Drag Queen Story Hour

 Drag Queen Storytime/Hour

Link to Photo

    Week five of our Storytelling course included an article about Drag Queen Story Times. (See below for article) This reading spoke to me. I consider myself to be a person that embraces diversity so my reaction to this reading was positive. I loved the idea! As a mother and teacher, I want my children and students to embrace and celebrate people's differences. The picture above is from Drag Queen Storytime at the JFK Library in Vallejo California. One of the attendees, Tom Bilbo of the Solano Pride Center said, "This is about showing kids that there are all kinds of different people in the world and to embrace diversity.” 

Article From Week 5

    Although I am an advocate for diverse events like Drag Queen Storytime, some people are not. In fact, this event has made national news because it is so controversial. Most libraries that have held this event, are bombarded with outraged picketers. (See articles and video below.) Perhaps if these individuals knew more about the program and its benefits, they would feel differently. 

Vallejo Library's Drag Queen Storytime

People Protesting Drag Queen Story Hour Met By Counter-Protesters

    After reading about protests, I wanted to learn more about the events. I found a fantastic video on YouTube that explained the mission of these events in detail and how much they meant to the storytellers and their audience. Please take a look...

    There is also a wonderful site that explains what Drag Queen Story Hour is. It also includes, reading tips from Drag Queens, newsletters, the latest news/media, and the ability to search for an event. The link to the site is below.

Drag Queen Story Hour Site

    This remains to be a controversial event, but appears to be popping up in more libraries around the country. What are your thoughts? Is this appropriate for libraries? Is it more or less acceptable to have books about drag queens? What message is being sent to patrons? I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section.

Link to purchase book

References

Barriage, S., Kitzie, V., Floegel, D., & Oltmann, S. M. (n.d.). Drag queen storytimes: Public library staff perceptions and experiences. Children and Libraries. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://journals.ala.org/index.php/cal/article/view/7581/10486.

John Carroll / General Assignment Reporter & Anchor. (2019, August 29). People protesting drag queen story hour met by counter-protesters. KPBS Public Media. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2019/08/29/people-protesting-drag-queen-story-hour-dqsh-are-m.

Raskin-Zrihen, R. (2019, June 17). Vallejo Library's drag queen story hour draws small protest. Times. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://www.timesheraldonline.com/2019/06/14/vallejo-librarys-drag-queen-story-hour-draws-small-protest-in-vallejo/.

Royce, E., Chambers, H., & Cummings, M. G. (2020). Auntie uncle: Drag queen hero. Pow!

What is Drag Queen Story Hour? Drag Queen Story Hour. (2021, November 2). Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://www.dragqueenstoryhour.org/.

YouTube. (2018). Drag Queen Story Hour. YouTube. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfJNRFB6E-A.

YouTube. (2020). The Drag Queens Reading To Kids in Libraries | them. YouTube. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy7Oj4fSzuI&t=34s.

The Nerdy Book Club-Blog Share

 The Nerdy Book Club

Do you consider yourself a book nerd? If so, this is the blog for you! 

Nerdy Book Club

The Nerdy Book Club offers children's and young adult book reviews, podcast, and even their own book awards! Let's check out some of the great information below.

Nerdy Site News

One section of the blog offers "Nerdy Site News". Bloggers discuss topics like the pandemic, whether or not to join a book club, and interesting news and happenings with the site. I personally enjoyed the post, Do You Want to Join a Book Club? by Donalyn Miller. The post describes the advantage of book clubs and even how reading children's and young adult literature benefits educators. (Which is so true!) Finally, the blogger includes a list of books read in the book club which can be incredibly helpful to new librarians/media specialists.

2020 Nerdy Book Awards

Another great section of this blog is the book awards. Every year, the site announces the nerdy book club winners in the following categories:

• Picture Books: Fiction,
• Picture Books: Nonfiction
• Early Readers/ Chapter Books
• Graphic Novels
• Poetry and Novels in Verse
• MG/YA Nonfiction
• Middle Grade Fiction
• Young Adult Fiction

Viewers and subscribers can vote on their favorites each year. I love this! This gives readers the chance to say what books they enjoy and recommend it to others! When I started the program, I was positive I wanted to work in the elementary school library. However, after taking a course in young adult literature, I have found a passion for that too. If I decide to pursue middle grades, I will use recommendations from blogs (Like this one!) and reviews to help me recommend and select books while I read more YA novels myself.

