child stories

I am a parent and a grandparent. And I am constantly seeking a unique gift children would treasure. Something that is memorable long after the gift is given. One great gift I have found is a memorable story. And it is suitable for children of all ages. Think of all the pleasurable hours an entire CD of stories can provide. Think of the glimpse it can give into cultures and customs from countries around the world. Storyteller.

You can find three CDs listed on the “Recordings” page of my website. Fables in Four Minutes contains ten wonderful stories from ten different storytelling genres. For listeners who want to take a virtual trip around the world, World Full of Stories makes a unique present. Parking in Manhattan, my latest project, represents a compendium of hilarious urban folktales, all of them sounding as though they really happened! To purchase my CDs, just follow the directions on the “Recordings” page to place your order.

Looking for a unique gift children will value and cherish? A unique gift children will never get tired of? A unique gift children can enjoy sharing with their friends and family? A memorable gift is the gift of story. It is a unique gift children will cherish for the rest of their lives!

As a kid, I overheard my older brothers using the word “nifty” when referring to a cool car or a great suit. It alluded to the uniqueness and stylishness of the subject being described. As time passed, I heard the word used in a wider range of conversations, including nifty evenings out, nifty concerts, and nifty songs. Later still, it cropped up in conversations about more “cultural” experiences: nifty books, nifty poems, and nifty stories.

Whenever I heard the word I assumed it meant something good, something attractive. Still, I did not really define the word until I found myself using it to refer to the stories I tell to audiences and on recordings. Actually, it was a listener who called my material “nifty stories,” and that comment sent me to the books. The Merriam/Webster Dictionary definition states: “very good, very attractive,” etymology unknown, originally used in 1865. A thesaurus gives synonyms such as “peachy, smashing, dandy, great, keen, and groovy,” all of which strike me as exchanging one jargon term for another!”

What makes nifty stories nifty? The stories I tell always have a message, a lesson, a bit of perspective, and they are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making their point. They are a blend of entertainment and education, or what some call “edutainment.” There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line.

Nifty stories are stories that teach. Nifty stories are memorable. Nifty stories travel beyond the culture from which they originate. Nifty stories are always “stylish,” regardless of the era that spawned them. These stories are naturally very attractive. Nifty stories are worth their weight in gold! You can find great nifty stories on www.Jaystetzer.com

I have spent a good amount of my time researching stories that offer listeners something more than simply a clever plot. Something that the listener can relate to. Maybe there is a message. Perhaps it gives a hint of direction. There could even be an outright moral. It doesn’t really matter what name you give to this elusive quality; it is more important that the stories I tell possess it.

As a child I found deep meaning in inspirational stories. Both my mother and my grandfather told similar stories. Once in a while, a teacher would tell a story that held profound meaning to me. I was surprised to find how memorable those stories were. The messages stuck in the memory, too. The Golden Rule. There is no substitute for honesty. Slow down and notice the things around you. Community giving is part of community living. Messages that made me who I am today.

I find myself using stories I heard long ago when I perform today. The stories are ageless. The messages are as relevant now as they were long ago.

What’s so important about inspirational stories? For one thing, we experience a deluge of information and news on a daily basis. Next, we live lives that leave no room for reflection. In the absence of time and reflection, we have precious little available insight to bring to current affairs. This is where inspirational stories serve us well. A listener can mull over inspirational stories. They give us something to consider. Something that helps us to find our personal “true north. Something that offers a little perspective to life.

Looking for inspiration? You can find inspirational stories and more at www.jaystetzer.com. Go to the “Listen” page on the site and you will surely discover a number of stories with relevant messages. “The Egg Seller” and “Herschel and the Wedding” from the World Full of Stories CD are good examples of inspirational stories. From the CD Parking in Manhattan, “Service with a Smile” brings a great message to the listener. Long after they are told, inspirational stories stay in the memory. In fact, the inspirational stories I tell even inspire me!

