The 2005 Storytelling World Resource Awards
Below are the 2005 winners and honors selected from several hundred nominated stories, books, and recordings. The major evaluative criterion for the stories was "story-listener appeal" (rather than ease in retelling) and "usefulness for story-tellers" for the items considered in Category 7. Beneath each award title is a short descriptive phrase about the resource contents. For resources not independently produced, a publisher's code is enclosed in parentheses after the author/performer's name. The ordering information for these award resources is provided at the end of this section. For color photos of ALL honored resources identified below, see the 2005 May/June issue of Storytelling Magazine/Storytelling World. To purchase a copy of this magazine, go to the NSN web site.
Category 1: Stories for Young Listeners
(See also Categories 2, 5, 6.)
Winners:
Armadilly Chili
A Texas-style spin on "The Little Red Hen"
by Helen Ketteman
(Albert Whitman)
Clorinda
The poetic adventure of a bovine ballerina
by Robert Kinerk
(Simon & Schuster)
Bellybuttons
A whimsical story about the origin of bellybuttons
On CD The Town Around the Bend by Bill Harley
(Round River Records)
Most Loved Monster
A fun story about parental love
by Lynn Downey
(Penguin)
Honors:
Always and Forever
A story about coping with death
by Alan Durant
(Harcourt)
Arizona Charlie and the Klondike Kid
One boy's adventure to overcome disappointment
by Julie Lawson
(Orca)
The Foot-Stomping Adventures of Clementine Sweet
A little girl's retaliation for being ignored
by Kitty Griffin and Kathy Combs
(Clarion)
Hildegarde and the Great Green Shirt Factory
A story about "the power of 'EWE'!")
by Ravay Snow
(Snowbound Press)
Carla's Sandwich
A fun story about being different
by Debbie Herman
(Flashlight)
Mary Had a Little Ham
The journey of a precocious and determined pig
by Margie Palatini
(Hyperion)
Category 2
Stories for Pre-Adolescent Listeners
(See also Categories 1, 3, 5, 6.)
Winners:
The Greatest Power
A story about how a young girl perceives power
by Demi
(Simon & Schuster)
Henry and the Kite Dragon
A true story about cultural rival groups
by Bruce Edward Hall
(Penguin)
Up the Learning Tree
A young slave's determined struggle to learn
by Marcia Vaughan
(Lee & Low)
Honors:
The Terrible Chenoo
A Micmac/Passamaquoddy story
In The Barefoot Book of Monsters! by Fran Parnell and Sophie Fatus
(Barefoot)
Reach for the Stars: A Little Torah's Journey
The true story of the Torah scroll given to Columbia's astronaut Ilan Ramon
by Sylvia Rouss
(Pitspopany)
The Wishing of Biddy Malone
A lilting tale of light and love
by Joy Cowley
(Penguin)
The Living Room
An older sister's "power" over a younger sister
On CD Rich in Love by Wanda Johnson
(Nomad)
I Wonder As I Wander
The fictional story behind the religious folksong
by Gwenyth Swain
(Eerdmans)
Jim Thorpe's Bright Path
A story of determination and perseverance
by Joseph Bruchac
(Lee & Low)
The Foolish Giant
A Spanish version of the "tops and bottoms" harvesting motif
On CD Sol Mates by Sadarri
(Global)
Snowflake Bentley
A video of the Caldecott-winning book about pursuing your passions
Text by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Narrated by Sean Astin
(Weston Woods)
Category 3
Stories for Adolescent Listeners
(See also Categories 2, 4, 5, 6.)
Winners:
The Island
A battle between good and evil castaways
Complete CD, by Jay O'Callahan
Priscilla and the Wimps
A bully story with an unusual, revengeful twist
by Richard Peck
From Past Perfect, Present Tense: New and Collected Stories
(Penguin)
Honors:
Brother Bartholomew and the Apple Grove
A "God will provide" story message
by Jan Cheripko
(Boyds Mills)
The Key under the Pillow
A Jewish story about honoring parents
by Leah Perl Shollar
(Hachai)
Pai and Kwan
An adapted Chinese folktale about the treatment of others
On CD Common Sense...and Uncommon Fun! by Linda Gorham
A Key to the Heart
A self-discovery story about conquering greed
From a book of Afghan folk tales also entitled A Key to the Heart
by Laura Simms
The Harmonica
A story inspired by the life of Holocaust survivor Henryk Rosmarin
by Tony Johnston
(Charlesbridge)
Category 4
Stories for Adult Listeners
(See also Categories 3, 5, 6.)