SOCIAL MEDIA ALERT!!!

Another huge selling point of this blog is their big social media presence. They are on Facebook and Twitter. I don't know about y'all, but I get a fair share of my information from social media, so this is a big deal for me! I love that I can like Nerdy Book Club on Facebook and get the latest news, videos, and blog posts while playing on my phone. 

The latest post gives suggestions for Down Syndrome Awareness Month. How cool is that? I know that is something practical I could use in the library to help with programming. They also have some great videos with educators, authors, and librarians. I have included a link below to a video with Colby Sharp (a fifth grade teacher) and Megan Freeman the author of Alone. The link to purchase the book is also below.

 Link to Facebook Video

Purchase Alone by Megan Freeman

I hope you all get a chance to check out this blog and all the great information available on the site and social media accounts. I can't wait to read your comments and see what features you find most helpful and could use in the library!

References

Freeman, M. E. (2021). Alone. Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division.

www. Facebook.com

Nerdy Book Club. Facebook. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.facebook.com/nerdybookclub/.

Nerdy book club. Nerdy Book Club. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/.

Storytelling Reflection #2

Blog Post #4 

Storytelling Reflection #2

Link to photo

    Hello readers! Today's blog will be another reflection of my last storytelling experience. This time, we will look at the planning process of telling a story with props and also the execution of that plan. Hopefully my experience will help you learn or better prepare for your own storytelling experience in the future.

    First, I looked at some of my options for props. There are quite a few choices out there. Finger puppets, hand puppets, and the felt board were just a few of the options. In the past, I have used both finger puppets and hand puppets and found them difficult to manage. As a new storyteller, I feel like both finger and hand puppets are for more advanced storytellers because they are simple visuals. I personally believe they require a more detailed account of the story, voice inflections, and an experienced storyteller to deliver a good performance. However, the felt board has more pieces which I hoped would make me feel more supported in this storytelling experience. (I hope that makes sense!) 

The problem was, I didn't have a felt board! I put a video in one of my previous blog posts about how to make your own felt board. Unfortunately, I don't have the resources to make all the storybook characters and pieces to do a good retelling. Therefore, I began searching. I was looking for both a felt board and also some premade felt characters that would fit the retelling experience I was hoping for. During my search I came upon this felt board on Etsy. (The link is below.)

I selected this board specifically for two reasons. I am 

going to filming myself and I need something on the smaller side. This board is 12x13 which is still visible to my audience, but not too large it is cumbersome. 

Second, it has this nifty hand strap which makes it so easy to hold! I thought this would be incredible helpful while filming, but also in the library! 

After selecting this board, I needed the actual story pieces to be able to use it! I started searching the same Etsy store and couldn't believe how many choices there were! There were felt characters and pieces to stories like Little Red Ridding Hood, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Pete the Cat and so many more! She offers bundles too! I highly encourage you all to check it out!

Link to Felt Board

Link to Felt Stories

So I bet you're wondering what story I selected! Well, I saw a family favorite and had to have it! If you Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff. This is one of my daughter's favorites so I knew I had to pick it! Plus, the characters and pieces included in the set where too cute! The link to them are here. If you Take a Mouse to School Felt Set

This set was perfect! Now I just needed to plan and practice the retelling before filming. The physical book I had was a miniature version which actually was helpful because It was small and I could keep it hidden while using the props and doing the retelling. After a few tries. I learned it was super helpful to line the props up in order as they were introduced in the story. This kept me on track and helped me make sure I didn't miss anything. I tried several times retelling without the book, but this particular story has so many parts, I really needed the book to make sure I didn't leave anything out. Here is the video if you didn't get a chance to watch it last week.

