cultural exchange. Here are thirty-three such tales, collected from Brazil, China, Korea, Russia, Tibet, Africa, from America's native peoples, and other lands, and chosen for the universality of their message. Each story is presented in concise "retellable" form, suitable for all ages.Kirkus Review wrote, "Presented in easy-to-learn versions enlivened with unforced humor and clear, fluent language; most would take ten minutes or less to tell. Their readers will bring away a stronger impression of human culture's unity than its diversity."

Winner of the Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice AwardThe hills and hamlets of western North Carolina in the 1950's provide the setting for this nostalgic tour de force by Donald Davis, who has appeared in live performance at the World's Fair, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Storytelling Festival, and on National Public Radio. He relates his youth in a cycle of growing-up stories, beginning before he enters school and culminating with the loss of friends to the Vietnam War. The characters are memorable: Miss Daisy―one of the six Boring sisters, teachers every one; Daff-Knee Garlic, owner of the Sulpher Springs Big-Screen Drive-In Theater; and Aunt Laura, who knows to listen for the crack of dawn. Developed in oral performance, Davis's stories resonate in the experiences of his listeners and readers. These stories will teach readers the importance of caring, fairness and respect.