What's Inside?

ABOUT What’sWhat’s THE COVER: What’s your Inside?Inside? favorite ghost Storytelling: A Way to Share story? Did 2 by Robert D. San Souci you ever tell it around a campfire 6 Meet Hannah Wynne or under the covers? Teen Storyteller by Kathiann M. Kowalski In the best stories, words—or sometimes music or dance or painting—create 9 900 Cinderellas a whole world in our imaginations. by Marcia Amidon Lusted and Judith C. Greenfield In this issue of AppleSeeds you’ll get some good tips for telling stories. 12 Tellabration! And you’ll find out more about by Dorothy Phillips why people have been telling stories Mobilia forever. (Credit: Susan Gilzow) 14 YOUR TURN How to Tell a Really JOIN THE APPLECORPS! Scary Story by Robert D. Want to write an AppleCorps Adventure story? Want to tell us what you’d like San Souci to read about in AppleSeeds? Write to [email protected] Susan Buckley, Editor Advisory Board Annabel Wildrick, Associate Editor Diane Brooks, Ed.D., Director (retired), Curriculum Susan Gilzow, Designer Frameworks and Instructional Resources Office, Ellen Bingham, Copy Editor/Proofreader California Department of Education Lou Waryncia, Editorial Director P. Ann Kaupp, Anthropology Outreach Office, Ann Dillon, Art Director National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Patricia Silvestro, Rights & Permissions Coordinator Institution Marcia Lusted, Assistant Editor Maryann Manning, Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham Editorial interns: Jade Zarzeka, R.M. Shuford, Amy MacArthur, Carmelle LaMothe Robert D. San Souci, Children’s Author Find every issue of AppleSeeds at Art Intern: Courtney Garrity Sandra Stotsky, Professor of Education Reform, CobblestoneOnline.net 21st Century Chair in Teacher Quality, University Carus Publishing Company of Arkansas Andre W. Carus, Chairman and Publisher Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, Author, Anthropologist Marianne Carus, Editor in Chief Indexed and/or abstracted in: Jason Patenaude, Chief Operating Officer Phillip J. VanFossen, Ph.D., Director, Ackerman Children’s Magazine Guide, Primary Amy Reisinger, Marketing Manager Center for Democratic Citizenship, Purdue University Search and Middle Search, Readers’ Guide for Young People, Vertical File Karen Dauck, Production Manager Index and at www.CobblestoneOnline.net Customer Service: 800-821-0115 FEBRUARY 16 Tell Us a Story, Carmen! by Sharon Wright 2009 Mitchell 20 Top Ten Taletelling Tips 26 A Picture Is Worth by Katherine Swarts a Thousand Words . and So Are a Dance, Inside the Circle: 22 and a Song, and . Meet Storyteller by Annabel Wildrick Joseph Bruchac by Aileen From Mouth to Page Easterbrook 28 by Robert D. San Souci 24 The Gift 30 Stories from Home: of a Story Capture the Memories by Susan Kegel by Lynn York 33 CONTEST CORNER Name That Bird! AppleCorps kids by Annette Cate “Storytelling Consulting Editor wonder, adventure, mixesand humor. wise tales Around with the stories world of and through the ages, storytellers have handed down these timeless stories. They continue to Robert D. San Souci has written more than provide unending riches to generations of listeners 60 books and countless magazine stories for (and, when adapted to book form, generations of young readers. Many of them are based on readers). The wisdom at the heart of these tales myths, legends, folktales, and fairy tales from remains the same, but every generation needs around the globe. He has won many awards fresh storytellers to keep them vital and alive. for his books. He also wrote the film story They ensure that the legacy and importance for the Disney film Mulan, based on his book of storytelling remain strong to this day.“ Fu Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior. —ROBERT D. SAN SOUCI He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. From the earliest times, storytelling has been important. It’s been a way for people to explain to each other how the world began and how it works. Stories help people preserve and celebrate their history and culture. Through stories, people share experience, wisdom, moral teachings. They entertain each other. Myth, folktale, legend, or fairy tale: What’s the difference? The oldest kind of story is the myth. These stories explain natural processes, customs, or beliefs. Myths often involve supernatural beings, such as gods. Who they are, what they do, and how they interact with humans and nature is the subject of many myths. Many ideas from myths ended up in epic poems. These are long poems that tell the story of a hero and his or her companions. Epic poems were told— often over several nights—by bards, who might play a musical instrument to accompany themselves. (A bard was a poet and singer who told stories.) The oldest surviving epic poem is about 4,000 2 ONCE by Robert D. San Souci years old. It is called Gilgamesh and tells the story UPON A TIME... illustrated by Janet Montecalvo of King Gilgamesh and his search for immortality— living forever.) As story sharing continued, folktales spread. These stories are meant to be shared orally. Folktales are often based on the beliefs of a group of people. A folktale is passed down from generation to generation and has no known author—it belongs to “the folk.” Storytellers would delight and amaze groups of listeners with tales of heroes and heroines, daring quests, magical lands, and clever or funny characters. Sometimes, storytellers would thrill their audiences with tales of ghosts and nightmares. 