Looking back on that retelling, I feel like a did an okay job as a beginner. I am glad I asked questions to my audience in an effort to make them feel a part of the story. However, I wish I had more inflection in my voice. This experience was the first time I was worried it wouldn't keep the attention of young children. So I tested that theory with my five year old daughter. I had her watch the video to see if she was quickly bored or if she stayed engaged. It was a success! She watched the whole thing and never took her eyes off the screen. This was very comforting. However, this experience has encouraged me to get better. I have been researching the benefits of using the felt board and watching some other storytellers use them. I have included a list of benefits and some great videos. Check them out below for some great examples. 😊

Link to picture site

I hope my experience, tips, and resources were helpful. Thanks for checking out my blog. :)

References

Numeroff, L. (2002). If you take a mouse to school: Laura Numeroff; illustrated by Felicia Bond. HarperCollins.

Why felt? the benefits of felt board storytelling and play. Story Time Felts. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2021, from http://www.funfelt.com/benefits-of-felt.html.

Post 3-Storytelling Reflection

 Post 3- Storytelling Reflection

We just completed our second storytelling experience which required us to retell the story without the book. This experience was harder than our first assignment where we were able to have the words in front of us and did not need to rely on cues or memory to tell the story. I have included my video below.

Knowing that this assignment did require more planning, I used a lot of information from chapter 4 in our textbook, Storytelling Art and Technique by Ellin Greene and Janice Del Negro. This chapter is all about the planning process and it gives tips and strategies to help achieve a successful storytelling experience. 

After reviewing chapter four, I created cue cards for the retelling of Mrs. Wishy Washy by Joy Cowley. Although this is short story with repetitive text, I wanted to be prepared in case I got nervous and forgot a part of the story. I included a link to some examples of cue cards for reference or as a tool for others to use in future storytelling experiences. 

Storytelling Cue Cards

Along with using the cueing technique, I also found this great video of a children's librarian and also professional storyteller giving 5 important tips for storytelling. Karrie Korroch's key suggestions are:

 1. Voice- Think about your voice and pay attention to your volume and speed.

2. Content-Tell the story from your own life.

3. Know the Parts of the Story- Don't just memorize, it can easily distract you and the audience will notice it! Think about beginning, middle, and end. Try a map! 

4. Audience-Think carefully about who is listening to you.

5. Prepare-Tell your story to friends, family, or anyone who will listen. The more you tell, the easier it will be!

After selecting my book and knowing the strategies I wanted to use for this experience, I searched for a few additional videos of people storytelling without books and props. I noticed that this was very difficult to find.  Most videos were digital storytelling or used the book or props. I knew it would be more difficult to keep the attention of my audience without a visual aid, so I brainstormed how to make my story more engaging without these. That's when I decided to tell my story in character with a costume. I emailed my professor and asked permission and here is the result.

I think adding the costume and putting some mud on my face really helped make the story more exciting and gave my audience something to look at instead of just hearing the story.  I also made sure to use voices which made the retelling more of a performance than just a reading. 

Overall, I am happy with how this experience turned out. I got positive feedback from both my classmates and my instructor. It did take more preparation than the first storytelling experience, but I think that hard work showed in my video. Also, it pushed me out of my comfort zone, which really helped me grow as a storyteller. I am excited to continue this! I will end this post with a  few quotes. Remember the importance of every storytelling experience!

Tiffany Abrahani-Blog 2 Reading Reflection

 Blog #2- Reading Reflection

Since my first post, there have been SO many great readings. Today, I will discuss chapter 8, as well as the required articles, and videos. Additionally, I will give my thoughts about them. 

Videos

Let's begin with some of the Cocky Reading Express videos. I will add the videos below. First, I have to say I had Valerie Byrd Fort as an instructor for Children's Literature and she is AMAZING!!! She makes any book exciting with her voices and enthusiasm and I absolutely love hearing her read. Also, the fact that she kept reading despite her child in the background is a testament to her skills. I know that had to be challenging. We have all been there. 😉

Valerie Byrd Fort

The other videos include readings by Dean Reichert, Christine Shelek, and Callie Smith. Each storyteller does a wonderful job engaging their audience. I also love that Cocky is telling the story with his movements and hand gestures! So much fun!

