Shake-It-Up Tales! [Paperback]

Margaret Read MacDonald (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2006

As any good storyteller knows, audience participation often makes the difference between a so-so story and a terrific tale. Here, veteran performer Margaret Read MacDonald shares her experience in this collection of multicultural stories that involve plenty of audience involvement. You'll find riddle stories, improvisational stories, singing tales, tandem tales, and much more.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

An essential tool for librarians looking for participation tales from different cultures. Each of the 20 stories is easy to learn and MacDonald provides wonderful ideas on how to inspire elementary-aged children to join in and become part of the storytelling tradition. Tips for the telling (including props in some cases) and a short history of the folktale follow each selection. The entries are divided into three basic categories: "Chanting, Singing, Dancing, Drumming"; "Talk-Back Tales," subdivided into "Stories with Improv Slots" and "Riddle Stories"; and "Dramatic Play," including "Actors-from-the-Audience," "Tandem Telling," "Story Theatre," and "Act-It-Out-Tales." Each section includes an annotated list of additional selections from which to choose. One downside is that there is no index, but the table of contents is detailed enough that those searching for tales should have no trouble locating them. Overall, a great resource.
Jennifer M. Parker, Tufts Library, Weymouth, MA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: August House (May 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874835704
• ISBN-13: 978-0874835700
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #279,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald travels the world telling stories....always on the lookout for more great folktales to share. She shapes these found stories into tellable tales which anyone can share with ease. Filling her folktale collections with these delightful tales, she creates perfect read alouds for you and your family. MRM wants everyone to experience the joy of a beautifully told tale. She hopes you will read them a few times...then put down the book...put down the electronic device...and just TELL the story to your children!

Some of her favorite folktales she expands into picture books...hopefully with delightfully readable language while will roll right out of your mouth. Share them with your children and then....act the tales out! Revisit the tales by TELLING them! At bedtime. While on the road. Fill your pockets with great stories to share wherever you go.

Joining her Folklore Ph.D. with her 30 plus years as a children's librarian, Margaret brings folktales to life in playful, lilting language which should delight both reader and listener.

See her performance schedule at: www.margaretreadmaconald.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tons of great ideas, July 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Shake-It-Up Tales! (Hardcover)

Wow! Margaret Read MacDonald's latest just quivers with energy. This book gives great tips for getting kids involved in storytime. There are songs to dance to (my personal favorites!), sing to, drum to, and act out, whether you're telling to a big group, a small group, all kids, kids and parents . . . you get the idea. There's such a wealth of information here, I can't wait for the school year to start so I can try out all these new stories. Highly recommended!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for parents, teachers or librarians, June 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Shake-It-Up Tales! (Hardcover)

Each chapter in this book is filled with tales that encourage audience participation and interaction. The stories are simple to learn and to tell and involve all sorts of activities such as singing, dancing, drumming, acting and improvisation. Each story is accompanied by any necessary music and a list of materials or props. At the end of each story, MacDonald has included "Tips for Telling" which outlines a strategy for the storyteller and "About the Story" which offers some more information about the story. Each chapter begins with a short description of the actions required in the chapter and some behind the scenes tips for controlling the audience. In addition to the full-text stories that are included in each chapter, MacDonald recommends other stories that would be appropriate for the same actions. Chapters are organized to encourage the reader to take on more complicated storytelling roles as they progress through the book. Beginning chapters are dedicated to one action such as singing or drumming while final chapters include using actors from the audience and creating a story theatre. Another nice feature of this resource is that stories come from all over the world, from Thailand to Gambia to China. This would make these stories an excellent addition to a cultural or geographic study on a specific country. This book would be a great purchase for anyone working with children. MacDonald's comments make storytelling much less mysterious or frightening for those not used to performing in front of a group. The twenty tales included here, along with the many others that she suggests make for unending ideas.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars storytelling, March 10, 2008

By 

Mrs. J. A. Butler "gracy library" (florence, ms usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shake-It-Up Tales! (Paperback)

Really a good book for storytellers - beginners or seasoned. Good tips for expanding the stories and making them your own.