Over 150 people joined in the annual Winter Stories tradition this year to enjoy storytelling of folktales from around the world, including Canada, Korea, Greece, Africa, and China.    Cliff Missen did a marvelous job playing the Hausa/Fulani cow horn xylophone, and the children were enthralled by the buzzy sound it created.  Cliff told us that the ends of the cow horns are cut off and covered with spider webs to create that unusual sound.  ALL of the hot chocolate disappeared over the course of the evening and most of the candy and treats.  We heard from one happy parent that his four-year-old daughter lent over in the middle of the storytelling and beamed, “I LOVE this time of year!”  That’s what it is all about!

Thanks to all who made this another delightful evening of stories and songs.

Please join Story Squad for the 25th annual Winter Stories program, “Toasty Tales & Hot Cocoa” on Thursday, December 7, 2017 from 5:00pm – 6:30pm in Wilson Library’s Pleasants Room.  There will be hot chocolate and sweet treats at 5:00pm, Hausa cow horn xylophone music at 5:15pm, and the storytelling and singalong program begins at 5:30pm.  This is free and open to the public, so all are welcome, but please know that very young children (under 3 years old) may not be able to sit still for the storytelling program.

Story Squad Director, Brian W. Sturm, was interviewed for UNC Campus Radio, WXYC 89.3FM in November, talking about the power of storytelling, the mission of Story Squad, and the place of story in modern life.  The one-hour show included a storytelling performance by Tim Lowry and an interview with William R. Ferris, professor of history, and it can be heard here; the Story Squad piece of the show is at the beginning.