Dean Reichert

Christine Shelek

Callie Smith

Articles

The article Using Storytime to Teach Informational Skills really spoke to me. As a teacher and parent, I know the benefits of reading to children, but unfortunately not all parents know how important it is. I love this article because it gives tips, strategies, and recommendations for storytelling and the impact it makes on children. 

Next, we read, We've been offering it for Years, but Why Do they Come-The Reasons Why Adults Bring Young Children to Public Library Storytimes by Maria Cahill, Soohyung Joo, Mary Howard and Suzanne Walker. This article analyzed why adults bring their children to public storytimes. I found the findings to be interesting. I was surprised that most adults do not bring their children for learning experiences and school readiness, but many adults bring them because they want their children to socialize and hear stories and participate in activities. Also, they are free. Although I thought more adults would be coming for educational reasons, it is more important that there is participation regardless of the reason for attending. This however, may impact the way librarians look to advertise storytime to their community.

The article, Sharing the Secret Sauce Engaging Early Childhood Educators in Library Storytime Practices was an inspiring one. This article described how a local librarian and early literacy trainer partnered with a local preschool and to grow the home, school, and library connection and help children become more prepared for school. This seems like an amazing partnership and I absolutely love this idea! I have included a link below from First Steps South Carolina that describes why school readiness is important and some SC statistics. I hope you all check it out!

First Steps South Carolina

Finally, we all read about Drag Queen Storytime. I found this article exceptionally interesting. I had never heard of this program before this article, but was not surprised to find out it is controversial. It was established in 2015 and has not reached many libraries. The study suggests that librarians participate if it fits the community they serve. I have included an amazing video that tells more about this program and the challenges it has faced. I encourage everyone to watch it. Seeing the joy this program has given to so many children brought me to tears.

The Drag Queens Reading To Kids in Libraries | them.

Chapter 8

This chapter discuss' storytelling to young children. It tells about brain development in infants and the effects reading has from birth to age six. A major advantage being their vocabulary. There are recommendations for librarians to be involved in the literacy process and information on the 6 early literacy skills. 

1. Print Motivation- A child's interest in books. 

2.  Phonological Awareness- the sounds you hear in words.

3. Vocabulary-being able to name things.

4. Narrative Skills-Being able to tell about things. (Stories and Events)

5. Print Awareness-How to handle a book and directionality.

6. Letter Knowledge-Names and sounds of letters.

 Knowing now that children benefit greatly from reading at young age, there are more programs like library storytimes and literature sharing programs. Additionally the book includes some great finger plays to do with babies. I have included a link below to the Santa Clarita Library's Storytime Fingerplays.

Santa Clarita Library Storytime Finger Plays

Finally, the chapter goes on to discuss toddler storytime and Preschool storytime. The book explains that toddler stories need to have rhythm, rhyme, and be interactive. Mother Goose stories would be a great fit for toddlers. 

Preschool stories should include picture books and reading aloud. This could be their first introduction to literature. Young children enjoy being told the same story numerous times. Keep this in mind and feel free to add new additions like flannel boards and puppets. I included a DIY to make your own cost effective flannel board. :)

References

 Barriage, S., Floegel, D., Kitzie, V., & Oltmann, S. (2021). Drag Queen Storytimes. Children and Libraries, (Summer 2021).

Cahill, M., Joo, S., Howard, M., & Walker, S. (2020). We’ve been offering it for years, but why do they come? the reasons why adults bring young children to public library storytimes. Libri, 70(4), 335–344. https://doi.org/10.1515/libri-2020-0047

Greene, E., & Negro, J. D. (2010). Storytelling: Art and technique (4th ed.). Libraries Unlimited.

Marcus, I. (2002). Using Storytime to Teach Informational Skills. Liberty Talk, (September/October 2002).

Romero, L., & Armstrong, L. A. (2017). Sharing the secret sauce: Engaging early childhood educators in library storytime practices. Children and Libraries, 15(4), 8–11. https://doi.org/10.5860/cal.15.4.8

Scheffler, A. (2007) Mother Goose's Storytime Nursery Rhymes Scholastic Inc.

