More Ready-To-Tell Tales - by David Holt & Bill Mooney (Paperback)

About the Book

Forty-four of the finest storytellers performing today present stories from around the world that anyone can tell--adapted for oral performance and enhanced with telling tips, information about the stories, and recommended audiences and age levels.

Book Synopsis

Winner of Storytelling World Award & Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice AwardThis collection of world tales focuses on stories originating from nearly every continent. They are short, gripping stories that "kick in fast," including comedy, trickster, tall tales, and family themes for middle and young readers.When David Holt and Bill Mooney collaborated on their original Ready-to-Tell Tales in 1994, they knew they had a tiger by the tail. How do you top what School Library Journal called a "highly recommended...extraordinary collection"? With more terrific stories contributed by seasoned storytellers, and with a number of enhanced features, such as age-level and audience recommendations, an index of cultural stories, and profiles and photographs of the contributing storytellers. Forty-four of the world's finest storytellers contribute tales all the way from Senegal to Cuba. These tall tales about wise fools, tricksters and animals will teach readers the importance of caring, fairness and resourcefulness.

Review Quotes

As in Ready-to-Tell Tales, Holt and Mooney have solicited favorite selections from their fellow professional storytellers, including Margaret Read MacDonald, Len Cabral, and Jon Spelman. According to the introduction, each one of these 45 pieces has been "honed by countless tellings" and is sure to grab listeners right from the start. The editors urge readers to acknowledge the contributors of the tales they choose to tell and to develop their own style when performing them. The storyteller introduces each offering with notes about its history and provenance, any adaptations that may have been made to it, and the particular audience that will enjoy it. A profile of the contributor, a black-and-white photo, and performance tips accompany each selection. Folktales, tall tales, original tales, and tales adapted from literary sources are all included. Indexes provide access by country of origin and by age level. This book will be of most use to adults and older kids who tell stories, but may also interest those who just enjoy reading a good yarn.--Sally Bates Goodroe "School Library Journal"

Holt and Mooney (Ready-to-Tell Tales) return with a new compendium of tales collected from a wide range of modern tellers. Each storyteller introduces his or her own story, opening with a recommended age for the intended audience and closing with advice for the novice teller ("A Word from the Wise"). Tellers, tales, and cultures represented include J.J. Reneaux ("Jean Sot and the Bull's Milk," Cajun); Taffy Thomas ("The Farmer's Fun-Loving Daughter," English); Susan Klein ("Little Frog and Centipede," Tanzanian); Len Cabral ("How Rabbit Lost Its Tail," Haitian); Dovie Thomason ("Dog Tails," Iroquois); Antonio Sacre ("The Barking Mouse," Cuban); and James "Sparky" Rucker ("Against the Law," African-American). This eclectic bunch of folktales, fables, urban legends, original stories, and literary adaptations are succinct and pointed, making them easy to learn and remember. An "Index of Stories by Cultural Source" and an "Index of Stories by Recommended Audience" are appended; the acknowledgements give written sources when available.-- "BCCB"

This follow up to the editors' Ready-to-Tell Tales: Sure-Fire Stories from America's Favorite Storytellers is another fine anthology of stories introduced by some of the country's most accomplished storytellers. The first volume included only a few stories from other countries, but this title's focus is on the international, with tales originating from nearly every continent. As the introduction promises, these are short, gripping stories that "kick in fast" and are "guaranteed to work." Grouped according to type (comedy, trickster, tall) and theme (family and community, codes of conduct, etc.), the selections include a photo of and suggestions from the storytellers. Indexes of tales by cultural source and recommended audience conclude this excellent resource for both school and public library collections.--Gillian Engberg "Booklist"

About the Author

David Holt Bio:

David Holt found his life's journey in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. With a passion to become an old-time banjo player, David traveled to remote mountain communities like Kingdom Come, Kentucky and Sodom Laurel, North Carolina searching for the best traditional musicians. Holt found hundreds of old-time mountaineers with a wealth of folk music, stories and wisdom. There was banjoist Wade Mainer, ballad singer Dellie Norton, singing coal miner Nimrod Workman, and 122 year-old washboard player Susie Brunson. Holt learned to play not only the banjo but also many unusual instruments like the mouth bow, the bottleneck slide guitar and even the paper bag.

For over three decades, David's passion for traditional music and culture has fueled a successful performing and recording career. He has earned four Grammy Awards and performed and recorded with many of his mentors including Doc Watson, Grandpa Jones, Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Roy Acuff, and Chet Atkins. Today he tours the country performing solo with his band The Lightning Bolts and with Sutton, Holt, and Coleman. His work has been featured in a number of public television productions.