Nick's Picks
Selected Resources from TeachingBooks.net
Nick Glass, TeachingBooks.net for Curriculum Connections -- School Library Journal, 11/4/2008
The approach of autumn and winter brings changes to our daily routines. Cooler weather sends (some of) us indoors; a concentration of holidays allows us more time with friends and family. Generations ago, the colder months heralded the storytelling season–tales shared at home and passed on to younger generations.
In this month’s column I highlight multimedia resources that reveal the storytelling skills of favorite writers and illustrators. I’m captivated by a well-spun tale and invite you to celebrate the tradition of storytelling in your classroom. Watch as Patricia Polacco shares some family history, listen to Jeanne DuPrau discuss the genesis of The City of Ember, and admire the passion of Walter the Giant Storyteller.
Nick Glass is the Founder of TeachingBooks.net. If you have a tale to tell–particularly about using these online resources with your students–just drop me an email!
In this video, Patricia Polacco talks about a childhood surrounded by storytellers
Ever wonder about the story behind The City of Ember?
What was the inspiration for Jeanne DuPrau’s extraordinary “Books of Ember” (Random)? After listening to the author speak about her work, enjoy her reading of an excerpt from the first title in the series, The City of Ember (Random, 2003).
Listen to a master narrator weave his tales!
Walter M. Mayes, aka Walter the Giant, demonstrates his theatrical flair in this audio excerpt from Walter the Giant Storyteller's Giant Book of Giant Stories (Walker, 2005).
Reconnect with the power of stories told from multiple perspectives
These discussion questions for War Is...: Soldiers, Survivors, and Storytellers Talk about War (Marc Aronson and Patty Campbell, eds., Candlewick, 2008) will aid teachers and high school students as they explore a topic of perennial concern.
Use this book guide to prompt discussions about family stories
Jane Kurtz’s middle grade novel The Storyteller's Beads (Harcourt, 1998) explores the power of stories and the importance of passing them on to future generations.
Does this name sound like the call of a crow?
Paper engineer Matthew Reinhart shares why he went from being called “Matt” to preferring “Matthew.” This example vividly demonstrates the ways in which the senses and memory help tell a story.