Blog #1 -Reading Reflection

                   

    This marks the first blog of the semester! Please understand I am new to the blogging world so please bear with me.  😊 For this entry, we will discuss six fables and reflect on the genre, my thoughts about the pieces, whether they are challenging or not, how they can be used for storytelling, and any additional thoughts. 

First, we must understand what a fable is. I have included a short YouTube video defining fables. Often, people confuse fables and fairy tales. However, there are key elements in this specific type of literature that differentiate them from fairy tales. Fables are short stories that tell a moral. They also typically include personified animals and often have a common theme. 

 For this assignment, I read six fables written by Arnold Lobel. When I selected this book, I did not recognize the author at first. In fact, I was looking for Aesop's Fables because that was familiar. However, I was surprised to learn I have read other books by Lobel. You may also know him from his popular Frog and Toad collection! 

I will include a link below with more information about Lobel and his other works, if anyone is interested.  As a enthusiast of some of Lobel's work, found myself excited to read his Fables. His ability to humanize Frog and Toad and always convey a great moral in these stories is exceptional. His work on fables does not disappoint. The six fables I selected from his book are:

• The Baboon's Umbrella
• The Hen and the Apple Tree
• The crocodile in the Bedroom
• The Mouse at the Seashore
• The Hippopotamus at Dinner
• The Young Rooster

These short stories brought me back to my childhood and also reminded me how great this genre is! As a kindergarten teacher, I often forget about classics like fables, but they are special selections that never go out of style! I get excited about this particular genre because I love that each story teaches a unique lesson to the reader. However, the genre can also be challenging  because children may have difficulty determining the moral depending on their age. Lobel includes the moral of each fable at the end of the page. This is helpful if one is reading fables in the classroom or library to children. The morals from my selections include-

Advice from friends is like the weather, Some of it good; some of it is bad. 

It is always difficult to pose as something that one is not.

Without a doubt, there is such a thing as too much order.

All the miles of hard road are worth a moment of true happiness.

Too much of anything often leaves one with a feeling of regret.

A first failure may prepare the way for later success.

As you can see, each fable has a great take away! I would absolutely use them for storytelling. They are short, meaningful, and lend themselves well to retelling. I would of course add some props to make it more appealing to the younger audience, but using this genre for storytelling is purposeful and reinforces important things like friendship, determination, kindness, and teamwork. This genre is a great choice! 

More about Arnold Lobel

Moving On.....

Our Textbook, Storytelling Art and Technique by Ellin Green and Janice M. Del Negro has had some great takeaways. As a Kindergarten teacher, I have some experience with read alouds and storytelling, but the book has helped me learn so much more about the process and audience. Here is what I found most helpful and/or interesting.

Chapter 1

"Storytelling has been called the oldest and the newest of the arts. Though its purpose and conditions change from century to century, and from culture to culture, storytelling continues to fulfill the same basic social and individual needs." 

This chapter focus' on the history of storytelling which began with chants set to a rhythm. Over time, dance, sound, and language, and stories were even written down. Storytelling was a way to pass time while spinning yarn and working. 

 

The Grimm Brothers published their collection in 1812 and 1815  bringing back interest to storytelling.

Link for Book

Sara Cone Bryant ( A Kindergarten Teacher!!) wrote the first storytelling text in the U.S. in 1905. Her book is How to Tell Stories to Children. I have included a video made by a public library of one of her stories being told.

The two oldest storytelling organizations in the U.S.-

1. The National Storytellers League (formally the National Story League)

2. National Storytelling Network (founded as the National Association for the Preservation and Perpetuation of Storytelling NAPPS)

All of the information in this chapter helped me realize the role storytelling has played around the world and how it has developed over time. The act of storytelling can include dance, props, rhythm, etc.. However, each story does not need all of these elements.  

Chapter 2

This chapter highlights some famous storytellers in the library setting and the impact professional storytellers have made on the libraries and programs. The famous storytellers include:

• Marie Shedlock
• Anna Cogswell Tyler
• Gudrun Thorne-Thomsen
• Mary Gould Davis
• Ruth Sawyer
• Pura Belpré 
• Frances Clark Sayers
• Augusta Baker

Of the mentioned storytellers, Pura Belpré was the only familiar name. In SLIS 756, I read the book, Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré. This is a remarkable biography detailing the life of this famous storyteller and the legacy she left behind. After reading it, I found myself eager to learn more and found an interview with her great nieces on the Horn Book website. The link is below if you want to check it out.

