UWSSLEC LibGuides: Storytelling: Props For Telling Stories

Books

Corduroy by Don Freeman (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780140501735
Publication Date: 1976-09-30
A picture book classic! One of School Library Journal’s "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time (2012) One of the National Education Association’s "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children." Don Freeman's classic character, Corduroy, is even more popular today then he was when he first came on the scene in 1968. This story of a small teddy bear waiting on a department store shelf for a child’s friendship has appealed to young readers generation after generation.
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780394823379
Publication Date: 1971-08-12
Long before "going green" was mainstream, Dr. Seuss's Lorax spoke for the trees and warned of the dangers of disrespecting the environment. In this cautionary rhyming tale (printed on recycled paper) we learn of the Once-ler, who came across a valley of Truffula Trees and Brown Bar-ba-loots, and how his harvesting of the tufted trees changed the landscape forever. With the release of the blockbuster film version, the Lorax and his classic tale have educated a new generation of young readers not only about the importance of seeing the beauty in the world around us, but also about our responsibility to protect it.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
ISBN: 9780399226908
Publication Date: 1994-03-23
THE all-time classic picture book, from generation to generation, sold somewhere in the world every 30 seconds! Have you shared it with a child or grandchild in your life? "The very hungry caterpillar literally eats his way through the pages of the book—and right into your child's heart..." —Mother's Manual "Gorgeously illustrated, brilliantly innovative..." —The New York Times Book Review
The Mitten by Jan Brett
ISBN: 9780399231094
Publication Date: 1996-10-04
"Grandmother knits snow-white mittens that Nikki takes on an adventure. Readers will enjoy the charm and humor in the portrayal of the animals as they make room for each newcomer in the mitten and sprawl in the snow after the big sneeze." -The Horn Book
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780786819881
Publication Date: 2003-04-01
When a bus driver takes a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place-a pigeon! But you've never met one like this before. As he pleads, wheedles, and begs his way through the book, children will love being able to answer back and decide his fate. In his hilarious picture book debut, popular cartoonist Mo Willems perfectly captures a preschooler's temper tantrum.
The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Paul Galdone (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780899190358
Publication Date: 1981-09-15
The three goat brothers brave the terrible troll in a colorful version of the classic tale.
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780060256654
Publication Date: 2014-02-18
"Once there was a tree . . . and she loved a little boy." The Giving Tree is fifty! Celebrate with this special edition that features a stunning metallic green jacket and a gold anniversary sticker. The Giving Tree, a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein, has been a classic favorite for generations. Since it was first published fifty years ago, Shel Silverstein's poignant picture book for readers of all ages has offered a touching interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return. Shel Silverstein's incomparable career as a bestselling children's book author and illustrator began with Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back. He is also the creator of picture books including A Giraffe and a Half, Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros?, The Missing Piece, The Missing Piece Meets the Big O, and the perennial favorite The Giving Tree, and of classic poetry collections such as Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, Falling Up, Every Thing On It, Don't Bump the Glump!, and Runny Babbit. Supports the Common Core State Standards.

Materials

Puppets are a great way to interact with the audience. An example of storytelling puppets are the Muppets. You can even make your own puppets to look like the Muppets!

Costumes help the audience to visualize the story. Even a simple costume, like just putting on a cape, can assist a child to image the world in which you are creating with the story.

Music sets the tone for the book. By using music, the storyteller creates the mood for the whole book and allows the audience to hear how a story night play out without giving anything away.

Props create the setting of the book to help the audience be transported into the story rather than just hearing and picturing the story in their heads. Props can include thrones, canes, baskets, flowers, etc.

Activities To Do With Kids

Interactive Tools

StoryJumper allows the user to create their own story, a book, using animations and cartoon pictures. This interactive tool also allows for the user to publish his or her book that he or she created.

Click on the image above to play with the interactive tool.

Apps

Rory's Story Cubes
Description
9 cubes, 54 images, over 10 million combinations and infinite stories. Shake to roll the cubes. Create a story using all 9 face-up images. 
Features
• Realistic physics - shake to roll the cubes. Move and rotate them as you tell your story. Improved user experience is achieved.
• Your cubes - add to your Rory’s Story Cubes collection. The app now comes with both the Original and Rory Story Cubes® Mix: Clues sets. Other sets available as in-app purchases
• New combinations - generate a random combination of 9 cubes from selected sets.

Sock Puppets

DescriptionSock Puppets lets you create your own lip-synched videos and share them on Facebook and YouTube. Add Puppets, props, scenery, and backgrounds and start creating. Hit the record button and the puppets automatically lip-synch to your voice.

Friends can work together with multiple puppets and create hilarious conversations. While recording, simply tap a puppet and that puppet will lip-synch, tap a different puppet and switch auto lip-synching to it. Switch backgrounds to take your puppets to different places, move the puppets, props and scenery to animate them while recording. Cartoon and photo realistic puppets are included.

Book Creator for iPad - create and publish ebooks, pdfs and comics

Description
Book Creator is the simple way to make your own beautiful ebooks, right on your iPad. With over 15 million ebooks created so far, Book Creator is ideal for making all kinds of books, including children's picture books, comic books, photo books, journals, textbooks and more.Features
* Add text, choosing from over 50 fonts
* Add photos and images from your iPad's photo library, from the web, or use the iPad's Camera
* Resize, rotate and position content as you like with guidelines and snap positioning
* Add video and music, and even record your voice
* Use the pen tool to draw and annotate your book
* Choose from portrait, landscape or square book sizes
* Add super powers to your books with comic templates, stickers and styles
* A quick tap and you're reading your book in iBooks!

Props For Telling Stories

It's All About The Materials You Use

Storytelling is not just about telling a story but also how one presents the story. There are many ways to help entertain an audience when performing.