From the Publisher
Now you can
tell stories, not just read them. Based on traditional Japanese picture-card dramas called
kamishibai (paper theater), the Storycard Theater® format allows you to read to a group of children while showing them the pictures. No longer do you have to twist your neck to read a picture book! And with the freedom to look your audience in the eye, you can concentrate on the performance. Reading becomes storytelling. It's easy and fun.
Storycard Theater dramas are printed on 12 sturdy, 13" x 9-5/8" cards. They're small enough to hold comfortably, yet large enough to showcase the colorful artwork. The back of each card features clear, kid-tested text and a smaller version of the image the audience is seeing.
These storycards are ideal for classrooms, birthday parties, daycare centers, family gatherings, and for students learning English. In fact, many children enjoy performing them for each other, or inventing their own stories based on the artwork.
Colorful History
The kamishibai (kah-mee-shee-bye) format dates back to the 12th century, when Buddhist monks traveled Asia with pictures to enhance their stories and lectures. Between the 1930s and 1950s in Japan, it was common to see kamishibai storytellers in parks, fields, or on street corners -- wherever children gathered. Riding up on bicycles with a small wooden stage mounted on the back, these enterprising men sold candies and snacks to the children, then launched into a dramatic performance. (Children who bought candy got to sit closer.) It's estimated there were once 50,000 kamishibai storytellers in Japan. Unfortunately, as television and movies began to lure children indoors, these storytellers gradually disappeared.
Leaf Moon Arts is excited to bring back this unique and effective form of storytelling. Try it yourself. We think you'll see why Storycard Theater owners call the series "spellbinding."
About Leaf Moon Arts
Leaf Moon Arts draws on classic folktales from around the world to produce stories that demonstrate positive themes to children, such as love, kindness, and honesty. Through Storycard Theater, we hope to help children establish good values -- and have fun -- for many years to come.
From the Author
Having published two "boy" stories --
Momotaro the Peach Boy and
Jack & the Beanstalk -- we wanted to share a girl story as well. We were drawn to this thousand-year-old tale because of its messages of love, devotion, and honesty. Kaguya-Hime's independent spirit must have been hilarious in the samurai culture of ancient Japan, but it translates well to modern times.
We tested and refined this story for more than a year during our school and library visits, and it was inspiring to see how it captivated audiences both young and old. Because the joy of kamishibai for the audience is the moment of transition between cards, we also spent a lot of time making each card end on a dramatic moment so it leads into the next.
We're excited to be working again with illustrator Kazumi Verkler, whose rich, colorful drawings complete the magical ambience.
