'My Dad's not a Dog' is an imagination feast, or at least a pretty tasty picnic. Poems, fantasy lyrics and the hidden world of feelings and stray thoughts blend with Mark Spain's hilarious pictures.

Storytelling helps pupils develop a wide range of skills. Do they dream and fantasize? Do they lie, waffle and distract? These are not just bad habits but marvellous starting points for teaching an art that can help them to pass on experience, train and use imagination, develop language skills, promote their own confidence, communication and creativity and much more. Storytelling and story making may indeed be essential catalysts in developing critical and analytical thinking skills too.

Storytelling and Imagination: Beyond Basic Literacy 8-14 is the complete guide to using creative storytelling in the primary school classroom and for transitions to Key Stage 3 at secondary school. Taking a holistic approach incorporating reading, writing, speaking and listening, this book covers the skills of developing stories from conceiving a tale through to performance and the oral tradition. Tried and tested by the author and by teachers in hundreds of workshops, this book provides:

• ideas for sparking children's imaginations and harnessing creativity
• information on using storytelling in cross-curricular contexts with examples and ideas
• games and practical activities in each chapter
• a range of original and traditional stories for use in the classroom
• different stages of work to suit all abilities
• joined up thinking about stories and storytelling.

More than a box of good tricks, this book is an indispensable guide for all literacy co-ordinators, practising and student teachers who are looking to create an inspiring and cross curricular approach to literacy.

Storytelling helps pupils develop a wide range of skills. Do they dream and fantasize? Do they lie, waffle and distract? These are not just bad habits but marvellous starting points for teaching an art that can help them to pass on experience, train and use imagination, develop language skills, promote their own confidence, communication and creativity and much more. Storytelling and story making may indeed be essential catalysts in developing critical and analytical thinking skills too. Storytelling and Imagination: Beyond Basic Literacy 8-14 is the complete guide to using creative storytelling in the primary school classroom and for transitions to Key Stage 3 at secondary school. Taking a holistic approach incorporating reading, writing, speaking and listening, this book covers the skills of developing stories from conceiving a tale through to performance and the oral tradition. Tried and tested by the author and by teachers in hundreds of workshops, this book provides: ideas for sparking children's imaginations and harnessing creativity information on using storytelling in cross-curricular contexts with examples and ideas games and practical activities in each chapter a range of original and traditional stories for use in the classroom different stages of work to suit all abilities joined up thinking about stories and storytelling. More than a box of good tricks, this book is an indispensable guide for all literacy co-ordinators, practising and student teachers who are looking to create an inspiring and cross curricular approach to literacy.

The power of story in our lives is far from adequately understood in contemporary culture. Equally the therapeutic power of storytelling, how it can quite literally entrance and even heal, has been ignored until recently. Transforming Tales reveals the true impact of stories on our lives and how stories can create feelings of hope, take away psychological distress and even stimulate the immune system. Written by an experienced professional storyteller, this book contains over 90 short stories, from traditional fables to fascinating modern yarns, and allows readers to understand the hidden patterns storytellers use to captivate attention and learn how truths are often encapsulated in myths, jokes and fairy stories.The author focuses on the therapeutic value of stories and how they can instigate real change in people's lives. The book also reveals everything you need to know to create vibrant, memorable, original stories and short metaphors for yourself. This extraordinary journey into imagination and understanding will be an illuminating read for those professionally concerned with psychological and personal change and anyone who wants to learn more about the power and significance of stories.