Stories, Time and Again: A Program Guide for Schools and Libraries

210 Pages·2005·12.68 MB·English

by  Jan Irving

Stories, Time and Again
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Stories, Time and Again
A Program Quide for Schools and Libraries
Jan Irving
Illustrated by Joni Giarratano

A Member of the Greenwood Publishing Group
Westport, Connecticut • London
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Irving, Jan, 1942-
Stories, time and again : a program guide for schools and libraries / Jan Irving ; illustrated by Joni
Giarratano.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-56308-998-X (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Activity programs in education—United States. 2. Children's libraries—Activity programs—United
States. 3. Children—Books and reading—United States. I. Giarratano, Joni, ill. II. Title.
LB 1027.25.178 2006
372.67'7—dc22 2005029419
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available.
Copyright © 2006 by Jan Irving
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be
reproduced, by any process or technique, without the
express written consent of the publisher. An exception
is made for reproducibles, which may be copied for
classroom and educational programs only.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2005029419
ISBN: 1-56308-998-X
First published in 2006
Libraries Unlimited, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
A Member of the Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.
www.lu.com
Printed in the United States of America
The paper used in this book complies with the
Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National
Information Standards Organization (Z39.48-1984).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
With love and respect time and again to my husband Bill,
my editor Barbara,
and all who share the power of stories.
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Contents
Introduction ix
1. Welcome to the Middle Ages 1
2. A Glimpse of Tropical Rainforests 27
3. Animals Down Under 53
4. Egyptian Mythology: A Glimpse into Eternity 73
5. Brains and Bravery in Folk Literature 93
6. Child's Play: Creative Dramatics and Story Theatre Ill
7. Fantasy Worlds 125
8. What's Your Story-.Biographies of Children's Writers and Illustrators 141
9. In the Know: Manners for Kids 155
10. Friends Good and True 173
Appendix: Planning an Author Visit 185
Index 189
Vll
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Introduction
What do Albert Einstein, Robert Coles, and Scheherazade have in common? Although these three
people pursued vastly different walks of life—a world famous scientist, an American physician and social
activist, and the Persian storyteller of The Thousand and One Nights—all believed in the primary value of
story. We all have our own testament to the value of story in our lives. Here are two of my favorites.
A little boy's mother read him the story of The Clown of God. The boy became fas
cinated with the tale of Giovanni who juggled fruits and vegetables. He began juggling
produce in grocery stories much to his mother's dismay. Today as an adult, he juggles
his job, family, and volunteer work. He also performs juggling workshops for children
in his spare time.
A little girl worried that she wasn't like the other kids in her neighborhood. Then
she read a book about a little girl who liked to pretend, to "skibble out of bed," and ride a
hotel elevator "for Lord's sake." After she read Eloise, she knew it was OK to be differ
ent. No other person in her school grew up to be an author.
The premise behind my book Stories NeverEnding (Libraries Unlimited, 2004) attests to the impor
tance of stories in our personal lives and in the world's cultures. This has always been the case. Since pre
history, stories have shaped civilizations and separated people from all other animals. Does this sound too
remote from our postliterate world? Does story still have a place in an age when schools must concentrate
on teaching basics so that students can pass standardized tests? Do public libraries have a purpose beyond
providing computer games and Internet services? Stories, I firmly believe, are as important now as they
have always been. They are the most powerful learning tools we have. In times of disaster, they seem even
more vital because they draw us together. Stories of the people who died in the Twin Towers on Septem
ber 11—stories that ran for months in the New York Times—comforted those of us who read them faith
fully. We probably won't see a chain of stores named "Stories 'R Us," but I believe that this is true. One of
my favorite books, Teaching as Storytelling by Kieran Egan, explains this more eloquently than I have.
The story form is a cultural universal; everyone everywhere enjoys stories. The
story, then, is not just some casual entertainment; it reflects a basic and powerful form in
which we make sense of the world and experience.
Stories, Time and Again continues the pattern of presenting school and library programs on ten top
ics with books and stories as the foundation. Stories NeverEnding covered the following topics: reading
incentive programs, art and literature, food and literature, math and literature, humor, poetry, storytelling,
booktalking, U.S. history, and courage and healing. This companion volume includes other topics found
in the school curriculum and of interest to elementary school-age children. Those topics are as follows:
the Middle Ages, tropical rainforests, Australian animals, Egyptian mythology, folk literature, creative
dramatics, manners and bullying, friends, biographies, and fantasy. Some subjects in this newer volume
overlap with topics in the first volume, such as those on storytelling and creative dramatics. The topics of
friends and manners correlate to the subject of power through books on courage and healing. Even the
chapter on folk literature focuses on using brains and bravery instead of brawn to succeed.
Both books emphasize language skills in content areas. Although I have not used the terminology or
"rubrics" of "Six Trait Writing" familiar to most elementary teachers, the principles of clear organization,
ix