Story Resources

If you love storytelling as much as I do, you may enjoy these resources which include some of my favourite websites, video links, and recordings. Now it’s time to embark on your own storytelling journey!             

Colouring in sheet Blank Story Tree image for kids to colour-in here 

Story videos 

Jenni’s Story Tree YouTube channelJenni Cargill-Strong

YouTube Playlist of diverse storytellers telling varied tales: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJMzVb6qiz4CnTFseZAIoe1VRfD7FXCIY

Painless Presentationshttp://youtu.be/HvL0fDgAUpgJenni explains ways to use nervous energy to your advantage when giving a presentation of any kind, including storytelling.

“Children Tell Stories” YouTube, trailer for a wonderful resource book on teaching children to tell stories. Award-winning by Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss.

Storytelling: Do Try This At Home (TEDx talk) Marilyn McPhie Storyteller

The Moth www.themoth.org The ‘moth’ alludes to people attracted to stories (like lights). This site includes recordings of 5-12 minute personal stories recorded live. The emphasis is on people telling crafted personal stories about their most exceptional experiences.

Storytelling Organisations

Australian Storytellers, based in Sydney, this group is quite active and are holding zoom gatherings currently.  https://australianstorytellers.org.au/?mc_cid=d9a951886e&mc_eid=c744d5b2ed

Australian Fairytale Society They publish and ezine and have a regular conference every two years. https://australianfairytalesociety.org/

The Healing Story Alliance (US based) For therapeutic stories and discussions of their applications (FANTASTIC SITE!!) https://www.healingstory.org/

The National Storytelling Network (US based) A very active storytelling organisations offering live and online concerts, workshops, conferences and festivals. https://storynet.org/

Storytelling Websites and Articles 

A Growing Collection of CV-19 Tales From Kids, Parents, and Global Storytellers from ‘How to Tell Stories’: https://howtotellstoriestochildren.com/blog1/coronavirus-home10

A great article on that website: ‘What Storytelling Does to Your Brain The Role of Storytelling in the Evolution of Cognition’

‘The Path of Needles and Pins’ Terri Windling. An article about the fascinating history of Little Red Riding Hood https://web.archive.org/web/20150212191217/http://www.endicott-studio.com/articleslist/the-path-of-needles-and-pinsby-terri-windling.html

Folklore and Mythology, Electronic Texts by D. L. Ashliman, Lots world folktales- very well indexed. https://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts.html

Folklore and Mythology Resources https://www.supersummary.com/folklore-mythology-guide/ 

Storyteller Net http://www.storyteller.net/ Stories to read and listen to – plus articles on stories and storytelling.

Karen Chase, Catch the Story Bug: Fantastic resource of story links: https://www.storybug.net/

Jackie Baldwin (US) Story Lovers World https://www.story-lovers.com Jackie has a radio show too and a runs the Story Telling Awards competition.

Jeff Gere https://www.jeffgere.com  Talk Story Radio Show podcasts with hours great listening. Also info on Talk Story Festival Hawaii,

Australian Museum Indigenous Australia https://www.dreamtime.net.au/dreaming/storylist.htm (stories in text audio and video format.)

Fractured Fairy Tales https://www.theaterseatstore.com/fractured-fairy-tales

The Dulwich Centre for Narrative Therapy https://dulwichcentre.com.au/

Recommended Books

Baldwin, Christina. (2005) Storycatcher: Making Sense of Our lives through the Power and Practice of Story, New World Library, Novato.

Beckingham, Adrian. (1989) Stories that Crafted the Earth, Gothic Image Publications, Glastonbury, 2005.

Column, P & Campbell, J (1972) The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Introduction by Padraic Colum and Commentary by Joseph Campbell. Random House.

Denning, Stephen. (2001) The Springboard: How Storytelling Ignites Action in Knowledge-Era Organizations, Butterworth-Heinemann.

Hamilton, Martha & Weiss, Mitch. (2005) Children Tell Stories: Teaching and Using Storytelling in the Classroom, Richard. C. Owen Publishers, New York. http://beautyandthebeaststorytellers.com/btn-cts.php

Louv, Richard. (2012) The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age, Alonquin Books of Chapel Hill, New York.

Mellon, Nancy. (1992) Storytelling and the Art of Imagination, Element, Rockport, USA. This is a great one to help with making up stories using the folktale motifs and structures. There may be a newer edition. ISBN 1-85230-339-5 https://www.bodyeloquence.com/

Mellon, Nancy. (2008) Body Eloquence: The Power of  Myth and Story to awaken the Bodies Energies Nancy’s newest book explores how stories resonate with the whole human body. She explores Chinese meridian theory, yogic practices, and the vital links between the human organs, personality development, and storytelling. www.bodyeloquence.com

Niemi, Loren &  Ellis, Elizabeth. (2001) Inviting the Wolf In: Thinking About Difficult Stories, August House, Little Rock.

Pearmain, Elisa. (2006) Once Upon a Time: storytelling to teach character and prevent bullying: Lessons from Multicultural Folk Tales for Grades K-8, Character Development Group, Greensbooro, NC, USA.www.CharacterEducation.com Library of Congress Number: 2007934445 FANTASTIC Resource!!

Perrow, Susan. (2008) Healing Stories for Challenging Behaviour, Hawthorn Press, Gloucesteshire, UK.www.hawthornpress.com ISBN 1-85230-339-5 Susan is Australian and has Steiner teaching background. FANTASTIC Resource!! Her website is www.healingthroughstories.com

Pinkola Estes, Clarissa. (1992Women Who Run with Wolves: Contacting the Power of the Wild Woman, Rider, London.

Ragan, Kathleen. (1998) Fearless Girls, wise women and beloved sisters: heroines in folktales from around the world, Bantam Books, New York.

Sawyer, Ruth. (1942) The Way of the Storyteller. A great storyteller shares her rich experience and joy in her art and tells eleven of her best-loves stories, Penguin New York. (Still a classic!)

Sobel, David. (1996) Beyond Ecophobia: Reclaiming the Heart of Nature Education, The Orion Society and The Myrin Institute, Great Barrington.

Starhawk, Baker, D, Hill, A (2000) Circle Round: Raising Children in the Goddess Traditions, Bantam Books, New York. (Includes many seasonal stories and myths retold for children.)

Wolkstein, Diane and Kramer, Samuel Noah. (1983) Inanna Queen of Heaven and Earth, Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer, Harper and Row, New York.

Zipes, Jack is a prolific academic on folktales. Read anything he has written, but my favourite is

Zipes, Jack. ed,  (1993) The Trials and Tribulations of Red Riding Hood, Routledge, New York. Red Riding Hood tales through history, including the oldest known:’ The Grandmother’s Tale’.

 

Story Radio 

Now Hear This https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/nowhearthis/ABC Radio National Story Slam, Sydney NOW HEAR THIS is a night of people coming together to hear and tell personal, true stories. The winning stories will be played across ABC radio.

Podcasts

  1. A collection of mostly American story podcasts, via Northeast Storytelling Alliance in the US : https://www.nestorytelling.org/storytelling-podcasts/
  2. The Moth http://themoth.org/10 Storytelling podcasts: (in no particular order)
  3. StoryCorps http://storycorps.org/
  4. This American Life https://www.thisamericanlife.org/
  5. The Teller and the Tale https://www.thetellerandthetale.com
  6. Leo Sofer’s “Stories of the Journey Home” https://www.storiesofthejourneyhome.com/