Noodlehead Stories

Noodlehead Stories

World tales kids can read and tell. Call it what you will: stories of the fool have been around as long as people have been telling stories. Everyone has a noodlehead day, when the brain takes a leave of absence. As the stories in this collection show, knuckleheads come in all forms and shapes. These stories bring to mind the wise words of the French humorist Francois Rebelais: "If you wish to avoid seeing a fool, you must first break your mirror." Following each story are tips for telling—especially written for children, but suitable for any age—that include suggestions for timing, intonation, gestures, and body language. There is also a map showing in what area of the world each story originated. Designed for use in primary and middle grades, this book is perfect for children to read on their own as well as those who want to learn to tell stories. It's also a wonderful resource for adults who tell stories to children, and for teachers to use in conjunction with language arts or social studies curricula. These foolish tales are hilarious and relatable. Furthermore, this collection teaches readers the importance of caring, citizenship and fairness.  Grade 3 Up-Some of the stories included here are well known, such as "The Wise Fools of Gotham" (England) and "Seven Foolish Fishermen" (France), while others, like "When Giuf? Guarded the Goldsmith's Door" (Italy), will probably be new to most youngsters. In the introduction, the authors explain the popularity of noodlehead tales around the world, and the fact that the same story is often found in more than one tradition. Tellers are also warned to be careful about using derogatory terms such as "dumb" or "stupid" to describe the fool, numbskull, or knucklehead. The selections are very short (none are more than two pages long, some are less than one), which makes them easy for the youngest, most inexperienced storytellers to perform. The fact that they are funny is a bonus: most kids love reading, telling, and listening to amusing stories. A short note about the tale as well as tips for telling it follow each piece. The authors also include ideas on how to choose a story and learn it, along with some basic guidelines for presenting it. There are also ideas for follow-up activities and source notes. Humorous black-and-white sketches appear throughout. A good storytelling tool for children. Marlyn K. Roberts, Torrance Public Library, CA Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. Gr. 3-5, younger for reading aloud. Admitting that they are well qualified to be presenting a gallery of numbskulls, Hamilton and Weiss, professional storytellers collectively known as "Beauty and the Beast," offer 23 tales from nearly as many countries that take readers to Gotham and Chelm and introduce Juan Bobo, Giufa, and a bevy of unnamed ninnyhammers (mostly male for, as they point out, few tales of this kind feature girls or women). Budding tellers will find these short, simplified versions easy to learn and to perform, particularly because each is followed by practical tips for effective delivery. A section of general storytelling advice caps the lot, and for veteran raconteurs or folklorists, notes on tale types and variants are appended. Some of these episodes will be familiar from similar versions in picture books or Alvin Schwartz's easy-reader collections, but this makes a popular bridge between those and M.A. Jagendorf's classic Noodlehead Stories from around the World (1957) and the stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer. Illustrations not seen. GraceAnne DeCandido Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Gr 3 Up-Some of the stories included here are well known, such as "The Wise Fools of Gotham" (England) and "Seven Foolish Fishermen" (France), while others, like "When Giuf Guarded the Goldsmith s Door" (Italy), will probably be new to most youngsters. In the introduction, the authors explain the popularity of noodlehead tales around the world, and the fact that the same story is often found in more than one tradition. Tellers are also warned to be careful about using derogatory terms such as "dumb" or "stupid" to describe the fool, numbskull, or knucklehead. The selections are very short (none are more than two pages long, some are less than one), which makes them easy for the youngest, most inexperienced storytellers to perform. The fact that they are funny is a bonus: most kids love reading, telling, and listening to amusing stories. A short note about the tale as well as tips for telling it follow each piece. The authors also include ideas on how to choose a story and learn it, along with some basic guidelines for presenting it. There are also ideas for follow-up activities and source notes. Humorous black-and-white sketches appear throughout. A good storytelling tool for children.--Marlyn K. Roberts "School Library Journal "" Great fun to tie to research, different cultures; geography, silly stories.--Rense L. "Anchorage School District