Once Upon a Time: Using
Storytelling, Creative Drama, and
Readers Theater with Children in
Grades PreK-6 by Judy Freeman
A Great Resource!
Judy Freeman, author of the Books Kids Will Sit Still For series, gives
practical how-to tips on how to tell a story, and write and stage a Readers
Theater script that gets children involved with creative drama. Readers
theater teaches children how to become better listeners, enriches their
thinking skills, and encourages their response to literature. Included are
ideas on using folk and fairy tales, songs, chants and nonsense rhymes,
and a readers theater script. Also included in this handbook are 400 plus
annotated childrens books every storyteller should know, 100 great titles
for creative drama and readers theatre and professional books and Web
sites for storytelling, creative drama and readers theater. Grades PreK-6.
Judy Freeman, author of the Books Kids Will Sit Still For series, gives
personal and practical how-to tips on how to learn and tell a story, how to
act out a story using creative drama, and how to write and stage a
Readers Theater script. All are guaranteed to get your children listening,
thinking, reading, loving, and living stories with comprehension, fluency,
expression, and joy.
Once Upon a Time pulls together a wealth of ideas, activities, and
strategies for using folk and fairy tales, songs, chants, and nonsense
rhymes. Also included in this handbook are the texts of 10 of Judys favorite
stories you can read today and tell tomorrow; a songbook of songs,
chants, and nonsense rhymes; and a Readers Theater script. Youll also
find annotated bibliographies: 400+ childrens books every storyteller
should know; 100+ great childrens books to use for creative drama and
Readers Theater; professional books and Web sites for storytelling,
creative drama, and Readers Theater; and a title and author index.

Chapters include:
; Getting Started with Storytelling
; Judy Freemans Songbook: Including Songs, Chants, Riddles, and Plenty
of Nonsense
; Judy Freemans Storybook: Tales You can Hear Today and Tell
Tomorrow
; 400+ Childrens Books Every Storyteller Should Know
; Getting Started with Creative Drama and Readers Theater
; 100+ Childrens Books Just Right for Creative Drama and/or Readers
Theater
Personal Review: Once Upon a Time: Using Storytelling,
Creative Drama, and Readers Theater with Children in Grades
PreK-6 by Judy Freeman
Anyone who has ever attended a daylong workshop by Judy Freeman
knows that she has more creative energy than a class full of
Kindergartners on Halloween morning. Judy puts that creative energy to
use in her workshops by telling stories, singing songs, and leading reader's
theater performances in which her audience participates. Now, even if
you're not in a workshop, you can benefit from Judy's vast store house of
IDEAS in this volume designed for the elementary school librarian and
teachers (Yes! Teachers will love it too).
The book opens with a refresher course on storytelling (don't worry--if you
haven't done it before, it serves as an introductory course too). Judy
teaches a summer graduate class in storytelling at New York's Pratt
Institute, so you are in able and experienced hands here (and throughout).
With a look at folk and fairy tales (and a close examination of Cinderella)
Judy inspires confidence in the reader to tell a story or two, and, better yet,
to encourage your students to do the same.
The second section of the book is about songs and singing. If you know
Judy, you know that she travels with her little guitar and sings at every
workshop she does. You can too! She offers lyrics and chord notations
for several songs, including a group favorite, George Washington Bridge,
along with storyteller's notes to give you suggestions for how or when to
use the song or which book might be the perfect accompaniment to the
song.

The third section is a generous offering of stories you can learn quickly,
including stories to draw and to fold as well as audience participation
stories.
Because Judy is a librarian, every book that she publishes offers a
compendium of titles and one of the gems of this book is the section
entitled: "400+ Children's Books Every Storyteller Should Know." With brief
annotations and a categorical reference, this bibliography will serve as a
collection development tool as well as a source for stories to tell. An
added resource is this same list of titles resorted in short bibliographic form
by category of tale.
Finally, the fifth section of the book focuses on Reader's Theater (a
passion of mine!). She examines types of stories that work well, gives
hints on using creative drama with kids in the classroom or library, and
even instructs you in how to write your own scripts. A list of books perfect
for reader's theater adaptation, of course, is also included.
It's hard to imagine a more comprehensive book of literary performance of
all types in the library and classroom! Add this one to your order today!
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Once Upon a Time: Using Storytelling, Creative Drama, and Readers Theater with
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