I enjoyed my night at Little People’s College in New Bedford this evening discussing the finer points of telling stories with the teachers there.  Fun was had by all!  Really, I know it was a teacher training – but I pride myself on how fun my trainings are!  I enjoy talking to teachers and finding out what they are doing in their classrooms, what they take from my trainings and use with the kids.  If you are interested in having a training for your center – please email me at ryanstalltales@hotmail.com or call me (508) 641-5336.

I know this isn’t a picture of the library show – but I forgot to take pictures of the show so I thought I’d show you the BEST place to go in Chatham for pie.  Here at Marion’s Pie Shop they have everything pie that you would want!  They have so much pie – it’s almost Pie-diculous!  I picked up an Apple Dutch and Strawberry Peach – both were really good and enjoyed like crazy.  By the way, the show went really well too! 

 

Every year there are shows that promote me – just a little differently – here are some of my favorites… 

10. Big Ryan’s Tall Tale

9. Big Ryan the Storyteller

8. Tall Ryan’s Tales

7. Big Ryan’s Tales

6. Big Ryan’s Tall Tails

5. Ryan Tall Tales

4. Tall Ryan’s Stories

3. Big Ryan’s Big Stories  

2. Ryan Stall Tales

1. Big Ryan the Puppet Guy

This man did great things.  He was a great husband, great father, a simple man who went to the same diner every morning and ordered an English Muffin with grape jelly everytime.  He set the standard for family comic strips and for making cartoon characters that become part of our families.  He is an inspiration and – now they are collecting EVERY single Peanuts comic in the Complete Peanuts.  Check them out now!

 

Great news for everyone! After an exhausting search for the perfect place to hold Building Stories, Kiskadee Coffee Company (18 Main St, Downtown Plymouth) has agreed to sponsor this program! Alot of friends expressed interest in the Children’s Workshop “Building Stories” that I am hosting this summer. Just a reminder – you must register to be part of the workshop, and NO – you do NOT have to be a Plymouth resident to partake in “Building Stories”:

Summer Events 2008:

Big Ryan’s Tall Tales Presents: Building Stories Workshops

“Building stories” are exciting, brand new workshops designed by Big Ryan to nurture and showcase your child’s natural ability to tell stories. Great for children who have a wild imagination – even better for children who have difficulties using their imagination – Big Ryan’s workshop exercises their brains and lets them have fun in the process! Taking place 4 Saturdays over the summer, each week we will develop better skills as storytellers and then the children will have the opportunity to showcase their storytelling abilities for families and friends in a “Story-fest” the following Sunday.

Two age groups are available:

August Session

( 11:00am-12:00pm, Ages 5-7)

(1:00pm-2:00pm, Ages 8-11)

August 2^nd

August 9^th

August 16^th

August 23^rd

Story-fest: August 24^th

To ensure that each child gets the personal attention he/she needs: Each session will enroll only 12 children each!

Enrollment in the four-week session is $45.00. The children will gather for one hour each week par-taking in some storytelling exercises. Then, Big Ryan will spend time with each child individually crafting their very own tale which they will have the opportunity to showcase at the Story-fest!

Thanks for everyone who has asked questions and showed interest. If you have any questions or would like to register please feel free to call me at 508 641 5336 or email me at ryanstalltales@hotmail.com I look forward to hearing from everyone! This will be so much fun!

I love doing family reading nights.  Especially when the families that come are as enthusiastic as the groups  was tonight.  I was able to tell a few stories, sing a few of my favorite songs – like the Fishing Song – but the best, for me, is getting to introduce my favorite books to them.  I chose to read “Shortcut” by Donald Crews.  You might remember it from the very FIRST book of the month on this very website 🙂

This is me reading Shortcut – but I had major Red Eye and tried to fix it – but I think it looks freakier because I have no pupils now…

 

As I was organizing a game of kickball with the after-schoolers today one of the boys, Nate, fell pretty hard.  He got up and held his finger.  He held in crying but instead said “Big Ryan, I think I broke my finger!” 

I asked back “Can you bend it?”

He replied “Yeah…”

“Well, then it’s not broken.”

Yeah, but it’s bleeding!” he said.

I stared at his finger and saw that it was not bleeding.  “Nate your finger’s not bleeding…”

To this, Nate began to squeeze his finger even harder trying to force a drop of blood out and said “Hold on a minute…”

I started out today in Norton where a great group of children from the Head Start program and a bunch of others came and enjoyed “Get Dressed George” and “George and the Ants”.  I thik the Norton Library is one of the prettiest library’s around.  It’s always a pleasure to visit and I will be back again in August!  See you then!

I must tell you that I own three copies of this book.  A hardcover from its very first printing, a paperback that I read from my childhood, and even a copy that has a record of the story being read that I bought at a Library Book Sale.  I love this book for a few reasons but mainly because it is the Caldecott Award Winner from 1976 – the year I was born.  I love the story and even told a version of it at the Bridgewater Library one year.  In my version instead of the mosquito telling lies he tells terrible jokes – and instead of killing the owl with the branch it just gives the owl a good lump.  Rediscover this story tonight!  Go borrow it from your local library – or even buy a copy at the local bookstore!

After you see Iron Man that is!  Man, I can’t wait to see this movie!