Stories To Play With

By Hiroko Fujita

For storytellers who are just starting out, it seems appropriate to begin telling to young children. Yet young children can present the most difficult audience a storyteller can face. So where does one begin? Simple. With some old newspaper and the story "Rain Hat" or "Mountain Climbing," children will be enthralled at the action of the kid-hero as you fold and tear and create mountains, hats, fans, and boats right before their very eyes. Or take a milk carton, and shape it into a frog puppet to tell the story of "Wide-Mouth Frog." Stories to Play With is written and designed for storytellers, parents, teachers, and activity leaders who work with young children. The stories are fun and useful, put forth in a playful, informal family style of telling. The materials used for puppets and visual props can be found in your kitchen or supply closet. Translated and adapted from the original Japanese, these stories have been tested extensively in front of American audiences and are sure to be a hit with young children and those who work with them.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0874835534
• ISBN13: 9780874835533
• Release Date: December 2005
• Publisher: August House Publishers
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.3" x 10.8"

Customer Reviews

Fantastic!

There are stories telling with the fingers, with gloves (Ms.fox), with milkboxes (A mysterious house,Doggie policeman,Wide-mouth frog, Frog cakes (they jump!)), puppets in felt (Squeak!Squeak!Squeak!) and even with tissue boxes (My mommy is gone).The origami is present too (origami mice, I wish today was my birthday!, What kind of egg is this?, Rain hat, Mountain climbing). We are learning too to make a mini-book (Crab's persimmons). There is a draw and tell story (Turkey lake) and another with handkerchiefs. The last story need 18 sheets! It's fantastic!

Fantastic!

There are stories telling with the fingers, with gloves (Ms.fox), with milkboxes (A mysterious house,Doggie policeman,Wide-mouth frog, Frog cakes (they jump!)), puppets in felt (Squeak!Squeak!Squeak!) and even with tissue boxes (My mommy is gone).The origami is present too (origami mice, I wish today was my birthday!, What kind of egg is this?, Rain hat, Mountain climbing). We are learning too to make a mini-book (Crab's persimmons). There is a draw and tell story (Turkey lake) and another with handkerchiefs. The last story need 18 sheets! It's fantastic!

Great resource for librarians, teachers, parents

I have seen Hiroko Fujita tell stories and she is amazing! Adults, teens, and small children are fascinated her stories, and intrigued with the toys and props she makes to enhance them. This book, edited for American audiences by nationally-known storyteller Fran Stallings, is a treasure trove of ideas. From milk-carton frogs to origami, the props are easy to make and extremely effective when used to tell the stories. The ideas can be easily adapted to other storis as well. Well worth the money.