We live in a complex, fast moving world. We all need a bit of “inner” direction to guide us as we cruise down the highway of life. Inspirational stories help keep us on the road. Think of them as your own personal GPS! My recordings contain a wealth of inspirational stories. Listen for yourself!

My research into stories in the past few years have uncovered a number of stories that go well beyond a clever plot to amuse my listeners. They hint at a direction, or perhaps a meaningful message. They might even include a moral. It does not really matter what name you give to this elusive quality. It is more important that the stories I tell possess it. They are inspirational stories. JayStetzer.com

A listener can chew on the messages of inspirational stories. They can mull it over long after they heard the story. As a result, their internal compass points a bit closer to “true north.”

Check out my website and the page entitled, “Listen.” There are a number of story samples where you are liable to find some meaningful direction. And you are likely to find the inspirational stories sticking in your mind. The fact is, inspirational stories actually inspire everybody, even the storyteller!

As we travel along the highway of life in this fast moving, complex world, we can all use a little “inner” direction. The twists and turns can be dizzying and confounding. To help us stay on the road, inspirational stories can guide us. Think of them as a personal GPS. You can find plenty of inspirational stories in all of my recordings. Check them out!

For centuries stories have been told and retold throughout the world. How come? Because they are entertaining, for one thing. For another, they deal with the human condition. Even stories using animals as characters reflect the situations and actions of our species.

The struggles of life have been with us for centuries as well. Conflict. Famine. Thorny relationships. Struggles that implore some understanding, some support. A resolution of some sort.

Needless to say, no one cares to listen to preaching. We desire to sweeten our bitter medicines. Enter laughter. Humor makes a hard message a bit easier to swallow. Priceless humor is filled with wit and wisdom. An awesome blend of entertainment and enlightenment.

As you know, everyone loves to laugh. Laughter enlivens the spirit. And everyone loves to laugh at the foibles of our own species (as long as it happens at the expense of another). Call it priceless humor.

Look at the great humorists around us. Art Buchwald. Mark Russell. Russell Baker. Look at history and the humorists that litter the pages. Moliere. Henry Fielding Storytellers all. Painting scenes with priceless humor.

Priceless humor… what makes it priceless? There is a simple answer to this question. Priceless humor revolves about common everyday experiences. The missed appointment. The misunderstood comment. The laughable consequences generally follow in quick succession.

You will find lots of priceless humor in urban folktales. My CD Parking in Manhattan illustrates many humorous circumstances. These hilarious comedies involve characters everybody can relate to and empathasize with. Priceless humor arises out of priceless situations.

World stories also capitalize on priceless humor. The retelling of such stories never ceases to bring gales of laughter to listeners. Two good examples from my CD Fables in Four Minutes are “Rock Soup” and “Herschel in the Woods” Listen to “The Egg Seller” or “Hickory Dock” from World Full of Stories. There are many similar examples of priceless humor from virtually every country on the planet. These stories will stick with you long after you heard them. You can find priceless humor and more at www.jaystetzer.com.

When I am out and about, I tune into conversations around me. They are filled with catastrophes and disasters. The conversants generally cannot see the life lesson they offer. It is my job as a storyteller to sort out the meaning from all the information I hear. Also, I need to inject a bit of humor to make the tale palatable. Making the story priceless with priceless humor!

Virtually every storytelling genre contains examples of priceless humor. Why? Another simple answer. Laughter makes learning easier. A story with priceless humor often comes with a lesson attached. Priceless humor is… priceless!

Everyone loves to laugh. Laughter takes the sting out of life. And everyone loves to laugh at the foibles of our own species (as long as it happens at the expense of another). Call it priceless humor. see also..

Priceless humor… what makes it priceless? The answer is simple. Priceless humor involves situations which most of us have experienced. The lost keys. The misunderstood comment. The consequences that follow are generally laughable.

