Children stories to read aloud

[Ken Satterfield]

Our church has a reading time for the young and grade school children on Wednesday nights after the Wednesday night dinners. Normally this is about 15 minutes.

Our librarian asked me if I know of a collection or anthology of children stories that are about that length. It doesn't have to be Bible stories, but something that would lend itself to reading aloud and hold their interest.

I may be reading into the request, but she may want a collection to keep to a common theme of some sort, while not staying on one story for so long that if you miss a week, you're lost.

Any ideas of what has worked for your library I can pass along?

[Maxine Johnson Bersch Lovern]

Hello, Ken, this is a most commendable venture that you have started! Even the most proficient "teller" will recommend that certain stories should be read aloud because the language is so special. You are probably aware of two or three--For the fifteen minutes that you are allowed, and you seem to indicate a mixed age group, William J. Bennett's, The Moral Compass, and his, The Book of Virtues, both are by Simon and Schuster and both contain all sorts of great stories. The material is arranged in categories to assist you in locating the type story you want to read, and there are plenty of short ones. If you look at the author's introduction to these two books you will see that the stories he has selected are chosen to give children a "leg-up" on the moral and spiritual journey of life. He says in one of them, "to find such stories we do not have to invent the wheel". We have a wealth of character building material from which to choose. Having used the stories from both of these books, I feel sure that you will find stories here that illustrate Bible truths. This helps children to have examples that show the way. The Sunday School teacher has age-prepared material, and all of his or her training will be focused on teaching that particular age group. You do not have that condition existing in a 15 minute mixed age group. There is poetry in both that you might want to use. Children love poetry when it is on their level and read aloud, or recited with expression. All age groups love the poetry, for example Milne's "Whenever I walk in a London Street, I'm ever so careful to watch my feet!" My mother recided poetry to us all the time to teach us lessons in loyalty, arrogance, good sportsmanship, and recited big long monologues that were funny, but contained valuable lessons about gossip and hypocracy. I am 91 and I still recite them in my storytelling sessions. We trust the story to do its good work in the mind and spirit! Mackie

[Ken Satterfield]

I KNEW you would come through for me when I posted this! Thanks for your input!

[Sandra Fitts]

Ken, who better to give you ideas on storytelling and reading aloud than Mackie!!! I could just hear her speaking when I was reading her suggestions! Do you remember the great times at Ridgecrest (Nibble Nook) when we listened to her wonderful stories and laughed (or cried) until tears streamed down our faces? (Or they closed and we had to leave?) I look forward to Ridgecrest in March 2011 to be able to hear some of those fantastic Mackie tales and see her great smile again!

[Ken Satterfield]

Hey Sandra,

My wife was down in that area twice this summer (once actually at Ridgecrest), then we went through it again on the way to my Mom's house in SC. I imagine she got REALLY tired of the roads between Missouri and there.

NEAT to hear from you! Getting along okay?

[Marty Woodall]

There are Many children's story collection books available that may be what you are looking for. I would probably begin with a collection of Bible Stories. You could check with the Sunday School teachers and match you story with what they are studing to reinforce what is being taught in SS and Discipleship. That way the leadership sees that the library is Supportiing the different ministries of the church.

[Ken Satterfield]

Thanks. Any specific collection that you have used?