Quite the crowd gathered at the Library to celebrate the end of the summer reading program with me and a little Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream!  Of course I was the main draw – not the ice cream – wait, who am I kidding?  The kids came out and sat down to hear some of my funny stories, they laughed their way through Abiyoyo and then Wolf and Moose came out to tell their side of things.  It was quite the little party!  Thank you to the Librarian who took some pictures of the event for me.

What a way to end the month of July!  A hundred or so people came to the library to listen to The Bunny Bird and Abiyoyo.  As you can see from the pictures below Wolf and Moose made an appearance as well!  Soon, Fall will be here and Wolf and Moose will get put away again so that Charlie, Edgar and Max – the dog puppets – can come out to share their stories.  But I mustn’t get ahead of myself!  I still have the whole month of August left to tell my summer tales.  I better get going!

 

Usually I put books here that I love so much that I think my fans would enjoy them – well this is no exception – except that it is out of print.  I tracked down a few copies still available right here.  This is an amazing book about a little bushbaby who’s love of figs gets him into trouble with Monitor, a fierce lizard, who gaurds the tree.

Find a copy at your local library – if you love it – get a copy for yourself at the link above.  Maybe with enough interest we can get them to start printing this book again!  Great books should never go out of print!

I spent the weekend in Philadelphia.  I left right after the Plymouth show and traveled for 7 hours in a car to visit this historic city.  I thought some of you might enjoy seeing some pictures of my trip.  Let me know what you think! 

   

  

 

Plymouth Library was filled to the rafters last Friday with Big Ryan Groupies!  A turn out of about 300 people came to see me do The Bunny Bird – a tale on my new CD “Put Your Best Foot Backward” – as well as listen to Wolf and Moose do some silly tales and Pete Seeger’s Abiyoyo. 

They also heard about Big Ryan’s Storytelling Workshops for Children slated to begin in the summer of 2008.  I will post more on that later – if you are intrigued now and would like to hear more about it, please email me with an address and I will send out some information right away!  Thanks to every one who came!

  

 

The Pembroke Library was packed today with children of all ages ready to giggle and yell their way through another Big Ryan show!  It may look like I’m trying to show off my ENORMOUS muscles in the above picture – but actually – we are getting ready to do the song “Father Abraham” which is a seriously funny and addicting song.  The patrons also heard “Morphing Beans” an original tale, which I’m planning to put on my next CD, and my version of Abiyoyo!  Today was alot of fun and I’m even more excited because the Plymouth Library show is this Friday!

Thank you to the Librarian who took all of the pictures.  They also had the coolest tickets made up to get into my show.  I forgot to get a picture of them, sorry.

  

 

After spending the morning in Quincy at Djerf Preschool my afternoon went just swimmingly going to Marion and seeing a full room of children who came to hear my stories at the Elizabeth Taber Library.  What a great group of children ranging in age from very young to moderately older. 

Then it was off to Mansfield where ALOT of children came to hear my original story “The Bunny Bird” and laugh at Wolf and Moose.  It was a full day Monday, and after telling stories all day long I went home to go to bed.  Storytelling can be exhausting!

  

  

Another rousing crowd joined me at the Taunton Library all ready to hear some of my crazy stories.  The theme this summer for the libraries is “Catch the Beat” so I treat everyone to my version of Pete Seeger’s “Abiyoyo” – except that I use a drum because I’m not talented enough to know how to play the guitar.  Maybe someday – but for now I can keep a solid beat on the toy drum that I play!  The pictures were provided to me by the children’s librarian Kate Warren.  Thank you so much and I hope to visit again real soon, Taunton!

 

I spent the afternoon telling stories to a very crowded room of families in Kingston today.  It was the perfect day to escape the heat and come inside instead to see Big Ryan be silly.  Wolf and Moose were on hand (literally) telling stories of thier own – and everyone, including most of the parents, did a rousing version of “Hi, My Name is Joe” with me.  Thank you to Carrie Elliot for taking these pictures of the show and as always to Augusta Lynch for inviting me back to share my tales! If you’d like to check out the pictures that the Kingston Library posted on their website – click here – thanks!

   

 

I drove to Charlton last Wednesday to perform for the library.  Unfortunately the Library was still under construction and I couldn’t perform there.  From what I did get to see of the inside it looks beautiful – and hopefully the patrons will get to see it soon – but for now the librarian is running full steam into the summer program and having a blast with the kids who can find where the programs are going to be that day.  As you can tell from the sign above I performed in the Grange.  Thank you to the town of Charlton for allowing us to use that space – the kids and I had alot of fun.  I forgot to take pictures during the show though – so you will have to use your imaginations!  Just think of laughing children and a big, goofy adult making funny noises.