You will find lots of priceless humor in urban folktales. Listeners can readily find many humorous circumstances in my CD Parking in Manhattan. Folks can relate to and empathize with the characters involved in these hilarious comedies. Priceless situations create priceless humor.

World stories also capitalize on priceless humor. These stories always bring gales of laughter when they are told. Check out “Rock Soup” or “Herschel in the Woods” from my CD Fables in Four Minutes. Listen to “The Egg Seller” or “Hickory Dock” from World Full of Stories. These are just a few examples of priceless humor. These stories will stick with you long after you heard them.

Virtually every storytelling genre contains examples of priceless humor. Why? Another simple answer. We learn best when we are laughing. There is often a lesson to be learned through a story with priceless humor. Priceless humor is… priceless! More info..

As a kid, I overheard my older brothers using the word “nifty” when referring to a cool car or a great suit of clothes. It alluded to the uniqueness and stylishness of the subject being described. As time passed, I heard the word used in a wider range of conversations, including nifty evenings out, nifty concerts, and nifty songs. Even later, the word took on a more cultured definition in reference to poems, books, and, of course, nifty stories.

Whenever I heard the word I assumed it meant something good, something attractive. However, it was only when I found myself using the word in my description of my own stories that I needed to define it. Actually, I hit the books when a listener said my stories were nifty. The Merriam/Webster Dictionary definition states: “very good, very attractive,” etymology unknown, originally used in 1865. The standard reference Compact Oxford Dictionary states: “particularly good, effective, or stylish.”

What was my listener describing when he called my stories “nifty?” The stories I tell always have a message, a lesson, a bit of perspective, and they are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making their point. You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain. There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line.

Any story with a moral at the end sends the listener a clear message. It teaches by example. On the other hand, many stories are not so obvious in the lessons they offer. The meaning is hidden in the actions of the characters. It is up to the listener to decipher the message. And different listeners will carry away different messages. Stories such as these are inclined to be more widely popular. Longer stories are likely to be more subtle in the lessons that result. One can learn many lessons from epic stories. Think of the difference between an Aesop fable and a tale from the Arabian Nights. Which one do you prefer to hear? Personally, I like to find my own message when listening to a story. Check out my World Full of Stories and Fables in Four Minutes CDs for some examples of nifty stories with more subtle lessons.

Nifty stories edify. Nifty stories are memorable. Nifty stories carry a message that applies to all people. Nifty stories are always stylish, regardless of the era that spawned them. Stories such as these hold the listener’s attention long enough to send their message effectively. Nifty stories are worth their weight in gold!

I have many memories of my life as a young parent. Some of them are downright exasperating! One of them involves purchasing gifts for my children. Holiday gifts. Gifts for birthdays. Those occasional gifts rewarding good behavior. I spent some serious hours searching for something unique, something meaningful. It was tough going most of the time. It did not take very long to realize that a good gift is rare gift. A meaningful gift is even harder to find. And when I did find a special gift, I regarded it as something of a treasure. And I hoped my children would do the same.

I am now a grandparent. And I am always on the lookout for a unique gift children would enjoy. Something that will last far beyond the moment of giving. One great gift I have found is a memorable story. And it is suitable for children of all ages. Think of all the pleasurable hours an entire CD of stories can provide. Think of the glimpse it can give into cultures and customs from countries around the world.

You can find three CDs listed on the “Recordings” page of my website. Fables in Four Minutes is a collection of ten stories, each one representing a different storytelling genre. World Full of Stories has a dozen stories that will take the listeners on a trip around the world. My latest project is Parking in Manhattan, and it contains a compendium of urban folktales that will tickle the funny bone. To purchase my CDs, just follow the directions on the “Recordings” page to place your order.

Hunting for a unique gift children will enjoy and appreciate? A unique gift children will never get tired of? A unique gift children can enjoy sharing with their friends and family? A memorable gift is the gift of story. It is a unique gift children will cherish for the rest of their lives!