Discovery Tools for Topics & Subjects in Youth Literature

Born in Puerto Rico, Pura Belpre moved to New York in 1920 and was the first Latina librarian at the New York Public library. After noticing the lack of Puerto Rican presence at the library, Belpre created the first bilingual storytime. She also built the children's book collection to include more titles in Spanish and created outreach programs with Puerto Rican organizations. Belpre was also known for using puppets in her storytime programs. Sadly, many of her books remain out of print, but the ones mentioned below can be found in the IU Libraries system. The ALSC Pura Belpre award, which recognizes "Latino/Latina writers and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience," was created in her honor.

Joseph Bruchac is an accomplished American Indian author, poet, and storyteller. Many of his writings are based on indigenous folktales and legends. Common themes center on the natural environment, coming of age, and the shared values between communities. Bruchac's folktale collections are reliably well-researched, as are his other works. Crazy Horse's Vision, a picture book, is about the early days of the famous Sioux leader. His young adult novel Code Talker is a thrilling work of historical fiction about the young Navajo men recruited by the U.S. Marines as key messengers during World War II. Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back: A Native American Year of Moons is a poetry collection about the changing of the seasons. Bruchac currently lives in the Adirondack mountain foothills, where he was raised and first learned about his Abenaki heritage.

In his performance video below, observe how Bruchac uses call-and-response and humor to engage his listeners in the story.

Ashley Bryan is a dynamic African American author, illustrator, folklorist, and poet. After growing up in the Bronx, he travelled to African countries such as Uganda and Kenya, learning about their rich storytelling traditions. He brings his unique vision to each of his adaptations of traditional African and West Indiana folktales and spirituals. His writing has a musical cadence that is rhythmic and jovial, which can be seen in his collection of five African folktales titled Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum, his poetry collection Sing to the Sun: Poems and Pictures, and his autobiographical Words to My Life's Song, among others.

In the performance video below, consider how Bryan uses rhythm and rhyme to reflect the story's cultural origin.

Janice Del Negro is an author, storyteller, and professor currently teaching at the School of Information Studies at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. Her storytelling textbook, coauthored with Ellin Greene, Storytelling: Art and Technique is an essential text for beginning storytellers, and its influence can be found throughout this LibGuide. Whether she is performing at various storytelling festivals, penning more books on folktales, or producing folk music events, Del Negro is among the foremost authorities on the craft of storytelling in the country.

During her lifetime, Virginia Hamilton penned novels, picture books, biographies, histories, and folktale collections. Her literary accomplishments are in part influenced by hearing stories from family members about her ancestors, one of whom was a fugitive slave. Black history and folklore are key components to all of her writings. Readers often find her conversational style accessible and familiar. Her 1969 novel The House of Dies Drear, a middle grade mystery novel, introduced generations of students to the story of the Underground Railroad. "The black experience in America is deep like the rivers of this country," Hamilton wrote, "At times through our history it became submerged only to emerge again and again. Each time it emerges, it seems strong, more explicit and insistent." That philosophy is embedded throughout Hamilton's wonderful books.

David Holt is an American musician, storyteller, historian, television host, and entertainer. He can be found on television as the host of the PBS series David Holt's State of Music and Folkways. He can be found on several musical recordings feature traditional jazz and folksongs. He can be found on bookshelves as the writer and editor of folktale collections such as Ready-To-Tell Tales and the follow-up More Ready-To-Tell Tales. Holt is a prolific and award-winning multi-hyphenate performer that has gone a long way in preserving the folk music of various regions throughout the country. He still performs concerts with his band David Holt and the Lightning Bolts.

Julius Lester is a prolific African American writer of folktales, novels, nonfiction, and picture books. He was born and raised in the segregated South, and much of his writing is set during the time of American slavery. However, much of his writing feels contemporary and accessible. He is the author of the collection Black Folktales, the young adult novels When Dad Killed Mom and Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue, the nonfiction books From Slave Ship to Freedom Road and The Blues Singers, among many others. He frequently collaborated with artist Jerry Pinkney on picture books such as The Old African, Black Cowboy, Wild Horses: A True Story, and John Henry. He is among the most influential and important voices in children's literature, especially in describing the African American experience to a wide audience.

Lise Lunge-Larsen is a self-described "troll expert, dragon slayer, spinner of stories, and teller of tales." Those descriptions are apt, as Lunge-Larsen is an accomplished storyteller specializing in folktales from her native country of Norway. Apparent in her folktale collections is her love and fascination of monsters from Norse myths and legends, such as trolls in The Troll with No Heart in its Body and other mysterious creatures in The Hidden Folk: Stories of Fairies, Dwarves, Selkies, and Other Secret Beings. Lunge-Larsen's retellings often include pronunciation guides, bibliographies of other source materials, and a dose of delight. 

In her performance video below, observe how Lunge-Larsen communicates character, giving each billy goat and the troll unique voices and traits. 

For over 40 years, Hugh Lupton entertained audiences across England, Europe, and North America with his theatrical storytelling. In addition to publishing folktale collections, many of which are for children, and participating in storytelling festivals and educational workshops, Lupton has also collaborated on musical recordings. Several of his folktale collections, such as his book Freaky Tales from Far and Wide, contain stories that are odd or eccentric. Lupton has a clear love of language in his stories, and he specializes in Greek, Celtic, Norse, and Anglo-Saxon tales.

In his performance video below, consider how Lupton uses specific details to reveal the main character's aspirations and how he builds to a climax in the story by raising his volume.

