Mark Binder

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About Mark Binder

Audie Award Nominee Mark Binder is the author of more than two dozen books and audio books. He tours the world as a performer, transmitting the joy of story across boundaries. His work is eclectic.

His latest book, THE GROSTON RULES is a novel about seven friends trying to graduate high school, who get caught up with bullying, climate change, and other dysfunctions. It's a modern-day reboot with high school versions of characters from The Zombie Cat and It Ate My Sister.

He has recently released the live audiobook Summer 2020 ("A lot of fun!" -Providence Journal).
Loki Ragnarok was nominated and was a finalist for the 2019 Audie Audiobook Award for Best Original Work
The Bed Time Story series has sold more than 80,000 copies worldwide
The Life in Chelm series includes a book nominated for the National Jewish Book Award for Family Literature
A writer who creates at least one new project every year, whether it's a printed book or an audio book, an ebook or a play -- Mark is constantly pushing boundaries, while keeping his diverse audiences of readers and listeners engaged.

A performer with more than twenty years of programs in theaters, festivals, schools, libraries, and community centers. Every year Mark gives more than 100 presentations across the United States and around the world and has performed live for more than 200,000 listeners. He has twice toured in Europe and is featured in the Amazon/Audible series, "Story Party Live."

Education...
At Columbia University, where he holds a BA, Mark studied mythology with T.E. Gaster and storytelling with Spalding Gray (1984). He trained with the Adaptors Movement Theater (1985-87). He earned an MA in English and Writing, Acting and Directing from Rhode Island College and the Trinity Rep Conservatory (1990). He holds a third degree black belt in Aikido, has trained in centering and internal power with Dan Hardin, and promises not to throw you across the room.

Entertaining, Inspiring, Challenging... Delightful
Whether written or told, Mark's stories are always fresh and new. Some are pure fun, while others address issues, soothe fears and inspire change. Because he has such a broad assortment of stories, books and audio, he can work from a theme or offer "Omakase" stories that suit the day and the audience. Everyone who listens or reads is transported

A Teacher and Leader
Mark knows how to teach by listening and coaching, by example and assignment. His goal is to inspire students to do more and better work than they thought possible. He has taught martial arts in a dojo, "Telling Lies" at the Rhode Island School of Design, and writing and storytelling in dozens of elementary, middle and high schools for young people and adults of all ages.

Theater, Editorial, Politics and more...
Mark is currently working on a new play. He is the founder of Light Publications, a fiercely independent craft publishing company. He co-created Bright Night Providence (2004-11), and founded The Real Fun Theater Company (1991-1992), the American Story Theater (2004-present) and Spoken Story Saturdays (2020). He has written and directed more than a dozen plays (1986-1999) He has worked as the editor of magazines and newspapers, written hundreds of newspaper and magazines articles, designed books, and produced award-winning books and audios. He has been programming computers since 1977, and is constantly learning and adapting to changing technology. He has twice run for political office, and came frighteningly close to winning once.

Joanne Harris

Mary Pope Osborne

Beverly Cleary

Disney Book Group

PJ Ryan

Sarah Doll

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Author Updates

Titles By Mark Binder

All Formats Kindle Edition Audible Audiobook Audio CD See more

The Bed Time Story Book (The Bed TIme Story Series 1) Sep 15, 2008

by Mark Binder

( 3 )

$7.99

Familiar favorites and classics that will enchant the whole family. The Bed Time Story Book is a wonderfully original collection of 36 stories that will entertain the entire family. You can look forward to bedtime and share the joy of reading. "Accompanied by classic illustrations, the stories are retold in an exceptionally amusing style and perfect for reading aloud." Turn your evening goodnight into quality family time with traditional stories, familiar rhymes, and favorite interpretations. Includes tips and tricks and fun ideas that will help you get started and keep you (and your young listeners) engaged! The Bedtime Story Book will inspire the youngest readers.

