While waiting for my show to start I heard 2 little girls in the front of the crowd talking.  They weren’t discussing anything in general but I overheard this and thought it was funny enough to pass on…

Girl 1: “Hey, ask me why the chicken crossed the road.”

Girl 2: “Why did the chicken cross the road?”

Girl 1: “I have no idea.”

See?  Wasn’t that funny?   I laughed for a while just thinking about that!

Alright, maybe you had to be there…

The 2008 Caldecott and Newbery Medals were awarded a bit ago.  With my love and passion for children’s literature I thought that I’d pass on the news to you!

Caldecott Medals:

Winner!: The Invention of Hugo Cabret (link in image above)
See the other winners here

Newbery Medals:

Winner!: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village
See the other winners here

 

My first Library show of the new year started off with a really fun and energetic crowd in Wapole!  About 50 people joined me to hear Wolf and Moose and to hear a different, personalized take on the 3 bears.  One of my favorite adapted classics.  I also was able to take some time afterward to slip into the Norwood New England Comics afterward so I could pick up some Incredible Hulk comics.  If you were not aware, I am a huge Hulk fan.  In fact, this February I will be displaying part of my vast Incredible Hulk collection at the Plymouth Library.  When you come to see the Big Ryan show you can also check out some of my favorite pieces!

If any library is interested in having me display part of my collection please email me at ryanstalltales@hotmail.com and I would be more than happy to set up a time to “show off” my vast collection.

By the way, I know I look a little Grizzly Adams in these pictures, I have since shaved the beard.  With all the warmer weather we were getting I shaved it off Sunday morning.  Right before my wife informed me that we were getting a huge snowstorm on Monday.  Which we did.  Doh!

  

I was able to tell some stories for the children of Little People’s College on Christmas Eve.  They thanked me by sending me some great pictures they drew of me and the stories I told.  I will be creating a whole new page to showcase some of the Big Ryan art I’ve received over the years.  Keep an eye out!

Check out the sidebar for a new page titled “Be Your Own Storyteller!”  The page is filled with answers to alot of the questions I get and my own personal beliefs of what storytelling means to me.  Also, my ideas on what you can do to be your very own storyteller!

Before I tell you about this great winter time tale I just want to mention, when I started this quest of blogging about all the great children’s books I’ve seen and read, and promoting them on my site, as well as the authors and publishing companies I always enjoy seeing the authors sites.  Some authors don’t have sites – but a lot do – and every book that I promote also tells you the author’s name at the top there – and if you click on the name of the author you can visit their site (if they have one).  I have visited Jane Yolen’s site and it is one of the best and most informative sites I’ve been on.  Please check it out.

This month I decided to talk about Jane Yolen’s perfect witer time tale, Owl Moon.  The book captures a cold, winter walk through the woods searching for a glimpse of an owl so vividly, you might want to wear a jacket when you read it.  By the way – the child in the book is a little girl – not that Jane Yolen wanted you to know that.  It says so on her site.  So, again, check it out!