Interview with Pura Belpre's great nieces

Other key information:

• Librarians thought storytelling would help keep children stay interested in reading. 
• The age for storytelling began to shift to younger children. 
• Storytelling has taken place in almost all libraries.

Check your local library's webpage or social media for local story times. My local branch (The Nancy Carson Library in North Augusta, SC) has theirs on Fridays!

Chapter 3

This chapter focus' on the purpose of storytelling. What does it accomplish? As a teacher, I have seen firsthand the impacts of reading to and with children. I know it makes them excited about reading, helps them relate to characters, builds vocabulary, and allows them to experience things they may otherwise not. The benefits are endless. The text describes some of the purposes as:

• Sharing experiences
• making connections
• building vocabulary
• encourages the art of listening
• literature gives insights into the motives and patterns of human behavior
• Keeps cultural heritage alive

Image from

Research has proven there are many benefits to to the exposure of stories. The Association for Library Service to Children has a great article about why storytelling matters. I have included the link below. 

Why Storytelling Matters

Chapter 4

This chapter looks at selection. What makes a story good for telling? This chapter helps the reader look at important elements when selecting a story. The following list has elements suggested by the text to be mindful of when selecting a piece for storytelling:

1. A single theme
2. A well Developed Plot
3. Style
4. Characterization
5. Faithfulness to source Material
6. Dramatic Appeal
7. Appropriateness for the listener

Each element plays a critical role in selection. For example, older children and teens love ghost stories. However, you wouldn't select that type of story for young children because that might frighten them and make the experience negative. This made me think deeply about selection. I personally have a great deal of experience with the younger students, however, this list will be helpful when selecting topics/books for older children.

Additionally, this chapter describes popular topics by age, popular storytelling selections, and the importance to respect the culture and source of all stories.

Chapter 5

Preparation is incredibly important when telling a story. There are different techniques one can use to prepare for the experience. The chapter explains the visual and auditory approach in this chapter. Tellers can also use cue cards or choreographed selections based on preference. As a new Storyteller,  I plan to try all techniques to see what works best for me and provides the most success. To be honest, the choreographed selections look overwhelming, but I still want to give it a try to know which way works best for me.

The chapter goes on to describe speech exercises, whether adaptations should be made, and what are good qualities of good storytellers. 

This left me believing if you are excited about a story and find joy in a story that will come through in your storytelling experience. This brings me back to selection and why the story you select may even be more important the actual storytelling itself. Make sure you pick a story you love!!! 

Link to picture

 Chapter 6

This chapter describes presentation and it provides answers to questions beginners may have. I found some of the of the information incredibly helpful as a new storyteller. The most important things I learned from this chapter are:

• Group size is not very important unless the storyteller is a beginner. (Which is me, so I'll start small. 😊)
• How to introduce my story and get the attention of my audience.
• I do not need to get permission to tell a story, but should give credit to the author.
• Use the Morrow approach when telling to listeners with little to no experience.
• Weave discipline into the story to help with disruptions.
• Keep the book close by. Just in case. 😁

Final Thoughts: The readings over the past few weeks have helped to prepare me for my first storytelling experience. Although I am still terrified, I feel informed about how to select a book and how to begin the process. I know it won't be easy, but I don't feel quite as overwhelmed as I did before I read these chapters.

References

Agosto, D. E. (n.d.). Why storytelling matters: Unveiling the literacy benefits of storytelling. Children and Libraries. https://journals.ala.org/index.php/cal/article/view/5990/7646.

Denise, A. A. (n.d.). Titi Pura: A conversation with Cristina Maduro and Lisa Fenstermacher. The Horn Book. https://www.hbook.com/?detailStory=titi-pura-a-conversation-with-cristina-maduro-and-lisa-fenstermacher.

Greene, E., & Negro, J. D. (2010). Storytelling: Art and technique (4th ed.). Libraries Unlimited.

Lobel, A. (1980) Fables Harper Collins