Other Formats: Hardcover , Paperback

The Groston Rules Nov 3, 2020

by Mark Binder

( 5 )

$9.99

All they wanted was to get high and graduate…

Isaac, Adam, Helen, Charlie, Sean, Jésus and Rover had planned on coasting through their final semester at Ashby Bryson High. They called themselves Team Bomb Shelter, and their plan was simple, get stoned, play video games, get into college, and get the hell out of Groston.

Instead, they get caught up in chaos.

Adam assaults two football stars. Fat Charlie’s father nearly dies of a heart attack. Jesus can’t make his art while chauffeuring his siblings. Rover’s never had a date. Helen’s house is destroyed in a flood. Sean is coming out of the closet. And Isaac can’t get into college to save his life.

What happens after everything goes wrong?

The last straw is when Ashby Bryson High School is suddenly shut down, and they’re bussed to Fectville Regional, which sucks. Big time.

But every time Team Bomb Shelter gets knocked down, they get up again, come together, and solve their problems. They throw the rules out the window and make up their own.

THE GROSTON RULES is like a humorous buddy war movie, with high school as the battlefield. Everyone in Team Bomb Shelter has their own challenges, but by working together, they overcome and ultimately triumph.

Advance Praise for THE GROSTON RULES

“A group of high schoolers deals with mishaps and disasters six months before graduation in this coming-of-age novel.... Immensely likable characters on an enthralling and entertaining journey.” – Kirkus Reviews

The very first novel to be serialized on Spotify!

Audie Award Nominee Mark Binder is the author of more than two dozen books and audio books. He tours the world as a performer, transmitting the joy of story across boundaries. Mark is constantly pushing boundaries, while keeping his diverse audiences of readers and listeners engaged.

“a gift for humor—both broad and subtle—Binder captivates”

– Publishers Weekly

Other Formats: Paperback

Loki Ragnarok: The Viking Armageddon retold by the trickster Oct 9, 2017

by Mark Binder

( 4 )

$9.99

2019 Audie Audiobook Finalist for Best Original Work -- Audiobook on sale in celebration!

"A well-told tale of the Norse Gods… Binder’s voice swoops and soars, now angry, now gleeful and now mocking, as Loki tells these stories of the gods run amok."
—Providence Journal

This is the story Marvel doesn't tell about Loki…

They broke into his home. They kidnapped his children. Left his wife bound and gagged on the floor, where she choked and died. He had once helped them, been their friend and blood brother.

The story of Loki echoes the cycles of violence and revenge playing out across our world. Told with a blend of poetry and prose, humor and horror, it offers no solution — but a glimmer, perhaps of understanding and compassion.

LOKI RAGNAROK is the Viking Armageddon retold by the trickster. In the shadow of prophecy, a family is torn asunder, leading to betrayal, torture, madness and revenge.

“For nearly a thousand years, the tale of Ragnarok – the Norse myth of Apocalypse – has painted Loki as a Satan-like evil. With a fast-paced blend of prose and poetry, award-winning author Mark Binder offers an epic revision of the Eddas with modern resonance.”
– Duval, Between Myth, Lies, and History

On the eve of battle
is the time to tell tales,
sing ballads, glorious stories,
remembering, reliving, reveling
in all that has been.
Tomorrow all ends in blood.
– Loki

What drives homicidal madness?
On the brink of Apocalypse, why would anyone kindle utter destruction?
Pop culture relies on heroes to save the day. Their choreographed fights are entertaining. We will be safe.
LOKI RAGNAROK gives a horrific villain a voice with measures of rage, humor and compassion.

“Mark Binder has a knack for blending ancient mythology with modern storytelling techniques to create a vibrant and contemporary tale.”

Written and performed by Mark Binder, an award-winning author and performing storyteller, LOKI RAGNAROK is a dynamic blend of prose and poetry—a brilliant and brief comic and tragic epic.

