Such a wonderful resource for anyone who spends time with children! I loved reading this all at once but it could be easily read bit by bit as you hone your storytelling skills. An absolute must read for those who love the magic of stories and want a new way to connect with the little ones in their life.

I really enjoyed this book and believe it to be a great personal/professional development tool. The perspective on the value of storytelling was innovative and accessible. The authors address inhibitions, voice tone, delivery, and developmental considerations. I highlighted multiple sections of the book and feel strongly you will too! This book would make a great gift for new parents, teachers, clinicians, and seasoned storytellers!

As always, I’m grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review. The words and opinions are all my own.

WOW WOW WOW
Every teacher, every parent should read that book and understand how important story telling is for little minds. Amazing book, teaching the art of making children listen and discover the world of fiction.

I've never been good at making up stories on the fly. But I'm inspired to try again after reading this book.

Silke Rose West and Joseph Sarosy are encouraging teachers. They say,

“Everyone is a good storyteller, and no expert can replace the intimacy of a story crafted from within a child’s own environment by an attentive and loving parent or caregiver. Why? Because storytelling is about the relationship, not the narrative.”

They give lots of practical advice, plus many examples of easy stories that they have told.

“The first step is to find a common object from within your child’s environment. This might be a toy, but it could also be a place you visited, or a butterfly….Whatever it is, make sure it’s something that caught your attention too. You are an important part of the story, and we don’t want to lose you.”

“The key to simple, effortless storytelling is to remain present and let the story flow. In other words, we’re not looking for a script, a beginning or an end.”

“The goal is not a perfect story. The goal is connection. Being a good storyteller, therefore, is mostly about showing up and paying attention.”

The authors make me think I can actually do this. Look out, grandkids! Stories are on the way.

My thanks to NetGalley + Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the review copy of this book.

This book takes an in depth look at the skills and tips we all need to feel like an expert storyteller. This book is so well organized and well thoughtout.

The publisher made a copy of this book available for review via Netgalley, This is my honest review.

This book gave me a fresh perspective on storytelling and the things I should keep in mind. As a parent to be, I am so enthralled to read this book. The author did a splendid job with the organization, writing style and mode of presentation.

How to Tell Stories to Children by Joseph Sarosy and Silke Rose West is a lovely resource for parents. As an educator and a parent, I really appreciate how the book begins by explaining the power of story. This is something I’ve personally studied and this front section really resonated with me. Then, the authors actually show (in words) how to tell a story. Written for parents, I think this book is absolutely perfect. I highly recommend it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This is a fantastic resource to help parents let go of perfectionism and simply be present in the art of telling stories. With suggestions and sample stories, this book guides the reader - nay, storyteller! - through their own inhibitions, to voicework and puppetry, all aimed at being present in a child's life. It teaches the parent how to tell age-appropriate, developmentally-appropriate stories to children, guiding them through the trials and tribulations of their lives, from finding safety with mom to battling a toothache to starting school or resolving conflict. But overall, to reinforce the bonds.
This is a book I will keep coming back to, in order to be a better, more engaged parent.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review,

Storytelling is the foundation of humanity, stories passed down through generations is a crucial tradition that has shaped our knowledge of history, of humanity, of ourselves. All Children love stories and often plead for just one more story, this is not because they need a prize winning complicated narrative, rather they are simply asking for your attention. Understanding this is the basic foundation of How to Tell Stories to Children.

This book is simply written and a bit repetitive, I caught myself wondering if the authors remembered they were writing for adults in need of help to ensure they are able to provide that crucial bonding practice with a child they love.

Some of this book is useful but the way the narrative is told and the layout chosen for the information contained in this book is not ideal. If you read the introduction you can pretty much stop there and you'll have the most important advice this book contains, I wish there was more information on being creative or inspirational with crafting stories but did not get that from this book

With that being said it is a good jumping off point for adults who are terrified of telling stories, those whose mind goes blank when the inevitable demand for a story comes. I certainly found some enlightening information (mainly in the introduction) so encourage you to give it a read, just don't expect to gain a solid grip on entertainment.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy so I can share my honest opinions. Though not the best resource out there, I do not regret taking the time to read through it and hope that those who do read it get inspired based on this simple outline and seek other books on the artistic components of good storytelling.

I received a free e-ARC from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

How to Tell Stories to Children is a wonderful resource for parents who want to connect more to their child through the medium of storytelling. Not only does story telling help to emotionally bond people, it can also be used as a tool to foster your child's imagination and skills. The authors provided very clear instructions and examples of various methods to achieve this. I thought it was a wonderful book for parents, and one I look forward to using in the future.

It turns out this is exactly the book I needed to read to improve a lot of parts of my life. I grew in confidence in how to tell stories to my daughter on the fly, abandoned my perfectionism, built a stronger relationship with my daughter, and now I look forward to the challenge of bedtime story time.

This book, or at least the Ted Talk version of it, belongs in every baby shower. Our children need to marinate in stories.

Stories are a big part of our home education and our family culture, but I am still quite new to storytelling myself. This book emphasizes that it's not about how good or bad your story is, it's about connecting with a child. I've been inspired to put myself out there and tell more stories to my children.

