“This well-produced title is a welcome addition to storytelling collections.”
— Debra McLeod, Booklist
American Library Association
“An excellent production.”
— Phyllis Levy Mandell, School Library Journal
“A wonderfully stimulating exercise in creativity, especially recommended for families and youth clubs.”
— Betsy L. Hogan, Midwest Book Review
“Absolutely great! Very professional, without being ‘slick’ and overly commercial (a hard balance to achieve). The cover art is top notch, the lead-in music is fabulous, the special effects sparkle, the puppet set, and concluding edits are all wonderful.”
— Katherine Albrecht, Ed. M., Harvard |
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“I like the way the different DVDs in the collection highlight different values or areas of study. Libraries or teachers can choose to purchase all or some, to target their needs in their communities. The best part of the series is the live audiences of children. Any person watching their responses to the storytellers will be immediately aware of the learning capacities this art form enhances.”
— Stephanie Holman, Children’s Librarian (IN)
“Very professional. The performers are excellent and the morals implicit in the presentations are praiseworthy. As the camera lingered on the children’s faces, recording their responses, the effect
was utterly charming. I found myself chuckling out loud.”
— Florence Polatnick,
Educator, Author |
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“Good Character was definitely a hit with my 7-8 year-old second graders. They especially liked the story about the giant turnip. I was surprised by their reaction to the puppet segues; they really liked them. I thought the students might be a bit too old for them, but they insisted that I show each one. I will recommend these DVDs to my colleagues.”
— J. Flood, Teacher, Agnes Irwin School, Philadelphia
“Unlike anything else out there… The puppet kids are a wonderful introduction to each story… The variety of stories offered by 14 tellers in this series lets PTA moms, art presenters, librarians, and church ladies see up front that storytelling is exactly what their community needs. It is an inexpensive way for those hiring storytellers to solve the mystery of what storytelling is.”
— Storytelling Magazine
“Talented tale spinners captivate kids. Intermixed puppet segments nicely recap themes and important points.”
— Parenting Magazine
“Masterful storytellers spin delightful, engrossing tales. Multi-cultural cast of puppets humorously lead the way from one storyteller to the next.”
— Arizona Parenting
“This DVD strengthens children’s listening and verbal skills and inspires a yearning for reading and writing – good
alternatives to watching video games.”
— Max’s Best DVD Picks
“What a cute idea! We’ve all been entertained by storytellers at one point in our lives. You remember them, don’t you? They arrived in our schools with nothing more than an object or two and yet, they were able to capture our imaginations and fill our minds with stories that had us laughing, o-o-o-ing and aw-w-w-ing. In Keys To Imagination, a group of six storytellers take children on an adventure of the mind. This fabulous video is not only
entertaining, but it encourages children to use their imaginations. If you’re looking for a way to help children feel comfortable using their imaginations, this is the video for you.”
— Alyice Edrich
The Dabbling Mum
A National Publication for BUSY Parents
“My 7 year-old son, Austin, said it was ‘awesome.’ His attention was rapt from beginning to end. He wanted to know when the next one was coming out.”
— Tonya Settlemires, Parent
"My 4 year-old was thoroughly entertained until the end. He did not want me to bring it back to work to share with the rest of the Festival committee!"
— Janet Low, Director, Timpanogos Storytelling Festival
“There’s nothing as wonderful as a child completely enraptured by a story. By skillfully utilizing an unlimited array of gestures, facial expressions and verbal inflections, storytellers engage children and lead them on countless adventures; entertaining and inspiring them while quite often subtly teaching them morals, lessons and general kindnesses. Storytelling is the oldest form of education. Stories capture the imagination, engage the emotions
and open the minds of children.”
— AmericanDad.com
“Students participate while emphasizing imagination and good character.”
— Indy's Child Parenting Magazine
“‘StoryWatchers Club’ has lots of appeal. Watch the masters work their magic.”
— Detroit News
“Adults will find themselves getting as lost in the stories told by the professional storytellers in this project as their children do. (Storytellers’) dramatic words paint vivid pictures in the mind. Extras about the
backgrounds of the storytellers are as fascinating as their performances and tell how listening to storytelling helps to increase a student's writing ability.”
— Kalamazoo Gazette
“Relies on storytellers (rather than electronics, loud music or CGI) to pique kid’s imaginations.”
— OnVideo.com - Guide to Home Video Releases
“There's a great story to tell about the nationally released DVD series "StoryWatchers Club…"
— Indianapolis Star
“There’s a magic that happens between a storyteller and a child.”
—Daily Corinthian
“Youngsters are entertained while learning about different cultures through stories told by four captivating, professional storytellers.”
—Museums & More
Literacy to me is ‘thinking, writing, reading, listening and speaking’ and each storyteller is building a foundation of knowledge for these listeners and watchers. Their vocabulary acquisition is a part of every story… This DVD series provides access to the art of storytelling to children who may not have storytellers in their schools or libraries. It also may encourage the use of storytelling in the school. There is no substitute for the social and community building activity of gathering together to hear a live storyteller, but film might show the way.”
— Stephanie Holman, Children’s Librarian
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The DVD has educational and entertainment value for both children and adults
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The production quality and editing are outstanding
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“Such a bargain!” Who could afford to bring in this many talented storytellers at the same time and place?
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Storytelling demonstrates a love and respect for language, books, and reading. Literacy is a cornerstone of our storytelling
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There are studies which confirm that children who are read to become successful
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readers. It is even more important for children to hear stories so that they acquire a sense of the pattern and structure of the spoken word. Without that foundation, it is very difficult to write well.
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Teachers can use some of the stories or techniques to tell stories in the classroom
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Teachers can use some of the stories and techniques to encourage their students to use storytelling in oral presentations
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The storyteller interviews provide a rich teacher resource
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Each story is unique in content and presentation
— Kathie Myers,
B.S. Education,
Masters of Library Science
“Pop a StoryWatchers DVD into a machine and students engage in an educational activity. No need to remind the class to ‘Stay on task!’ Kids love to watch TV! They think they’re getting a break from typical curriculum-dense days. In that relaxed state kids absorb plot structure, advanced vocabulary, communication strategies and information about other cultures. The educator simultaneously gains time for one-on-one work with individual students. It’s a win-win situation!”
— Yvonne Healy,
Storyteller, Artist-Educator,
University of Michigan
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