This is NOT a story for children.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover

The Zombie Cat: spooky fun misadventures (Groston Book 1) Jul 1, 2017

by Mark Binder

( 3 )

$9.99

Witches, Tsunami, Toxic Chemicals and Tossed Cookies (137 pages)
From scientific experiments gone awry to an awesome water battle, the Zombie Cat is a fun, funny, disgusting and exciting book that is fun for readers of all ages and abilities.
This is a book about ordinary kids who get into extraordinary trouble. What happens when Kovar brings his sister's cat from the dead? What happens when Adam finally goes boogie boarding? Was it really a good idea for Charlie to take candy from the doorstep of the witch's house? And what about the inter-school game of capture the flag played with stinky water balloons?
Epic humor, horror and pungent stanks…
Written for middle grade, middle school and adults with a sense of humor.
The Zombie Cat is really two books in one: Rewind is seven stories, and The Stink Bomb War is a full length chapter book (novel). So, it counts as two books toward any reading-quota.
Mark Binder is the storytelling author of more than 20 books and audio books, including It Ate My Sister and It was a dark and stormy night… Much of his work is multigenerational for diverse audiences of listeners and readers. An internationally renowned performer, he tours the world sharing truths, telling lies and transmitting joy.

Other Formats: Hardcover , Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Every Hero Has A Story: A chapter book of stories from around the world Nov 5, 2014

by Mark Binder

( 2 )

$4.99

"While most books have one story, this has eighteen… Most of them are fairy tales, but some are adventure stories. All are wonderful." —San Francisco Book Review (5/5 Stars)

From Giant Killer Jack and The Last Voyage of of Sinbad to the World's First Story, this chapter book of adventures will keep you turning pages.

Written by an award-winning author and storyteller, this collection of framed stories will be enjoyed by young people and parents of all ages.

A flash flood rips a Prince and Princess from their carriage. Lost and alone in the deluge, they find refuge in a barn filled with strangers. Gathering around the fire to keep warm, one by one these unknown women and men began to tell their stories.

Some of the stories are familiar, while others are unexpected, whimsical and fantastic.

Every Hero Has a Story is designed to be read to young children or read by older children. Parents and youngsters alike will delight in the stories as the tales spin. By the end of the evening the stories have done more than just pass the time, they have changed the lives of the Prince and Princess forever.

"You've heard of books that are meant to be read across an entire state? This is a book that can be read across an entire family."

Based in New England, Mark Binder tours the world sharing his spoken and written stories with listeners of all ages. In this collection you'll "hear" his version of Jack and the Beanstalk ("Giant Killer Jack"), and learn the origin of "The First Story." You'll smile at the wisdom of a young girl in "The Contest," and catch your breath at "The Short Tale of Erika P. Spunk." There's even a new addition to the Arabian Nights with "The Last Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor."

Binder blends and dances between genres. He makes traditional stories sound modern and invents new stories that sound as if they have been retold for a hundred years.

At the heart of the book, weaving in and out, is the "frame tale" of the Prince and the Princess, who grow beyond their remoteness and isolation and are touched, moved and transformed by the stories they hear, and the stories that they themselves tell.

Mark Binder is an author and storyteller who knows how to connect generations. It is a true testament to his passion and talent that he is able to reach the hearts and minds of such diverse audiences.

His most recent book is Cinderella Spinderella.

Other Formats: Hardcover , Paperback

Cinderella Spinderella: the inclusive urban fairy tale, where you can pick your Cinderella and choose your Prince Dec 22, 2013

by Mark Binder, Steve Mardo

( 4 )

$7.99

* Digital Book Award Finalist! * Mom's Choice Silver Award Winner!
* Digital Book World QED Award Winner * Moonbeam Award Winner!

"It doesn't matter what you look like… It's who you are that counts."
—The Fairy Godmother from "Cinderella Spinderella"

The classic story of Cinderella has been modernized and urbanized in this beautifully illustrated edition, written with delightful humor and a surprising twist.

Cinderella Spinderella uses ebook technology to allow readers to choose how Cinderella looks. Is she Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, or from the Indian subcontinent?

You can pick.

Mark Binder’s Cinderella Spinderella began its life as a spoken-word story told to very different audiences— groups of inner city youngsters and their parents and campers with severe physical disabilities.

