Storybook Favorites
Tales on a Train
If the title, "Alexa, How do I Get to Canterbury?" doesn't grab your attention, then there may not be a title anywhere that does. I was instantly intrigued and had to click to see what this storybook was all about. The homepage features a vivid image of a train and offers brief insight into the contents of the storybook, which centers around a storytelling competition. What is truly unique about this storybook, however, is the format of the stories themselves; they are written as long poems, complete with flowing rhyme schemes. This was a very unique choice, and allows readers to enjoy a different storytelling experience.
Ghost Stories of OU
The idea behind this storybook is so clever! I love that the author has taken a place we are all familiar with and transformed it through a ghoulish lens. The introduction does a great job of setting up the spooky stories to come, and the picture of campus at night is a wonderful visual to help evoke a spooky feeling as readers dive in. I was very amused to see that there was a story centered on the ghost of Holmberg Hall, because throughout my years at OU I have heard people reference this ghost. (Holmberg Hall is one of the theatres we dance majors perform in, and it is also located in the Reynolds Performing Arts Center, where the majority of our classes take place. I am therefore around this haunted site quite frequently.)
Textile Stories
I was immediately drawn to the image on the homepage of this storybook that displays a brightly colored array of yarn. I also appreciated that the title was a play on words, utilizing the metaphor of "spinning" stories. The introduction was very well written and imbued with a sharp wit; there were many moments of tantalizing intrigue, as a crochet hook was casually referenced as a weapon and fabric was mentioned as causing flight. The premise was simple and sweet: a boy looking for a gift for his grandmother. But based on the fantastical elements woven into the introduction, the craft supply store he wanders into to find this gift will take him on an epic journey beyond the benign world of knitting needles and thread. The author of the storybook includes a reference page on the site where she talks about the various kinds of crafts mentioned in the storybook, and I really like this touch. It allows readers a better understanding of the motivation behind the writing and the role of the crafts in the story.
If the title, "Alexa, How do I Get to Canterbury?" doesn't grab your attention, then there may not be a title anywhere that does. I was instantly intrigued and had to click to see what this storybook was all about. The homepage features a vivid image of a train and offers brief insight into the contents of the storybook, which centers around a storytelling competition. What is truly unique about this storybook, however, is the format of the stories themselves; they are written as long poems, complete with flowing rhyme schemes. This was a very unique choice, and allows readers to enjoy a different storytelling experience.
Ghost Stories of OU
The idea behind this storybook is so clever! I love that the author has taken a place we are all familiar with and transformed it through a ghoulish lens. The introduction does a great job of setting up the spooky stories to come, and the picture of campus at night is a wonderful visual to help evoke a spooky feeling as readers dive in. I was very amused to see that there was a story centered on the ghost of Holmberg Hall, because throughout my years at OU I have heard people reference this ghost. (Holmberg Hall is one of the theatres we dance majors perform in, and it is also located in the Reynolds Performing Arts Center, where the majority of our classes take place. I am therefore around this haunted site quite frequently.)
Textile Stories
I was immediately drawn to the image on the homepage of this storybook that displays a brightly colored array of yarn. I also appreciated that the title was a play on words, utilizing the metaphor of "spinning" stories. The introduction was very well written and imbued with a sharp wit; there were many moments of tantalizing intrigue, as a crochet hook was casually referenced as a weapon and fabric was mentioned as causing flight. The premise was simple and sweet: a boy looking for a gift for his grandmother. But based on the fantastical elements woven into the introduction, the craft supply store he wanders into to find this gift will take him on an epic journey beyond the benign world of knitting needles and thread. The author of the storybook includes a reference page on the site where she talks about the various kinds of crafts mentioned in the storybook, and I really like this touch. It allows readers a better understanding of the motivation behind the writing and the role of the crafts in the story.
Endless threads, endless possibilities. Source: Pixabay
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