WEDNESDAY, April 10th @ 7:00pm: More SPRING INTO STORIES!

Faerie and Gina are back with more from their rich bouquet of Spring Stories to delight your fancy.  The trees are budding, the flowers are blooming, the bees are beginning to buzz and all the world seems bursting with new life and new possibilities! 

Gina brings Poetry by Dickinson, Stevenson and Roberts, plus a few short stories including John S. Adams Spring, Washington Irving The Birds of Spring (which includes Alexander Wilson's "The Blue Bird" poem), a first day of Spring story by Tina Mcintire and finally one called Emma and the Birds, by Bridgitte Williams.  Presented live in voice.

WEDNESDAY, April 3rd at 7pm: SPRING INTO STORIES!

Faerie and Gina get together a rich bouquet of Spring Stories to delight your fancy.  The trees are budding, the flowers are blooming, the bees are beginning to buzz and all the world seems bursting with new life and new possibilities!  Presented live in voice.

WEDNESDAY, March 27th @ 7pm : More from A NEWBERY ZOO!

Gina Pralou-Maven brings us more from this delightful collection of animal-themed stories by Newbery Award-winning Authors.

Animals -- enter their magic kingdom. From cuddly puppies to ferocious lions and every beast in between, children are forever drawn to animals and to stories about their adventures. And who better to tell these stories than authors who have won the John Newbery Medal for distinguished contributions to literature for children.  Live in Voice.

WEDNESDAY, March 20th @ 7pm: A Selection from A NEWBERY ZOO

From the NEWBERY ZOO Collected stories: "Mr. Wilmer's Strange Saturday" by Robert Lawson in 1945.

William Wilbur leads a very structured and plain existence. One early Spring day, on his 29th birthday, one event after another disrupts Mr. Wilbur's highly predictable daily routine and, he learns for the first time that he is able to talk with animals. The discovery is unexpected and humorous, but ultimately serves to save the day for a local zoo animal in pain - and Mr. Wilbur the previous wallflower, becomes very well known and finds his life anything but plain!

Gina Pralou-Maven live, in Voice.

WEDNESDAY, March 13th @ 7PM: SEE SAW GIRL Concludes

The exciting conclusion of this lovely tale by award-winning author, Linda Sue Park.

Impatient with the constraints put on her as an aristocratic girl living in 17th-century Korea, 12-year-old Jade Blossom determines to see beyond her small world.

Jade longs to take trips to the mountains and the marketplace. If only she could read and paint, but these are things only boys can do. Jade won’t stop thinking about the world beyond the high walls of her home. Then one day she secretly sets off to do what no other girl her age has ever done before.

Gina Pralou-Maven live, in Voice.

WEDNESDAY, March 6th @ 7PM: SEE SAW GIRL (Part 1)

Impatient with the constraints put on her as an aristocratic girl living in 17th-century Korea, 12-year-old Jade Blossom determines to see beyond her small world.

Jade longs to take trips to the mountains and the marketplace. If only she could read and paint, but these are things only boys can do. Jade won’t stop thinking about the world beyond the high walls of her home. Then one day she secretly sets off to do what no other girl her age has ever done before.

Another lovely adventure from Author Linda Sue Park. Gina Pralou-Maven live, in Voice.

MONDAY, November 19th at 7pm: The Conclusion KITE FIGHTERS

As the two young  brothers continue to work together, growing side-by-side as they learn about cooperation, respect, and tradition. The big kite fighting competition looms large on the horizon.  It will take the skill of both brothers, along with the support and encouragement of their King and friend, to win the day and bring honor and glory to their house and their Kingdom. 

Come find out how it all ends!  Gina Pralou, Live in Voice!

There are some fun linked sites out there that people have created for this book.  If you have a young person in your life, and you want to introduce this book to them, you might enjoy the support of these sites:
~ Suzy Red
~ in2Books
~ A Delightful Web Book Report created by "Andrew" at St Brendan's School in 2004.  I think he liked the book!

MONDAY, November 12th at 7pm: More from "Kite Fighters"

More from Linda Sue Park's delightful celebration of brotherhood, set in Fifteenth-century Korea.

We've met the two brothers.  We've learned of the great skill of one at the engineering and decoration of beautiful, strong kites.  We've learned by test of the great skill of the other at flying kites, sometimes under profound restrictions.  Come and enjoy as Gina shares more of this touching and suspenseful story that mixes a vivid setting with the journey of the brothers as they grow in skill, gain praise, and challenge family traditions.

Presented Live in Voice.

MONDAY, November 5th at 7pm: "The Kite Fighters" ~ Part 1

 In a riveting narrative set in fifteenth-century Korea, two brothers discover a shared passion for kites. Newbery Award-Winnibg Author Linda Sue Park weaves together the journey of Kee-sup and his younger brother, Young-sup, as their shared love of kites and their individual skills both gain praise, and challenge family traditions. This touching and suspenseful story, filled with the authentic detail and flavor of traditional Korean kite fighting, brings a remarkable setting vividly to life. 

Presented Live in Voice by Gina Pralou.

WEDS 19 Oct at 7pm: "Haunted Colorado" with Faerie and Gina

“Haunted Colorado” by Charles Stansfield Jr.

From the southern plains to the northern plains, across the Rocky Mountains, through the wild west  to metropolitan Denver, there lie legends rich with haunts from mining boomtowns, ghost stories of Buffalo Bill Cody and the unsinkable Molly Brown. Come and hear about the eerie warning to those trespassing on Comanche land.  Here are bone chilling accounts of spirits, strange creatures and unexplained phenomena from the colorful history of the Centennial state.  Faerie Maven and Gina Pralou bring these stories in voice, to better creep you out.