3 A legend, like a folktale, is handed down from one generation to the next. It usually tells about a famous person’s mighty deeds and adventures. Legends are generally based in truth but often become greatly exaggerated. Many are so tangled up in stretched truths that it is impossible to separate what really happened from what is made up. For example, many historians believe there was a real person called King Arthur. In his time, he was a popular hero, and stories were told about him. Over time, the stories grew into legends. Eventually, the legends became so fantastic that the real person they were based on was no longer recognizable. But legends aren’t always about people and their deeds. There are place-name legends, for example. These might tell how “Lover’s Leap” or “Headless Woman Rock” got their names. The possibility 4 that the story just could be true is what separates legends from folktales, fairy tales, and myths. Fairy tales are first cousins to folktales. Sometimes, it is hard to distinguish between the two, because many fairy tales began as folktales. Fairy tales often contain lessons. Like folktales, many fairy tales have no known author. But the author of some fairy tales is known. For example, The Ugly Duckling and The Little Mermaid are both by Hans Christian Andersen. Storytelling in its purest form—spoken, not read— remains an important part of many cultures today. In some African societies, it is the job of storytellers to keep their people’s history and culture alive. In our country, we can see the rediscovery and blossoming of a new storytelling tradition. Every year, in every state, there are gatherings of storytellers. These are the people who keep old stories alive. And they tell new tales too. They nurture the river of stories and keep THE it flowing forever. END 5 MEET Hannah Wynne Teen Storyteller Like most kids, Hannah Wynne has always loved ONCE hearing stories. But UPON A by Kathiann TIME... M. Kowalski Hannah doesn’t just listen. At age 18, Hannah is already a professional storyteller. As a little girl, Hannah told stories to family members in Valley City, Ohio. Later, she shared stories with friends during school recess. “I loved giving oral book reports,” adds Hannah. Often Hannah dressed as a book character to tell her books’ stories to the class. When Hannah was 15, a professional storyteller named 6 Hannah’s tips for Janelle Reardon performed at a cousin’s birthday party. Hannah knew then that she wanted to become being a good a storyteller, too. Soon afterward, Janelle began storyteller: coaching Hannah. Then Hannah began performing. “All my stories right now are personal stories,” ☺ Find a story you says Hannah. “Most of them are funny.” Most of love. Make one up. Hannah’s stories are about eight minutes long. Adapt a folktale. Start with something And most come from things that happened when short: one or two Hannah was around 6 years old. But the stories aren’t minutes long. just memories, she says. “Our lives aren’t like movies or books. We’re not moving toward one goal.” ☺ Listen! You’re going Instead, starting with real events, Hannah makes to learn a lot from up stories with a beginning, middle, and end. Even her listening to other funny stories often have a lesson. In “The Revenge of storytellers. Dr. Seuss,” young Hannah wanted to hear Fox in Socks ☺ Slow down. People over and over. But her mom was tired of that book. can’t understand She had already read it many times for Hannah’s your words if you older brother and sisters. rush. Hannah told that story at the National Youth ☺ Don’t just talk Storytelling Showcase in Pigeon through the story, Forge, Tennessee, in 2007. With share it. A good it, she won the title of High storyteller invites you School Division Torchbearer. to come in and share the story. Hannah used to tell stories to her classmates. She still ☺ Even if tells stories at school today— you’re but as an invited speaker. nervous, try to act confident. Remember, people want to hear your story. ☺ Most important, have fun! 7 Hannah also met other young storytellers from across the nation. “The oldest was 18, and the youngest was 7 that year,” says Hannah.

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