Montjoy_Emily_FreeChoiceBlog

 Storytelling Resources to Create Snazzy Sessions 

Novel Effect

During my last storytelling experience, I used music and sound effects.  Adding music to your storytime session is especially pleasing to young children and hooks and maintains their attention from the very beginning and throughout the story.  Several classmates were curious about the resource I used to add this effect to enhance my storytelling session.  You can listen to my recording here Storytelling with Sound Effects. Here is another example: a recording of author Josh Funk reading aloud his book, Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast using the Novel Effect Soundscape to enhance his story. Author, Josh Funk, reads aloud his book with Novel Effect

I wanted to share this amazing tool that I used when reading aloud.  It is great for teachers or librarians who want to spice up their read alouds and storytelling sessions.  Novel Effect is an app that listens to you read aloud a book, responds to your read aloud, and provides on-cue music and sound effects for the story.  The app is programmed to respond when it hears you read certain words from the book.  When it hears you read signal words, the app knows to activate the music and sound effects.  Novel Effect brings stories to life as your audience is entranced and captivated with the unexpected sound effects that correspond to the text you are reading.  Novel Effect has a book list of available titles that have Soundscapes available (music and sound effects). Book List for Soundscapes available on Novel Effect and link to book activities if available

Additionally, some book titles have book activities that have already been created that you can use to follow up in your library sessions.  These planned activities and lessons are especially benefical to school librarians and teachers who may use Novel Effect in their lessons.  I have used the Novel Effect app with my students, and they are amazed and engaged in the story.  They are always focused and wondering where the sounds are coming from, and they ask me each week if our story will have sound.  They look forward to me reading aloud using the Novel Effect app to enhance my storytelling and read aloud sessions.  Creating an engaging session creates an atomosphere that encourages the students' attention and builds comprehension of the stories.

Novel Effect also provides a monthly calendar with various read alouds and storytelling sessions grouped around themes based on the current month.  Here is a look at this month's October calendar with all of the books they have available for read alouds with sound effects, or Soundscapes.  Many of these books are books you already own or are very popular and would probably already plan on reading aloud to your students or patrons.  Adding Novel Effect just takes your read alouds and storytelling up a notch and makes the session a little more snazzy!  Students and patrons are engaged with the storyteller, and this provides a more successful and meaningful storytime session.

Also, it is imperative that storytellers include a variety of stories and use diverse titles to encompass different cultures, races, backgrounds, abilities etc.  Novel Effect offers a variety of Soundscapes to accompany a variety of diverse titles.  You can also check out their blog for more ideas with highlighted themes such as Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History, Native American Heritage, etc.  Novel Effect blog

"The storyteller who tells to children with special needs must have all the qualities of a good storyteller--only more so. ...Storytellers who have the opportunity to work with special needs children consider it a joy and a challenge. ... Effective storytelling has the capacity to reach children with visual and hearing impairments, children who struggle with reading and writing, children who have behavioral issues, children who have processing and communication difficulties, and children with attention deficit." (Greene & Del Negro, 2010, p. 111)

Live Storytellers

Every year, the Stone Soup Storytellers come visit my school and share their storytelling experiences with our students.  The storytellers come from all around, but they are all very lively and engaging.  Most of our students are not exposed to storytellers who have had training and practice like these professional storytellers. These storytellers are animated, rehearsed, and performing stories from memory.  Some use props and music, but all use their bodies, gestures, and voice to create an entertaining storytelling session. You can find more information about the annual Stone Soup Storytelling Festival here.  

Last year we had a storyteller visit our school that was one of the best I have ever heard, Gwendolyn J. Napier.  She had every student sitting on the edge of their seat, soaking in her every word.  She was a true entertainer and the students were enthralled with her storytelling abilities.  She involved the audience at various times throughout her session which kept everyone engaged and attentive.  Her interactive, lively style was phenomenal, and I am not sure I have heard a storyteller as entertaining as her in quite awhile.  After the program I went over to her and introduced myself.  I told her I was a teacher and future librarian and would love to connect and have her in my library some day.  She shared her information, so I am passing it along if you are ever looking for a live professional storyteller to host in your library.  She is sure to bring the spice and snazzy session to you!

What is a storyteller?  Listen to an interview and a few stories with Ms. Napier here.

Gwendolyn J. Napier

Master Storytelling Artist

(404) 310-4833

(404) 755-4860

missluvdrop@yahoo.com

Ms. Napier's website

"The story qualities that appeal to young adults are the qualities of traditional literature, and that influence can clearly be seen in popular media.  Young adults form a hard-core fan base for contemporary fantasy and science fiction, whether novels, films, or television shows.  Traditional literature is the well from which much contemporary fantasy springs, which makes the more complex traditional tales, such as romances, hero tales, ghost stories, and epics a rich source for storytelling to young adults." (Greene & Del Negro, 2010, p. 176)

Seven Legends

Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow

Inukpack and His Son (based on a traditional Inuit legend)

Nian, the Chinese New Year Dragon (retelling of the Nian legend)

A Wave of Stars (legend of the moon rainbow)

The Happiest Herder in the Land (legend of the origin of coffee)

Maya by Mahak Jain (This story is beautiful!  The main character is struggling with fear, loss, grief and her mother tells her the legend of the banyan tree to distract her.  The story takes her mind off of her fears as the story takes over her imagination.  This book is a must have as it teaches the power of story.)

Paul Bunyan: The Invention of an American Legend (A TOON graphic novel)

The Very True Legend of the Mongolian Death Worms

Seven Myths

Sugar in Milk

Cyclops of Central Park

Cyclops Tells All (The Other Side of the Myth)

Uni the Unicorn and the Haunted Pumpkin Patch

Unicorns by Gary Jeffrey (graphic novel)

Dragons Love Tacos

The Lonely Beast by Chris Judge

**Preorder upcoming release Nov. 7, 2023: In my search I found this book that looks amazing, so I am just sharing it to put it on your radar!

"Young adults enjoy the grand adventure story.  They are fascinated by tales with multidimensional characters who are journeying, seeking, facing challenges, and defining who they are, just as the young adult listener is doing." (Greene & Del Negro, 2010 p. 181)

Citations:

Greene, Ellin & Janice M. Del Negro. (2010). Storytelling : art and technique. Libraries Unlimited.