STORYTELLING IN SCHOOLS

Action! Adventure! Amazing energy!

Cat is hugely popular with children and is generally available for full or half day school visits in the following areas: Mid and South Wales, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, parts of Gloucestershire and the West Midlands (west of M5) Visits to other parts of the country are possible, especially when it’s a two-day booking. Sometimes she can add a school visit to a regional tour. Please ask!

Cat’s school sessions are always lively and great fun! She is a highly physical performer who includes music and plenty of audience interaction. Best of all, she can work with large audiences, so no one needs to miss out.

Please book early if you have a special day or week in mind! World Book Week usually starts booking months in advance. National Storytelling Week (26 Jan – 2 Feb 2008) is always popular too.

Cat is a member of Academi’s Writers on Tour Scheme, so generous funding is available for schools in Wales. Further information available from Cat or at www.academi.org

For Nurseries:

Unlike many storytellers, Cat will work with nursery children! She works with independent nurseries, infant schools, Sure Start and the Basic Skills Agency, using a winning combination of stories, movement, dance and pictures to engage little listeners.

For Infants:

All programmes are available all the year round (except *)

World Tales Glorious stories from around the world. Great for exploring cultural diversity.

Once Upon A Rhyme Stories, songs, action rhymes and games on the theme of Famous Fairy Tales, with Cat dressed as a fairytale princess!

Shine! Stories, action rhymes and emotional play on the theme of light. Perfect for the dark days of winter. Ties in nicely with Hanukah and Divali.

Bear Tales Wonderful bear stories from around the world and some gorgeous bear hand puppets too! Educational and great fun.

Under A Big Blue Sky* An outdoor programme combining stories, action rhymes and playground games on the theme of the natural world (weather, animals etc) Term 3 only.

For Juniors:

World Tales Glorious stories from around the world. Great for exploring cultural diversity.

Barkbelly, Snowbone or Wild Magic ‘Meet the Author’ sessions with a difference!

‘Meet the author’ events can be quite dry, but Cat includes all her characteristic flourishes – a high-energy performance style, music, fairy lights and plenty of audience interaction - to create lively, entertaining programmes that really bring her books to life. These one-hour shows have already toured all the major UK literature festivals – Hay, Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Brighton, Oxford etc – to great acclaim. One performance can accommodate up to 200 children, so a real ‘book buzz’ is generated – especially at the book signing!

‘The children were delighted and inspired by the visit and BARKBELLY seems to have captured their imaginations, judging by the number of children that can be seen huddled in corners enjoying a quiet read of their signed copies’ - Loretto Junior School website

Cat also offers Barkbelly DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY workshops for Years 5 and 6. In a one hour workshop, she explains how a book cover is designed and shows examples of Barkbelly artwork, from first sketches to finished covers. Working in small groups, the children analyse various designs and suggest improvements; consider marketing material – form, cost and practicality; compare and contrast foreign editions of the book and design a cover of their own.

STORYTELLING ELSEWHERE

Cat frequently works in libraries, at festivals and at tourist attractions, telling stories for children and families.

Previous appearances and residencies include Eastnor Castle, Cadbury World, The Powis Wood Fair, Afan Forest Park, Acton Scott Working Farm, The Walsall Leather Museum, Ray’s Farm, Croft Castle, The Green Man Festival and Worcester City Museum.

Cat often leads woodland story walks, so many of her children’s stories have a forest/ecological theme. As the children walk through the wood, they pause to enjoy stories and various woodland activities: making leaf crowns or Native American story sticks, a game of Hunt the Snail, ‘sky-walking’ with mirrors or making mud imps.

In the past year, Cat has been very busy with Read a Million Words in Wales and StoryQuest. If you would like to improve literacy in your school or area, Cat will be happy to discuss ideas with you.

The only things she DOESN’T do are children’s birthday parties! Sorry!