The ebook Cinderella Spinderella, connects with any reader, offering 25 different combinations, so that every youngster can see herself or himself reflected in the story.
This is Cinderella who powerfully chooses her identity!

The classic story is modernized in this beautifully illustrated edition, written with delightful humor and a surprising twist.

Please note: This is an ebook, not an app or a game, so the story remains the same while the Cinderellas and Princes vary. You will enjoy rereading the story, but don't expect to find lots of changes—except the seasons!

"Eleanor lived alone with two stepsisters in a skinny house that her father had left to her in his will. By all rights the house belonged to Eleanor, yet her stepsisters treated her very poorly."

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback

The Short Tale of Erika P. Spunk Jun 19, 2012

by Mark Binder

$2.99

You've heard of tall tales? This is a short tale about a short hero…

Erika P. Spunk was an ittybitty, teeny, tiny baby… Her mother was frightened she would be washed away in the rain, so she often stayed indoors and always always carried an umbrella.

After she graduates from school, she sets off to become the world's first female folk hero…

She saves lives, performs dangerous feats of derring-do, and becomes a legend.

Based on the story from the award-winning audio album, "Classic Stories for Boys and Girls."

Enjoy!

Genies, Giants and a Walrus (The Bed Time Story Book Book 2) May 30, 2012

by Mark Binder

$7.99

Amazing Adventures and Terrific Tall Tales for older readers who are ready to sink their teeth into something fun.

Fun, Fantastic and Exciting
Boys, Girls and Parents will Love Reading Genies, Giants and a Walrus.

Award-winning author and storyteller Mark Binder has collected some of his favorite adventures from across the globe and put them together in one collection for the entertainment of all.

Thor… Scheherazade… Paul Bunyan…Clever Doris?

Enjoy discovering the original myths that inspired the videos.
Find new stories to make you smile.

Magic and Myth, Tricksters and Theft
Wits Win and Tales Triumph

"Genies, Giants and a Walrus" includes some of the world's best adventure stories, selected and edited for the pleasure of voracious young readers.

From Gilgamesh and the Arabian Nights to Norse Mythology and the American West, these are stories that both girls and boys will enjoy reading and rereading.

…an excellent primer for young readers… Classic tales retold with new energy… New tales that seem timeless, and a few old favorites that preserve the flavor of years gone by.

If you liked "The Bed Time Story Book" or "Kings, Wolves, Princesses and Lions," you'll love, "Genies, Giants and a Walrus." You can read them by yourself, or with your family.

Award-winning author, Mark Binder presents this collection of stories with the ear of a professional storyteller and the love of a parent reading to his family.

"…a gift for humor -- both broad and subtle…"
- Publisher's Weekly

"…author and storyteller Mark Binder is the spellbinder…"
- School Library Journal

Part of the best-selling "Bed Time Story Book" series, this collection takes it to the next level of literary pleasure.

Target ages:
Genies, Giants and a Walrus: Grades 3-5
Kings, Wolves, Princesses and Lions: Grades 1-3
The Bed Time Story Book: Grades PK-2

Some of the world's finest heroes and heroines make appearances, including, Scheherezade, Thor, Paul Bunyan and Clever Doris. Includes plenty of witches, giants, genies and of course, a Walrus.

If you don't know these stories, you'll soon learn why so many of them are classics… Author and storyteller Mark Binder reworks, revises and invents stories that feel fresh while maintaining a strong connection to the past.

The collection ends with a brief selection from some of the finest poetic stories ever written in English, including Kipling, Lewis Carroll and Casey at the Bat.

Guaranteed fun for all.

Other Formats: Paperback

The Buddha Who Wore Keds May 24, 2012

by Mark Binder

( 2 )

$2.99

If you meet the Buddha in the road do you kill him or medicate him?

Murray Wit escapes from a nursing home wearing nothing but a pair of Pro Keds and an orange bedsheet. He ends up in New York City with the Dalai Lama. Alzheimer’s or enlightenment? A delightful journey of misunderstandings, reconciliation and kindness.

