The Grand County Public Library regularly holds storytime on Saturday mornings in the big meeting room, but this weekend will be extra-special with stories told by professional storyteller Julie Moss, who lives in Moab.
“This storytime will be full of animal stories and songs,” said Adrea Lund, the head of children and teen services at the Grand County Public Library. “The stories and songs will be geared toward preschool- to early-elementary-age children; however, all ages are welcome.”
Lund added that Moss has been telling stories most of her life – professionally for 30 years – and has worked with and told stories to all ages.
“(She) tells folktales from around the world because she believes folktales have much to tell us about life and the culture from which they come,” said Lund.
Moss said that children will be invited to participate in acting out pieces of the stories. Some of the stories she will be telling are from books that are available for check out from the library. She will also be sharing stories from a collection of Chinese folktales she wrote after a trip in 2008, when Moss and nine other storytellers from around the United States traveled to China under the auspices of the National Storytelling Network and People to People Ambassador Program for the purpose of listening to, collecting and telling stories. Her book, Old China through the Eyes of a Storyteller, was published in 2012. She published a CD of these stories in 2019 called Chinese Folktales. Copies of the book and CD will be available for purchase at the event.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Moss said, adding that library staff will be providing a craft for children to do that goes along with the stories.
There is no cost to attend.
As a professional storyteller, Moss presents storytelling performances for all ages and group sizes, as well as offering workshops for educators and their students. Julie works with groups of students to help them tell stories of their own. She can be hired as an artist-in-residence.
One of her workshops is titled “Storytelling as a Pathway to Writing” and is designed to teach educators how to use storytelling to enhance their students’ writing. Moss also offers a workshop called “Storytelling in Early Childhood Education” for early childhood educators. Moss’s story repertoire includes folktales from around the world, family and personal stories, and literary tales.
Moss is active with Moab Poets & Writers and participates in the Storied Self, a homegrown Moab storytelling event. She is also a member of several organizations dedicated to the art of oral storytelling: the National Storytelling Network, Rocky Mountain Storytelling and Tellers of Tales. She has shared stories in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, California, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Texas, Tennessee, New York State and Florida, as well as China.
For more information about Moss and her work, see her website, www.storiesbyjulie.com.
If you go
What: Library storytime with Julie Moss
When: Saturday, Feb. 22, at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Grand County Public Library, 257 E. Center St.
Cost: Free
Contact: Grand County Public Library, 435-259-1111
For more information, see www.storiesbyjulie.com
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