Storytelling Tips to boost Author events
I LOVE presenting interactive storytelling sessions to children. Watching kids faces light up with delight is the MOST rewarding experience in the world. I’m thrilled to offer engaging storytelling events in schools, pre-schools, libraries, bookshops and festivals.
Meet child empowerment storyteller, Karen Tyrrell (me), author-teacher. I teach kids to live strong, building positive self-esteem and self-belief.
I re-enact my empowering picture books, Bailey Beats the BLAH and Harry Helps Grandpa Remember with costumes, interaction and fun.
I present imaginative storytelling sessions for my junior novels too. Song Bird Superhero, Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra, Jo-Kin Battles the It and STOP the Bully offer positive messages of bully prevention, teamwork and self-belief.
Storytelling Tips for Authors
- Send a quote for your storytelling session. Consider ASA rates. Work out payment details in advance. Or consider presenting free events in libraries to get your name out there.
- Book the session with clear aims on how to make your session captivating and memorable. Request what you need: ample space, a display table, a whiteboard.
- Advertise your event with flyers for a library or bookshop session. Create a pro-active Facebook event to invite attendees if it’s a public event.
- Work out your exact spiel including introduction, questions, chants, interaction, action, and humour. Ask kids to predict your story at the beginning and react to your story at the end.
- Practice speaking, acting and interacting. Dramatize story with voice inflections, whispers, pauses and actions, injecting with enthusiasm and energy. Practice your body language and movements.
- Pack your bag in advance including bookmarks, books, costumes, puppets, posters, your banner, a sign-up sheet and a bright cover for the display table.
- Wear bright clothing or a book character costume. Consider an eye-catching T-shirt or theme costume, a wig, a silly hat, and your name tag.
- Create your own props and ruler puppets to help kids retell the story with key points.
- Follow up the dramatic storytelling session with discussion and hands on activities which consolidate your story. Allow time for book signing. Download FREE teaching resources and Free KIDS activities HERE
- Finish on a positive note, by requesting feedback. Discuss the next visit with your next book.
Storytelling Song Bird Superhero with William Stimpson School, Wetherill Park Library.
What do my stories teach children?
Bailey Beats the BLAH boosts self-esteem, emotional awareness and coping skills to overcome anxiety (worry thoughts) depression (sad days). And how to cope with change!
Song Bird Superhero and STOP the Bully teach bully prevention skills, self-belief and the power of humour.
Harry Helps Grandpa Remember boosts kid’s relationships with grandparents and awareness of memory loss. Harry teaches kids memory skills and coping skills for brain health.
STOP the Bully at Beenleigh High school
I share very exciting news with you…
** Special Opportunity**
- Thank you universe... During 2017, I, Karen Tyrrell, early childhood Teacher and author will be author-in-residence storyteller at a local pre-school, sharing my picture books Bailey Beats the BLAH and Harry Helps Grandpa Remember to three and four year olds. I will also read 18 extra picture books by respected Australian children’s authors with appropriate texts and concepts for 3 & 4 year olds.
- If you want me to read and promote your picture book, please register your name and book for consideration in the comment boxes below. If your book is suitable, I will request you to post or lend it to me. I will submit each book and themes in advance to become part of their student learning program, promote each book, take photos etc. Please stay tuned for photos after each event. Do you have any questions?
- MORE NEWS … I’m now a team author member of Greenleaf Press, as child empowerment storyteller and speaker at schools.
Harry Helps Grandpa Remember at Mad Hatters Bookshop.
How do YOU present YOUR storytelling sessions?
What storytelling tips would you like to share?
I hope one day to have published works to share with kiddies in this sort of setting!! Congratulations on all you have done Karen and all you do!
Hi Kara, I’m sure you’ll write and publish your picture book sooner than you think. Thanks so much for checking out my storytelling tips… Best wishes, Karen 🙂
Hi Karen,
I would love for you to consider The Green Goggles! Aimed at 3-6 year olds, it encourages outside exploration in nature. The theme was inspired by concerning reports about too much screen time affecting some children. Instead of writing about a problem, I wrote about the solution – getting back to nature! I like to ask the kids: How do you feel when you’re outside? What’s your favourite season or weather? What’s your favourite thing to do outside?
When Pete wears the Goggles his backyard transforms and he has an adventure into exploration. I have printable activities on my website, teacher’s notes and a craft activity, ‘Build a Jungle’ (using animals from the story) that I do after storytime.
A lesser theme, but still important, is how we react to situations. Pete’s not impressed with his birthday presents but he still smiles politely. I use this page to ask kids if they would still say thank you even if they received something they didn’t like.
For my props I actually have green goggles that I sell with the book, and I had a pair of Fluff earrings made especially. More than happy to send you a book if you’re interested.
