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MOWMT Day #11: Donna Washington Explores POV

A Different Point of View – Books That Help Break the Story Mold So We Can Experience

Narrative In Different Ways!

by Donna Washington

Being a professional storyteller means that I get to share stories out loud before I ever go to the page. Folklore is so versatile it gives me lots of opportunities to get audiences to play with language. Playing with language is an amazing way to boost literacy. I use language games like Rock Paper Scissors – Anything! Tongue twisters, call and response techniques, improvisation, and interactive story structures to get kids excited about language and literacy.





My favorite thing to do is to send kids to the library or to their own bookshelves looking for stories that are similar to the ones I’ve told them. One of the most popular kinds of tales I share is fractured fairytales.

These range from stories that are very similar to the ones they already know, to so completely different that they barely resemble the original tale. The texts I love to use with kids take stories in unusual directions and break the traditional flow of how we think about stories. The first book I recommend they read is Jon Scieszka’s The Stinky Cheeseman and Other Fairly Stupid Stories.






His book The True Story of the Three Little Pigs is also a good text to use. Most libraries have the story about that wolf who needs a cup of sugar, but not all of them have The Stinky Cheeseman. Reading these very fractured and silly stories helps students break out of the everyday story mold and consider different ways their favorite stories could unfold. I find them very freeing. They give students permission to take off in many different directions. The next book on my list doesn’t just take off - it breaks the sound barrier!





My absolute favorite writing prompt book has got to be The Mysterious Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg. The premise is that an artist dropped off all of these weird paintings with captions and promised to come back and drop off the stories…he never came back!


The pictures are amazing and story-provoking. Most people know Van Allsburg for Jumanji or The Polar Express, but I think Burdick is the best book he ever created.





The next two books that I like to use that challenge the reader by giving them an unusual ending are Jackie Ogburn’s The Bake Shop Ghost and Scarlett Angelina Wolverton-Manning. Both of these marvelous books have endings that you don’t see coming, and they are beautifully illustrated.


The twists that students discover in these two not-so-spooky stories are not only delightful but incredibly fun.




Speaking of not-so-spooky stories, I’ve written my own fractured fairytale about a little girl named Curly Locks. Unlike the Goldilocks, Curly Locks doesn’t break into anybody’s house, steal their food, or damage their property. She’s got troubles of her own, and they have to do with Scares, not bears!


Boo Stew is a story about not letting anybody stop you from following your dreams. It is a great read-aloud that encourages readers to incorporate many of the techniques I use when I am telling stories and playing with language onstage. There is repetition, onomatopoeia, alliteration, the potential for call and response, and character voices…lots and lots of character voices! I love texts that challenge students to think about stories in different ways from structure to sound. I firmly believe picture books should be shared out loud, and their words should sing off the page. I’m sure you can think of other books that break the mold of a traditional take on a familiar tale and give the readers a chance to dream in different directions!


Prize – The winner will get an autographed copy of my book - The Big Spooky House – A great ghost story book to share. The illustrator hid over 250 cats in the illustrations. Once you’ve read the book, you can see how many felines you can find!

Bio - Donna Washington is an award-winning author, master storyteller and multicultural folklorist who has been sharing stories for thirty-six years. Her amazing vocal pyrotechnics and dynamic physicality make her stories come alive and enthrall audiences from four to one hundred and four. She was the 2022 Coleen Salley Storytelling Award recipient. She co-founded the organization Artists Standing Strong Together. Her eleven storytelling CDs have won thirty awards. She has authored numerous articles about storytelling in education and seven books for children. Boo Stew is her latest picture book. Donna loves folktales. She also shares personal narratives, literary tales, and stories of her own creation. She lives with her husband/manager, Dave, in NC.


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