Kids have stories, too

"It's important for each generation to share their stories," said Marnie Gillard, author of "Storyteller Storyteacher" and parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Albany. "Our stories are our collected body of wisdom."

As a former teacher who now travels throughout the country helping schools incorporate storytelling in their curriculum, Ms. Gillard has seen the many benefits of exposing children to storytelling. Hearing stories motivates children to want to tell and write their own tales, she said. Listening to stories helps children encounter familiar and new language patterns. Storytelling can also help children experience success in school. Children who don't feel as competent as their peers in reading or writing are often masterful at storytelling, she said.

Those who think children haven't lived long enough to have accumulated their own stories are mistaken, Ms. Gillard said.

On "Without a Splash: Diving into Childhood Memories," a two-cassette collection of stories, Ms. Gillard tells of her own transformations at age four. In her work, she has encountered child after child with a tale to tell.

Storytelling can also enrich family life. She said families are more apt to listen to one another when storytelling is used.

"It's easier for a busy parent to put on a video," Ms. Gillard said, "but children are like sponges. They can make the pictures in their mind. They can be a part of the story. When you listen to a story, you're creating it in your mind."

Some storytellers grew up hearing stories. Sister Ellen Secci, CSJ, of the Holy Ground Story Studio said, "In my family, that's what we did around the table. What you're receiving is the oral tradition. It's the memories [families] pass on. I remember being forced to listen -- and I'm glad I did."

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