Telling a story well is more than reading aloud it s a skilled art that changes bored, fidgety listeners into enthralled ones. Here Sara Cone Bryant, beloved children s author from the early 20th century, shows you how to use storytelling to recapture the pleasures of a simpler age. In a few clear, concise lessons, she shows you the key do s and don ts of selecting, adapting, and voicing stories for your kids maximum enjoyment and edification. You ll learn to identify stories that lend themselves to telling aloud and to incorporate into your own stories elements that grab and hold children s attention. And you ll learn how to adapt each tale to the length, language, and content that makes it right for your kids in particular. As a bonus, How to Tell Stories to Children includes some of the author s favorite and most tellable short stories and poems. You ll be able to begin practicing right away the rare and valuable art of storytelling!