Sweet Land of Story [Paperback]

Pleasant DeSpain (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Here is a compilation of stories from every part of the nation from the frozen tundra of Alaska to the lush green hills of Virginia

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up-Teachers and librarians who are doing storytelling projects will love these folktales that are suitable for telling by anyone over the age of eight. Some are DeSpain's versions of well-known classics, such as "Poor Tail-eee-poe" from Kentucky and "Saint Johnny of the Apple Orchards" from Ohio. All are arranged by region. None of the selections is more than five pages long; all are easy to learn and are appropriate for audiences as young as preschool age. Notes explain how the reteller discovered each story, as well as sources for other versions.
Marlyn K. Roberts, Torrance Public Library, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-6. Storyteller DeSpain, known for his global story collections, sticks to stories from the U.S. in this anthology. Organizing them by region, he includes a variety of representative selections--from tall tales and Native American tales to ghost stories and Jack tales. Well-known works such as "Pecos Bill" are presented alongside lesser-known ones such as "La Escalara Famosa" (The Famous Stair) from New Mexico and "Punia and the Shark King" from Hawaii. There are extensive notes for each story, and, in some cases, DeSpain also provides stylistic tips for the storyteller. The retellings are complete, but they still allow plenty of room for embellishment, making this an excellent addition to any storytelling collection. It will also attract middle-graders who like vibrantly written short tales. Helen Rosenberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: August House (December 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087483600X
• ISBN-13: 978-0874836004
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,524,650 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Storyteller's Delight, May 15, 2001

By 

Judy Wolfman (York, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sweet Land of Story (Hardcover)

Sweet Land of Story provides excellent stories from the various regions of the U.S. The brevity of the stories makes it easy for a teller of tales to read, digest, and develop for telling. At the same time, the stories, as written, are delightful. The introductory remarks of each region gives an excellent insight to the people and cultures of those areas. As a teller, I am appreciative of this book as a source for new stories.