Once Upon a Time: Using Storytelling, Creative Drama, and Reader's Theater with Children in Grades PreK-6

by Judy Freeman

Judy Freeman, author of the Books Kids Will Sit Still For series, gives practical how-to tips on how to tell a story, and write and stage a Reader's Theater script that gets children involved with creative drama. Reader's theater teaches children how to become better listeners, enriches their thinking skills, and encourages their response to literature. Included are ideas on using folk and fairy tales, songs, chants and nonsense rhymes, and a reader's theater script. Also included in this handbook are 400 plus annotated children's books every storyteller should know, 100 great titles for creative drama and reader's theatre and professional books and Web sites for storytelling, creative drama and reader's theater. Grades PreK-6.

Judy Freeman, author of the Books Kids Will Sit Still For series, gives personal and practical how-to tips on how to learn and tell a story, how to act out a story using creative drama, and how to write and stage a Reader's Theater script. All are guaranteed to get your children listening, thinking, reading, loving, and living stories with comprehension, fluency, expression, and joy.
Once Upon a Time pulls together a wealth of ideas, activities, and strategies for using folk and fairy tales, songs, chants, and nonsense rhymes. Also included in this handbook are the texts of 10 of Judy's favorite stories you can read today and tell tomorrow; a songbook of songs, chants, and nonsense rhymes; and a Reader's Theater script. You'll also find annotated 400+ children's books every storyteller should know; 100+ great children's books to use for creative drama and Reader's Theater; professional books and Web sites for storytelling, creative drama, and Reader's Theater; and a title and author index.
Chapters

; Getting Started with Storytelling
; Judy Freeman's Including Songs, Chants, Riddles, and Plenty of Nonsense
; Judy Freeman's Tales You can Hear Today and Tell Tomorrow
; 400+ Children's Books Every Storyteller Should Know
; Getting Started with Creative Drama and Reader's Theater
; 100+ Children's Books Just Right for Creative Drama and/or Reader's Theater

Genres: Education

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2007

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 1 out of 5]

HATED IT! As someone who has taught, taken and hosted theatre/creative dramatics/storytelling, ALMOST exclusively with young people, this book made me very angry!
So yes, for someone without an artistic background, this is a great introductory piece. However, with someone who has been involved in the arts, almost all working with Young People, this is a huge SLAP IN THE FACE!
It took me 2 weeks to get through this book without screaming.
The author doesn't really do a good job of explaining to the reader, Hey here's how to use storytelling with LITTLE kids and primary grade kids (not older ones)....Hey do reader's theatre. It works with 2nd-3rd grade really well. No examples of Creative Drama for any age over 6. It's frustrating.
It's not a good one for me. For someone who maybe is more introverted and is trying to incorporate more play within speech/literacy development, I'm sure its a great resource, but if you're really trying to offer up a source that has storytelling games/activities/crafts, creative drama/reader's theatre activities in it, FOR ALL AGES, then look elsewhere.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some really cute stories for young kids. Lots of additional resources suited for older kids. A great starter resource for someone wanting to incorporate stories and drama into the classroom.

[Sarah Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freeman, J. (2007). Once upon a time: Using storytelling, creative drama, and reader's theater with children in grades preK-6. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Citation by: Sarah Hope Tyler

Type of Reference: Bibliography

Call Number: 372.6 F8551 2007

Content/Scope: This resource offers a comprehensive look at storytelling, while introducing users to creative drama and reader’s theater. In addition to information on getting started with storytelling and two collections of songs and stories usable for audiences within the preschool through sixth grade range, Once Upon a Time has interspersed bibliographies of “400+ Children’s Books Every Storyteller Show Know,” a booklist of seventeen types of tales, “400+ Children’s Books Just Right for Creative Drama and/or Reader’s Theater,” two lists of professional books on storytelling, creative drama, and reader’s theater.