Thanks,
Kris
Hi Kris,
Its a YES! I absolutely love your book. I would feel very honored to read your story to the “Child Learning Centre.” I can’t wait to wear the green googles and the fluff earings (I can make my own). I will send some program notes and suggestions to the pre-school after I have read it. And then work out which month it will all happen. I will contact you about the address. … cheers, Karen 🙂
Hi Karen
What a lovely initiative. If you’d like to consider my picture books, I have a few… one of the best for this age group would be Spider Iggy. Published by Wombat Books, it’s about a little spider looking for a companionship and acceptance. Good luck with the preschool visits, they are always lots of fun!
Best wishes
Aleesah
Hi Aleesah, Thanks so much for registering your awesome picture book. I love “Spider Iggy” with its concepts of friendship and acceptance. I can’t wait to tell the pre-school about it… Karen 🙂
Hey Karen. Well done with the success you are having with your book promotions. I would like you to consider Dippy the Dancing Diprotodon as a book to present. I am on a mission to teach children about Australia’s amazing megafauna. Many don’t know they ever existed. The schools have embraced these books because of that.
The book also has the hidden message of listening to your parents to stay safe. This is the first in a series featuring the animals in the wild, interacting as they would have. Let me know if you are interested and I will send you a copy.
Dear Karen,
This is a very generous offer from a dynamic presenter and thank you so much for sharing your tips.
Magic Fish Dreaming – a quest for poetry set in Far North Queensland – is designed to be read aloud, together with parents, teachers, grandparents, especially poems like ‘Giggle Poems’, ‘Cassowary Chat’ and ‘Magic Fish Dreaming’.
It is a work to foster creativity, and creative thinking and some of the poems were written when I was doing a lot of school visits to encourage the development of multicultural and young poets. Each poem also has things readers can reflect on.
I would be delighted for you to share Magic Fish Dreaming during your school visits so that hopefully more schools can become aware of the book, and make use of it in their classrooms (I have some extensive notes and a set of activities designed).
I have my first bookshop gig in a week and plan to do many more presentations.
Hi June,
Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful poetry book Magic Fish Dreaming. I will study the text and concepts of your poems closely to work out which poems are most suitable to share to three & four year olds in a Pre-school context. Cheers, Karen 🙂 PS I’ll see you soon.
Thanks Elaine, for dropping by. Thanks for sharing Dippy the Dancing Diprotodon. What a fabulous book for Australian schools!! I would like to study the text and concepts more closely to see if its suitable for three and four years olds. I’ll contact you soon about the possibility of receiving a PDF copy. Many Thanks, Karen 🙂
Hi Karen,
As you may know, I have written and published a few RHYMING PICTURE BOOKS FOR PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN, AS IT IS MY FAVORITE AGE FOR TEACHING (I am a pre-SCHOOL TEACHER AS WELL:-)) My three books will be: FROG TODD, NIAN, THE LUNAR DRAGON AND EASY-PEASY, LEMON SQUEEZY.I have PDF e-books to share with you if you or hard copies if you wish:-) You can FIND MORE INFO ABOUT THESE BOOKS AND THEMES ON MY WEBSITE: http://www.sofiagoodsoul.com.au/books Thank you for this excellent opportunity! Sofia Goodsoul
Hi Karen,
Congratulations on another great venture! I would love you to read my picture book, Parmesan, the Reluctant Racehorse, but it doesn’t come out until July this year. Is that going to be too late? Kind Regards, Jacqui 🙂
Hi Sofia thanks for your kind offer. Your books sound wonderful. Please send PDFs so I can check text and concepts for suitability for 3 & 4 year olds. Please send to my email via my contact page … Cheers, Karen PS can’t wait to read them.
Hi Jacqui, its not too late. I’m storytelling to November. I can’t wait to read Parmesan the Racehorse. Please send PDF so I can check text and concepts for suitability for 3 & 4 year olds. Fingers crossed. Please send to my email … Cheers, Karen
Hi Karen,
Congratulations on the results of your hard work. How exciting to be author-in-residence at a pre-school and to have the opportunity of igniting their enthusiasm for books and reading. What a generous offer you have made to other writers, offering to include their books in your program. (I’m tempted to steal a few suggestions for my Author Spotlight series on readilearn. 🙂 Maybe I should follow your lead and make a request on FB. Thanks, Karen. That’s a good idea. :))
I also think it’s great that you are sharing your tips for storytelling sessions at schools. I always loved it when authors visited our schools to share their books. Children find it very exciting to meet an author in person. They are always intrigued to find that the author is a real person, just like them. 🙂
Hi Norah, Thanks so much for taking a peek at my storytelling tips. Thrilled you might make use them on your Author spotlight series on your website. You might like to mention me in the credits…. cheers, Karen 🙂
Great advice, Karen. And what a wonderful opportunity. I would love you to read my picture book Parmesan, the Reluctant Racehorse but it doesn’t come out until July this year. Is that going to be too late?
Hi Jacqui, it may not be too late, depending on the target age of your book. I’m storytelling until November. I can’t wait to read Parmesan the Racehorse. Please send PDF so I can check text and concepts for suitability for 3 & 4 year olds. Fingers crossed. Please send to my email … Cheers, Karen 🙂