PRAISE FOR From Tails to Tales

"A treasure! A rich and delightful introduction to world folk tales, but SO much more valuable. Jam-packed with inspiration, parents and educators in all settings will find use in the ideas and activities."

~Joanna Lodin, Fearless Homeschooling

“Impressive, beautifully put together, all the great ideas melding together for kids who want to get a good idea of the various ways you can develop a story. Absolutely beautifully retold. Teachers will love. This book will open up worlds for students.”

~Sandra Dutton, author of A Wheelchair That Flies

“What a beautiful book! This is the kind of book I want to purchase to share with any of my own future kids/students/peers/teachers/friends/and family, to spread the magic of storytelling and play. The tales are so profound and full of wisdom applicable across all ages. They are captivating and magical, and imbued with that special quality of storytelling that makes the listener crave more. Stories are such an essential part of our culture as humans, and it is something that can be hard to meaningfully and intentionally explore in this day and age. Storytelling is truly a magical art, and we don't often see it as gracefully and exquisitely described and portrayed as in this book.”

~Kaya Rhee, writer and homeschooled teen   

“I have been loving the stories and savoring them as I read. I loved the metaphor and constellation questions, and how every story and character has a different voice.”

~Emily Harper, writer and former homeschooler

"I highly recommend this book to families with young children and teenagers or any adults looking for fun and creative writing prompts as well as party games to inspire, engage and exercise their writing skills. This book caters to all ages and has something for everyone - from the selected tales adapted from around the world with wonderful and thought-provoking discussion questions at the end of each story, inventive writing games (including improv inspired games) which can be played in groups or as warm-ups, many bookmaking ideas with step-by-step instructions (photos included), as well as exercises, templates and brainstorming ideas for writing your own tales and even setting up character profiles. I personally loved and connected to all the stories. Laurie has a special gift for retelling and adapting the folktales in a way where the magic shines through, which can often get lost in other versions. I can’t wait to try some of the games with my family and friends and also the writing exercises for myself!"

~Mina Oh, homeschooling parent

"This book is a wonderful resource for parents and teachers to draw inspiration, meaningful dialogue, and structured activities with their children. What a delightful gift for the whole family!"

~Vanessa Rhee, homeschooling parent

The Five Folk Tales With Discussion Guides collection is really engaging and does a great job bringing together stories from different cultures. Each story has a clear message such as honesty and respect and they’re told in a way that keep readers interested and thinking. The girls enjoyed having me read aloud to them and going through the questions together. The discussion questions are a big strength. They encourage kids to think deeper, be creative, and connect the stories to their own experiences, which makes this a great fit for homeschool or classroom use.

~Jae Carter, founder of Homeschool Yo Kids! Expos

“The stories alone are worth the price, especially Rumi the Rat, which captures life lessons that took me half a lifetime to learn. But this isn't just a book of folktales. It's three books in one: rich stories with thoughtful discussion guides, creative writing games and activities that feel tested and real, and hands-on bookmaking projects. Whether you're a parent reading with your kids, a teacher looking for creative writing resources, or a homeschooling family, there's something here for you. Each part is so substantial that it could stand on its own.”

~Selene Michalopoulos, Educational Media & Leadership for Genuine Community, Author of Big Win Social