When a child asks for a story, he is not asking for a narrative but attention. This one gem is already worth the price of the book. Children loved stories. We all do. Whether it is fairy tales or present-day events, they loved to hear them from the mouths of people close to them. Parents, grandparents, teachers, babysitters, childcare assistants, even professors could learn several things from this fantastic book about telling stories. Using the storytelling loop, readers are encouraged to use everyday objects and events to connect with children. There is no need to fret over trying to remember stories of long ago or some dramatic classics from the library. All we need is some imagination, some keen observation, and our natural selves. Telling stories often build trust. They also enable children to grow with a healthy curiosity. For the growing storyteller, the good news is that such a skill often improves one's social standing as well. After all, relationships are about connection, and what better way to begin by practicing with children. For all we know, we are the best storyteller as far as they are concerned. While there are many storybooks out there, not many of them focus on original storytelling. This book helps us do that and more. Focusing on storytelling as a relationship, readers are urged to be more observant of the things near them instead of grasping at things far away. The more one finds one's unique voice, the more original and captivating the storytelling would be. We would be encouraged that we are already great storytellers. The difference is, many of us are waiting for our own storytelling prowess to be discovered! Sarosy and Rose West show us how.

The storytelling loop essentially about the process rather than content. Take something ordinary, tell a story about it, and from the unique situation, weave a story around them. It sounds easy but practice makes perfect. We learn how to use simple daily objects and to let our imagination run wild, and invite the children to run wild with us. That is the key, for stories often are bridges between reality and imagination; facts and fantasy. Readers also get to listen to the sample stories after each chapter. The goal is not a perfect story but a connection with the children. We learn other tips about starting simple; establishing a rhythm; telling stories of various genres; and many more. Indeed, the book excites me because it not only is easy to follow, it encourages us to be ourselves. That is so important. Often, we tend to dumb ourselves down just because we can't remember stories we have heard or struggle to find stories to please children. Once we realize that children are mainly seeking our attention, the pressure's off and we are left to discover ways to connect with our kids. No longer will we be handicapped into silence when kids want to hear our voices. With simple objects and creative imagination, we can be great storytellers. Thanks to Sarosy and Rose West, we are encouraged to take this journey of telling stories using ordinary objects and natural circumstances. I believe that the benefits of developing such skills grow far beyond just children, but also for adult storytelling as well. This is a great book to inspire not only storytellers but all storytellers waiting to be discovered.

Authors Joseph Sarosy and Silke Rose West are early childhood educators who have told thousands of hours of stories with children. Sarosy is the founder of the Juniper School, an outdoor school comprising of children in grades 1-3. He manages a blog called "The Storytelling Loop." Silke Rose West is a Waldorf teacher and a veteran in the Waldorf method in teaching kindergarten kids.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

The practices in the book made it all worthwhile to read the book. I loved how engaging and creative the asks were while still giving a reasonable ask. This book helped develop better perspectives and look for things outside of our norm in helpful ways. The sample stories also helped illustrate the practice exercises.

This would be a great book for new parents excited to read to their children or just families trying to develop better reading routines and share time together.

A great beginning resource for storytelling to children. As a child I love reading and one of my fav things to do now is to share stories and spark a joy of reading in children. This book had some helpful insight into doing just that.

Storytelling is more than what it literally is, it is establishing a connection with your children. The target audience of this well written book are parents, educators and caregivers. Each chapter is short, concise, has practice exercises and ends with a sample.

Spending quality time with children and instilling a sense of discipline, righteousness, empathy through storytelling can go a long way in creating a better tomorrow. Though we are all born storytellers, some hiccups like self doubt that stops us, can be won over by following the techniques mentioned.

Those of us who have been around children need not be persuaded that a thirst for stories runs deep in the heart of a young one. Picture books, TV shows, and video games are, in one sense, tending to this deep innate desire. But to make up stories for children can seem like a daunting task. Perhaps some of us even doubt if children can sit through a story where there are no visuals. This book makes it clear that the answer is a resounding yes! However, if as caregivers, we do not believe in that innate capacity, the children will not have a chance to develop it. As Henry Ford put it "Whether you think you can or can't, you are right"

There are those who regard storytelling as a sacred and ancient art with its own particular methods and techniques; an art that is perfected over a lifetime through persistent practice, unyielding patience, and honest reflection. While there may be truth to this, the authors makes it clear that this is not the assumption upon which this book is built. The book assumes that anyone can be a storyteller, if they are given some basic guidelines which is exactly what this book claims to offer. It is a book of giving permission, if you will, to anyone around children to let their inner imagination roam wild and free and invite the little ones to step into the magical world of stories where half of the work takes place in their mind.

This book is an easy beginners guide to oral storytelling. It's a good place to start, presented in easy to understand language and breaks down the authors' process and reasoning for creating stories to tell to children. There is some good information here for those starting out in oral narration practices.

This is an amazing book with lots of little trips and tricks for interesting storytelling.
I actually saw myself improve while i tried to implement the tips suggested.

The messaging for parents is clearly not to overstress themselves in the age of fairies and animated stories and just be original and work with their power, closeness to the kid to improve their skills.

Very happy with the book and would recommend it to everybody who has kids around them

Sorry to say this isn't the book for me. I find the format rather tedious and monotonous.

I wanted tips and tricks that would work in a fun way for storytelling which would make readaloud and narration more effective and entertaining.

Thank you, authors and publishers for the copy.