Welcome, Reader.

This is the start of a whole new line of stories, The “ChildTell Stories.”

A ChildTell Story is one that can be read as written to a child of any age. Or — and this is the preferred and intended use – you can first read the story to yourself and then tell the story using your own words. Tailor the story to your listeners.

For example, an older child or adult may receive the full content of the story with all the sound effects. The sounds may and should be personalized and, in some cases, exaggerated beyond those written here. For a younger child, you may want to shorten the story, modify the storyline and lessen the sound effects.

Children of all ages love to be surprised and sound is a wonderful way to surprise and captivate.

Still, be careful not to overdo for those younger ears. For the older audience, do lengthen and enliven. In all cases, make the story your own.

A ChildTell story should become your story, a story that you can tell on a dark night in the silence of the woods or in the still of a sleepy child’s bedroom, a story your surprised audience will want to hear over and over again.

Good telling.