Mark Binder is an award-winning author and storyteller. He spent 20 years training in Aikido, the Martial Art for Peace and now studies Yoga, Centering and Internal Arts.

Kings, Wolves, Princesses and Lions (The Bed Time Story Book Book 2) May 23, 2012

by Mark Binder

$7.99

Kings Wolves, Princesses and Lions is an excellent primer for young readers… Classic tales retold with new energy… New tales that seem timeless, and a few old favorites that preserve the flavor of years gone by.

If you liked "The Bed Time Story Book" you'll love, "Kings, Wolves, Princesses and Lions."

These are stories children will enjoy reading by themselves, or with parents and caregivers. And the grown-ups will enjoy reading them, too. Includes dozens of evocative and humorous old-school and wood-block style illustrations.

Award-winning children's author, Mark Binder presents this collection of stories with the ear of a professional storyteller and the love of a parent reading to his family.

"…a gift for humor -- both broad and subtle…"
- Publisher's Weekly

"…author and storyteller Mark Binder is the spellbinder…"
- School Library Journal

Part of the best-selling "Bed Time Story Book" series, this collection starts with simple stories for early readers, and then allows youngsters to stretch their skills.

Target ages:
Kings, Wolves, Princesses and Lions: Grades 1-3
The Bed Time Story Book: Grades PK-2
Genies, Giants and a Walrus: Grades 3-5

Bonus tips for reading-aloud at bed time!

An around-the world tour of Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia. The five sections are broken down into Tales of Animals, Ordinary and Extraordinary People, Kings and Fools, American Favorites and International Classics.

If you don't know these stories, you'll soon learn why so many of them are classics… Author and storyteller Mark Binder reworks, revises and invents stories that feel fresh while maintaining a strong connection to the past.

With updated and extended versions of Aesop Fables, Anansi, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, Sleeping Beauty, The Brave Little Tailor, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Rapunzel, Stone Soup (at Valley Forge), King Midas, Androcles, and a cast of mice, bats, weasels, cranes, dogs, wolves, and of course lions.

Other Formats: Paperback

The Rationalization Diet (crumbs don't count) Jun 6, 2011

by Mark Binder

$4.99

First published in 1998, the breakthrough RATIONALIZATION DIET has remained an underground classic anti-diet. Now it returns with more and better facts, factoids, theories and rationalizations.

The times have changed, but THE RATIONALIZATION DIET's purpose remains the same -- to make you laugh about dieting.

Half a slice of pizza has only one quarter the calories, carbs and fats of a whole slice.

The Exercise Machine Rationalization: Simply by purchasing expensive exercise equipment—cross-trainers, exercycles, one of those weird bun or stomach crunch things they sell on late night TV—you have done the equivalent of a year’s worth of workouts… Now you can use it as a clothes rack.

And many many more.

Rationalizations for the home, office and dining out.
Now with a new collection of Beer Rationalizations for guys who like to consume mass quantities.

Too much fat? No way!
Too many carbs? Not a problem.
Lots of calories? Excellent!

Remember, you can eat it, if you can rationalize it.

Stories for Peace - resolving conflicts / handling bullies Jan 3, 2011

by Mark Binder

$7.99

Can conflict be resolved without violence?
Can change happen without conflict?
Entertaining thought and action-provoking tales by an award-winning author and professional storyteller.
Written for adults, children, families, educators, students, activists, leaders, listeners and even war-mongers.
Stories include:
The Bully and the Shrimp - Resolving Conflict
The Boy Who Hated Pizza - Peace through negotiation
Two Monks and the Gross Slimy Monster - Peace of Mind (based on the Zen tale)
The Wall - Cyber-bullying

Other Formats: Paperback

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Author Updates

All they wanted was to get high and graduate…

What happens after everything goes wrong?

Advance Praise for THE GROSTON RULES

The very first novel to be serialized on Spotify!

More Information