Winners:
Meet Lucy Stone
The story of a woman who changed America
Complete CD by Judith Black
Courage
A condensed description of a WWI incident
and
The Boys of Iwo Jima
The story behind the Iwo Jima Memorial
by Michael T. Powers
Both from Stories from a Soldier's Heart
(Multnomah)
Old Turtle and the Broken Truth
A timeless story about love, acceptance, and the nature of truth
by Douglas Wood
(Scholastic)
Honors:
The Ghost of Jean Lafitte
An adaptation of a legendary ghost tale
On CD Jambalaya by Dianne de Las Casas
Truck Crash Christmas
A Christmas morning surprise
On CD Where Were You in '72? by Willy Claflin
1918
A true wartime story by Marion Lewis Besmehn
On CD Troubles: Survival Stories of Welsh and Irish Women
The Best Christmas Gift Ever
One church's twist in its performance of the traditional Christmas story
On CD Christmas in Paradise by Tom Weakley
Sea Dog
The true story of a dog's rescue from an abandoned oil tanker
by Jon L. Rishi
and
A Lesson from the Sea
A story demonstrating the wisdom of the powerful sea
by Walker Meade
Both from Chicken Soup for the Ocean Lover's Soul
(Health Communications)
Two Socks on One Foot
A Jewish story about correcting mistakes
On DVD Celebrating Our Mistakes
(Diane Wolkstein)
Category 5
Storytelling Collections
Winners:
Texas Ghost Stories
Fifty ready-to-tell chillers
by Tim Tingle and Doc Moore
(Texas Tech)
The Seven Good Years
Jewish stories of I. L. Peretz
Translated and adapted by Esther Hautzig
(Jewish Publication Society)
Honors:
Stories of Hope and Spirit
Folktales from Eastern Europe
by Dan Keding
(August House)
Scams!
True stories about outrageous swindlers and tricksters
by Andreas Schroeder
(Annick)
Pirates, Ghosts, and Coastal Lore
A collection of chilling stories from North Carolina
by Charles Harry Whedbee
(John F. Blair)
Category 6
Storytelling Recordings
CDs or DVDs for listening and/or viewing pleasure for any age
(See also the recordings listed in categories 1-4 with specific stories identified.)
Winners:
Silence: A Medieval Adventure in Story and Song
A warrior woman follows her heart's truth
CD by Dolores Hydock
The Harper and the King
The musical story of David and Goliath
CD by Odds Bodkin
(Rivertree)
CelloTales
A melding of music, myth, and memories
CD by Leeny Del Seamonds
Everybody's Fishin'
Stories, songs, and poems celebrating fish (and fisherpersons)
Double CD by Doug Elliott
The Teachers' Lounge
Stories and songs from Bill's elementary school days
CD by Bill Harley
(Round River Records)
Honors:
Deirdre of the Sorrows
Ireland's most beloved story of romance
CD by Diane Edgecomb
(Living Myth Audio)
Escape or Die
True stories of Holocaust survivors
Video by Ina R. Friedman
(Sam Starobin)
Category 7
Special Storytelling Resources
Winners:
Telling Tales: Storytelling in the Family
Discussions and examples of family stories
by Gail de Vos, Merle Harris, and Celia Barker Lottridge
(University of Alberta Press)
Women at the Edge of Discovery
Forty true science adventures and activity information
by Kendall Haven
(Libraries Unlimited)
Living Your Dreams
Several of Health Communication's previously published stories (with a descriptive plan for accomplishing personal goals)
by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
(Health Communications)
Honors:
The Exploding Toilet
Selected modern urban legends for storytellers' embellishment
by David Holt and Bill Mooney
(August House)
On the Edge: A collection of 17 hard-hitting Christian monologs for youth
Open-ended monologs designed to promote religious discussions
by Steven James
A Beginner's Guide to Storytelling
A handbook for new tellers
Edited by Katy Rydell
(National Storytelling Network)
Contact Information for the 2005 Award Resources
Albert Whitman, 6340 Oakton St., Morton Grove, IL 60053
Annick Press, www.annickpress.com
August House, www.augusthouse.com
Barefoot Books, www.barefootbooks.com
Boyds Mills Press, 877-512-8366
Charlesbridge, 800-225-3214
Clarion Books, www.clarionbooks.com
Diane Wolkstein, www.dianewolkstein.com
Dianne de Las Casas, www.storyconnection.net
Dolores Hydock, www.storypower.org
Doug Elliott, www.dougelliott.com
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, www.eerdmans.com/youngreaders
Flashlight Press, Editor@FlashlightPress.com
Global Communication, globalsas@juno.com
Hachai Publishing, www.hachai.com
Harcourt Trade Publishers, 800-543-1918
Health Communications, www.hci-online.com
Hyperion Books for Children, 114 Fifth Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10011
Jay O'Callahan, www.ocallahan.com
Jewish Publication Society, www.jewishpub.org
John F. Blair Publishers, 800-222-9796
Judith Black, www.storiesalive.com
Laura Simms, www.laurasimms.com
Lee & Low Books, 888-320-3190
Leeny Del Seamonds, www.LeenyDelSeamonds.com
Libraries Unlimited, www.lu.com
Linda Gorham, www.lindagorham.com
Living Myth Audio, www.livingmyth.com
Marion Lewis Besmehn, mbesmehn@aol.com
Multnomah Publishers, www.multnomahbooks.com
National Storytelling Network, www.storynet.org
Nomad Productions, www.gulfcoaststorytelling.com
Orca Book Publishers, Box 468, Custer WA 98240
Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, 345 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014-3672
Pitspopany Press, www.pitspopany.com
Rivertree Productions, www.oddsbodkin.com
Round River Records, www.billharley.com
Sam Starobin, starobin@alum.mit.edu
Scholastic Press, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, www.SimonSaysKids.com
Snowbound Press, www.snowboundpress.com
Steven James, www.stevenjames.net
Texas Tech University Press, 2903 Fourth St., Ste. 200, Lubbock, TX 79409
Tom Weakley, www.tomweakley.com
University of Alberta Press, Ring House 2, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2E1
Weston Woods Studios, 143 Main Street, Norwalk, CT 06851
Willy Claflin, www.willyclaflin.com