Tell It Again! 2: More Easy-to-Tell Stories with Activities for Young Children »

Christy Isbell, Ph.D., is the Program Director and Associate Professor for the Occupational Therapy Program at Milligan College in Tennessee. She teaches child development, human development, and pediatric therapy courses for the Masters of Occupational Therapy Program. Additionally, Dr. Isbell is Board Certified in Pediatrics and maintains specialty training in sensory integration and neuro-developmental treatment techniques.

17 more stories to tell with tips and activities to delight young children.

Children's Literature

At first glance, this collection of multicultural stories, aimed at teachers, librarians, parents, etc., appears to be an excellent resource. It includes retellings of folktales and literary stories, information on selection, quick and easy learning/telling techniques, as well as excellent storytelling references/sources, and an index. Unfortunately, the retellings are often awkward, wordy, pedantic ("curtiosity" becomes "curiosity") ???recheck the previous??? and politically correct (no spankings allowed). The follow-up activities are dull and the pencil sketches are uninspired. Particularly grating and inappropriate for the book's stated purpose and recommended age level is "The Curious Elephant's Child" which begins "Long ago ... the elephant had no trunk... only a small nose... the size of a shoe." Rudyard Kipling began his classic story, "The Elephant's Child," "In the High and Far-off times, the Elephant, Oh Best Beloved, had no trunk. He had only a blackish, bulgy nose as big as a boot." The retellings in this book lead one to conclude that children (parents and teachers also) are not to be trusted to be imaginative, enjoy the pleasures of foreshadowing, or get the point. Pass this up. 2000, Gryphon House, Ages 8 to Adult, $14.95. Reviewer: Charlotte Smutko