WEDS Sept 28 at 7pm: "The Night Fairy" (pt 2) with Faery and Gina

"The Night Fairy" by Laura Amy Schliz continues. What would happen to a fairy if she lost her wings and could no longer fly?

Flory, a young night fairy no taller than an acorn and still becoming accustomed to her wings is about to find out. What she discovers is that the world is very big and very, very dangerous. But, Flory is fierce and willing to do whatever it takes to survive. If that means telling others what to do - like Skuggle, a squirrel ruled by his stomach – so be it. Not every creature, however is as willing to bend to Flory’s demands. Story in voice.

WEDNESDAY 21 Sept at 7pm: "The Night Fairy" (pt 1) with Gina and Faerie

"The Night Fairy" by Laura Amy SchlizWhat would happen to a fairy if she lost her wings and could no longer fly?Flory, a young night fairy no taller than an acorn and still becoming accustomed to her wings is about to find out.

What she discovers is that the world is very big and very, very dangerous. But, Flory is fierce and willing to do whatever it takes to survive. If that means telling others what to do - like Skuggle, a squirrel ruled by his stomach – so be it. Not every creature, however is as willing to bend to Flory’s demands. Story in voice.

WEDNESDAY 29 Sept @ 7pm: "A Single Shard" (pt 2) with Gina Pralou

Linda Sue Park does a fabulous job of taking this traditional Korean story module as a catalyst for a well-developed tale of triumph of a boy who shouldn't have overcome the odds but did. Placing the protagonist boy in 12th century Korea was a shrewd move, as it was the era when Korean art was deemed to be in its apex, especially its pottery. As we follow Tree Ear, the hero of the book, trying to overcome many obstacles to become the master potter, we also become aware of the rich culture and tradition of an exotic land. Story in voice.

WEDNESDAY 15 Sept @ 7pm: "A Single Shard" (pt 1) with Gina Pralou

In this tale of courage and devotion, a single shard from a celadon vase changes the life of a young boy and his master. In 12th-century Korea, the village of Ch'ulp'o is famous for its pottery. The orphan Tree-ear spends his days foraging for food for himself and Crane-man, a lame straw weaver who has cared for him for many years. Because of his wanderings, Tree-ear is familiar with all of the potters in the village, but he is especially drawn to Min. When he drops a piece Min has made, Tree-ear begins to work for him to pay off his debt, but stays on after the debt is paid because he longs to learn to create beautiful pots himself. Sent to the royal court to show the king's emissary some new pottery, Tree-ear makes a long journey filled with disaster and learns what it means to have true courage. This quiet story is rich in the details of life in Korea during this period. Story in voice.

TUESDAY 31 August @ 7pm: "Tales of Alaska's Big Bears" with Gina Pralou

Tonight: another of Gina's great offerings of Alaskan stories. "Tales of Alaska's Big Bears" features as-told-to tales collected by Jim Rearden, allowing us to vicariously experience frightening and fantastic first person encounters! Rearden is well known in Alaska, having been a university professor, a biologist with the AK Dept of Fish and Game, editor for Alaska magazine and field editor for Outdoor magazine. Stories in voice.

WEDNESDAY 25 August @ 7pm: "The Adventure of the Second Stain" with Sherlock Holmes & Gina Pralou

Lord Bellinger, the Prime Minister, and Trelawney Hope, the Secretary of State for European Affairs, come to Holmes in the matter of a document stolen from Hope's dispatch box, which he kept at home in Whitehall Terrace when not at work. If divulged, this document could bring about very dire consequences for all Europe, even war. This story involves a worried wife, an insane wife, an affair, blood, lies murder...see how Holmes and Watson sew up all the loose ends. Story in voice.

TUESDAY 24 August @ 7pm: "The Spell of the Yukon" with Gina Pralou

Robert Service's Spell of the Yukon is a "goldmine" of classic Alaskan poetry - undulating whimsical rhymes that expertly blend historical reference with the beauty and humor of the landscape and the people - poems include The Shooting of Dan McGrew, The Cremation of Sam McGee, The Heart of the Sourdough, The Law of the Yukon, The Call of the Wild and more! All in voice, of course, the better to enjoy them!

TUESDAY 17 August @ 7pm: Tlingit Indian Legends with Gina Pralou

Tonight we have Tlingit Indian (the Nation's First People) Legends...fascinating tales of how various things came to be, passed down verbally for years through storytelling, now captured on page and still told today. Great stories, some short, some longer...all in voice with Gina Pralou.

TUESDAY 10 August @ 7pm: "Alaska Bound" with Gina Pralou

Author Michael Dixon spent 20 years exploring the Great White North, Alaska, home of the majestic Glaciers, land of the historic gold rush, and territory to the First Nation's People. He traced routes explored by John Muir and Jack London, and now shares his richly descriptive experiences through articles he wrote and published about his journey. Gina will share parts of this book tonight in voice.

TUESDAY 11 May @ 7pm: Jonathan Livingston Seagull with Gina Pralou

Join Gina for the beloved tale of Jonathan Livingston Seagull!

It is within us all, to use our wings (our strengths) for basic function, or to stretch beyond form, seeking enlightenment and purpose. Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a parable of simple profundity – a bird, a seagull, who chose a path of discovery, relishing the splendor and joy found in pursuit of higher performance, higher awareness, and higher meaning; a triumphant tale giving goose bumps – even if you’ve heard it a hundred times before! Story in voice.