Resources
"Remember only this one thing" said Badger. "The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive. That is why we put these stories in each other's memory."
- from Crow and Weasel by Barry Lopez
Family Tales, Family Wisdom: How to Gather the Stories of a Lifetime and Share Them With Your Family, by Dr. Robert U. Akeret; William Morrow & Company; NY, NY; 1991. Great ideas for how to discover and tell stories, especially across generational lines.
My Backyard History Book, by David Weitzman; Little, Brown & Co.; Boston; 1975.
Storytelling Arts and Technique, by Augusta Baker and Ellen Greene; Bowker; NY, NY; 1977.
The Art of the Story-Teller, by Marie Shedlock; Dover Publications; 1951.
The Way of the Storyteller, by Ruth Sawyer; Viking Press; NY, NY; 1974.
Handbook for Storytellers, Caroline Bauer; American Library Association; 1977. A good selection of stories, some how-tos, and a fine section on creative drama and acting and stories.
Favorite Folktales from Around the World, ed. by Jane Yolen; Pantheon Books; NY, NY; 1986.
Spinning Tales, Weaving Hope: Stories of Peace, Justice and the Environment, Various writers; New Society Publishers; 4527 Springfield Ave, Philadelphia, PA; 1991.
Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children, by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac; Fulcrum, Inc.; Golden, CO; 1988.
Keeper of the Animals: Native American Stories and Wildlife Activities for Children, by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac; Fulcrum, Inc.; Golden, CO; 1991.
Talk that Talk: An Anthology of African American Storytelling, ed. by Linda Goss and Marian E. Barnes; Simon and Schuster, Inc.; NY, NY; 1989.
The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales, told by Virginia Hamilton; Alfred A. Knopf; NY, NY; 1985.
Some of these books also have extensive bibliographies to lead you to more storytelling sources. Also your local or school librarian could be very helpful in finding picture books with stories from different cultures, and that deal with family themes. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me at the address below. Enjoy!