Accuracy/Authority/Bias: Once Upon a Time is an accurate and authoritative resource, because the author is a nationally-recognized workshop presenter and children’s book reviewer; she has also written the “Books Kids Will Sit Still For” series. Bias is nonexistent, since the books chosen for the bibliographies are diverse and meet multicultural needs.

Arrangement/Presentation: The book is arranged to provide users with an introduction or refresher to storytelling, with performance tips and advice, before listing the various bibliographies. Information is presented with occasional black and white drawings when they aid in concept understanding.

Relation to Other Works: This resource offers children’s book titles collected by their suitability in storytelling, creative drama, and reader’s theater and would complement A to Z: Subject Access to Children’s Picture Books. The informational section on using creative drama with children will help teachers using the existing resource Pushing up the Sky: Seven Native American Plays for Children.

Accessibility/Diversity: Although this resource is designed for the professional collection or the library media specialist’s personal use, it can be accessible to older elementary students with adult support. Once Upon a Time would be helpful in assisting older elementary students when seeking songs and stories to share with younger siblings or picture books they could use to learn the art of storytelling. Diversity is evident in the bibliographic entries from various cultures.

Cost: $35

Professional Review: Smith, M. J. (2008). [Once Upon a Time]. School Library Journal, 54(4), 176.

[Margie]

Freeman, J. (2007). Once upon a time: Using storytelling, creative drama, and reader's theater with children in grades preK-6. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Citation by: Margie Findley

Type of Reference: Handbook

Call Number: LB1042 .F74

Description: A teacher’s handbook to using storytelling, creative drama, and reader’s theater for learning.

Relevance and Relationship: The book costs $35, but includes a collection of resources for helping students jump into a book and really experience it. Samples of scripts for reader’s theater are included. It is an excellent source for SLMS ideas and lesson planning.

Purpose: Once again a more hands on approach to learning, but this time focusing on expansion of read a louds. It focuses on getting students really involved in their reading.

Validity: Freeman is a former school librarian. She now teaches graduate courses in storytelling and children's literature and presents at storytelling workshops and programs for librarians, teachers and children around the world.

Format: A 288 page paperback version which is available for Kindle as well.

Arrangement and Presentation: Chapters include: Getting Started with Storytelling, Judy Freeman's Songbook: Including Songs, Chants, Riddles, and Plenty of Nonsense, Judy Freeman's Storybook: Tales You can Hear Today and Tell Tomorrow, 400+ Children's Books Every Storyteller Should Know, Getting Started with Creative Drama and Reader's Theater, 100+ Children's Books Just Right for Creative Drama and/or Reader's Theater. Diversity: Appealing to students who learn better with hands-on projects. It is missing the attractive illustrations in the print edition, but I am thinking that is because it is so packed full of information there was no room!

Professional Review: Adamson, P. A. (2008). Once Upon a Time: Using Storytelling, Creative Drama, and Reader's Theater with Children in Grades PreK-6. School Library Journal, 54(73).

[Erin Sterling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book with lots of ideas for using storytelling, drama, reader’s theater, silly chants and rhythms, and stories in the elementary school classroom. The book is divided into sections: getting started, a songbook (with lesson plan ideas for some of the songs), a storybook of easy-to-tell tales, a huge list of books that every storyteller should know, booklists of the different types of tales, a list of professional storytelling books, websites, and information about reader’s theater and creative drama. I love how much of a resource guide this book is—not only does it give great ideas and silly songs and easy beginning stories, but it also points to a number of other amazing resources. I would definitely get this book as someone just starting in storytelling and developing storytelling programs.

[A. Kuhlii · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best and most comprehensive resource on storytelling, songs, reader's theater I've ever read. Good for preschool and up. This is the bible of reader's theater; definitely one to return to when I start doing it seriously.

[kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful professional guide.

[Ana Laura Zanfranceschi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't find it very interesting.

[Renee Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great bibliographies and teaching tools. Solid resource for storyteller workshop.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good resource for pre-k-6 programming