A Box Full of Tales

by Kathy MacMillan

Overview

Children's programming made easy. Really easy. What librarian doesn't dream of offering more and better children's programs with less effort? After all, these are usually the most popular and sought-after programs in the library. But they are also the most demanding: any librarian who has put in the sweat and time required to pull together a single quality program will balk at the prospect of putting together eighteen programs per week! In Maryland's Carroll County, story boxes have made this impossible dream come true for twenty years. Now MacMillan, writer, storyteller, and former children's librarian, outlines the proven story box system for sharing an array of successful programs. Story boxes offer a simple method for capturing ideas, talent, creativity, and resources available in your library. Including step-by-step instructions from concept through implementation and supplemented by programming tips, A Box Full of Tales answers all your questions:

• What is a story box?
• What goes into a story box?
• How is one put together?
• Who can contribute?
• How do you get buy-in from others to share this resource?

In addition, find detailed plans for fifty great story boxes including suggested books, fingerplays, songs, props, crafts, and sign language. From ah-choo! to antlers, from monkey business to zoo escapes, A Box Full of Tales is an easy way to offer winning, stress-free library programs for children without the headaches and the hassles. You can make the impossible happen when you share resources with story boxes!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780838909607
Publisher:	American Library Association
Publication date:	04/14/2008
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

Editorial Reviews

The author, a veteran librarian and storyteller, here offers up the story box model of program resource sharing pioneered at Maryland's Carroll County Library System. Story boxes contain all the resources necessary to conduct a theme-based story time session; the boxes are created by children's librarians to be shared with other librarians at different locations within a system. By providing ready-to-go programs, even librarians who are not programming specialists can jump in to conduct a story time. MacMillan devotes the first part of her book to explaining how the program works and then provides outlines for creating 50 different themed story boxes. The outlines include recommended books and recorded music, the full text of songs and fingerplays, craft ideas, and flannel-board stories; an appendix lists resources to aid in story box preparation. The idea of story boxes to share program resources is brilliant-so much so that it's a wonder that it is not a more prevalent practice. MacMillan's book no doubt will help spread the word to other large library systems. Even children's librarians who don't work in multibranch systems will find this guide extremely valuable for its theme-based program outlines, whether or not they choose to create story boxes. Strongly recommended for public libraries.
—Rachel Q. Davis

Library Journal