Margaret Read MacDonald's contributions to children's storytelling is immeasurable. Her index to folklore collections for children The Storyteller's Sourcebook (1982) and her 2002 supplement are essential selection sources for any storyteller. Additionally, her numerous folktale collections, such as Twenty Tellable Tales: Audience Participation Folktales for the Beginning Storyteller and Peace Tales: World Folktales to Talk About, are excellent international collections written with the teacher/librarian/parent in mind, filled with advice for the novice storyteller. MacDonald has also written several picture books based on folktales, such as Too Many Fairies: A Celtic Tale and Conejito: A Folktale from Panama. 

In her performance video below, notice how MacDonald introduces and tells the story that originates from a different culture. She cites her source before and after the telling, and she also helps the audience better understand the story by translating unfamiliar words and making comparisons to European folktales.

Rafe Martin is an American storyteller and author from New York. His books on folklore often contain spiritual, mystical, or supernatural elements, which follows in his practices of Zen Buddhism. He is a regular speaker at schools, libraries, conferences, and storytelling events. On the power of storytelling, Martin writes, "A masterful storyteller can make you see with your mind and believe what might, at first, have seemed not only improbable but impossible."

Sherry Norfolk is a storyteller that has gone to great lengths to keep storytelling traditions alive and well throughout the country. In addition to her own performances of children's folktales, her books and workshops have sparked interest in multicultural and multidisciplinary storytelling among educators, librarians, and artists. She believes that storytelling has a place in all classrooms, even science and social studies.

In her performance video below, notice how Norfolk expertly introduces background information before her story and uses gestures, pacing, and pitch to keep children engaged.

Anne Pellowski is a creative storyteller and author who spent most of her career working with children in public libraries. Her story collections often reflect her love of nature and the outdoors, as well as her Polish heritage. Additionally, she has written a series of novels about generations of Polish American girls growing up on family farms, including First Farm in the Valley: Anna's Story. Her book The World of Storytelling is a far-reaching survey of the storytelling traditions in different cultures, which is useful for anyone interested in learning more about the history and various nuances of the great storytellers from around the world.

J.J. Reneaux grew up in the Delta bayous of the American South, and her Cajun heritage influenced her career as a storyteller, author, and musician. She was a beloved figure at storytelling festivals and concerts, and her published books and albums showcase her unique voice and wit. Her noteworthy story collection The Haunted Bayou and Other Cajun Ghost Stories features retellings of traditional Cajun folktales as well as original tales inspired by folk elements. The National Storytelling Network awards the J.J. Reneaux Emerging Artist Award in her honor. 

George Shannon is a storyteller and author of several children's books. His experience with oral storytelling as a librarian in Kentucky led him to write rhyming and song stories for young children. He also has written for young adult and middle grade children. His most popular folktale collections are his Stories to Solve books, which call on middle grade readers to solve problems and riddles from around the world. His books are positive and fun. Adding one of his problem stories to a story time is a great way to give children in the audience a quick brain teaser.

Judy Sierra earned a degree in folklore and mythology, but it wasn't until she realized that writing children's books was similar to her childhood interest in performing puppet shows that she began taking her writing seriously. Since then, she has published several books and folktale collections, earning her awards from the American Folklore Society and the American Library Association, among others. Sierra excels in writing playfully with rhymes and repetitions. 

Raised in a family of storytellers, Jackie Torrence earned the moniker "The Story Lady" from her success as a nationally celebrated storyteller. Her expert delivery incorporates gestures, facial expressions, and vocal effects, which showcases her wit and enthusiasm. In her introduction to her collection Jackie Tales, Torrence described that she had to overcome a speech impediment and social anxiety with the help of teachers and family to become a professional storyteller. She believed strongly in the importance of passing down traditional African American folktales to younger generations.

In the video below, observe how Torrence uses her hands and voice to draw in her audience and make the story come alive.

Duncan Williamson was a Scottish storyteller, singer, and author. He grew up in the Scottish Traveller community, where his large family travelled the countryside. He inherited his father's love of storytelling around the fire at night, and he became an accomplished storyteller around the world. He participated his traveller lifestyle and shared traditional Scottish tales and songs until his death in 2007. Williamson's stories often include supernatural creatures and happenings while also having strong moral messages. 

Diane Wolkstein is an American storyteller and educator. Inspired by the storytelling traditions from around the world, Wolkstein has become an authority on authentic adaptations. She often draws on her own Jewish background for folktales. As the official storyteller of New York City from 1967 to 1971, she learned to keep children engaged in stories while running storytelling programs in New York City parks. Wolkstein received the National Storytelling Association's Excellence in Storytelling Award in 1996. She died in 2013.

In her performance video below, consider how Wolkstein structures her story-within-a-story for maximum dramatic effect. Also, observe how a master storyteller can quickly recover from a blunder, even a spontaneous shared moment of humor!

Jane Yolen is one of the most prolific and well-respected authors of children's literature in America today. In addition to her notable work retelling folktales for a contemporary audience, Yolen has also written young adult novels and popular picture books, including the award-winning Owl Moon and a series of dinosaur books with illustrator Mark Teague featuring titles like How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? and How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? Books for young adults include the Holocaust novella The Devil's Arithmetic, the novel-in-verse Finding Baba Yaga, and the Pit Dragon Chronicles fantasy series. Her picture book biography The Perfect Wizard: Hans Christian Anderson cleverly blends Anderson's fairy tales into his actual life story. Fittingly, Yolen has been dubbed "the American Hans Christian Anderson."