Letting the Words Leap Off the Page

Janet Costello was a virtual whirlwind of energy and enthusiasm as she addressed a group of about 15 parents and preschool children at a recent storytelling session at Pages bookstore in Tarzana.

In the course of a half-hour presentation of a handful of children’s books, Costello sang songs, strummed her autoharp, imitated various animals, blew bubbles over the children and exhibited her expert ventriloquism skills with hand puppets.

It’s not easy keeping the attention of a group of 2-and 3-year-olds. But the former dance instructor and drama student exhibited the requisite know-how and genuine passion to do just that.

Costello is just one of a number of professional storytellers who are occasionally featured at Pages’ regular story time sessions. And this quaint shop is not the only Southern California bookstore that offers such readings for kids.

From Storyopolis in Los Angeles and the White Rabbit in Costa Mesa to the big chain outfits like Borders and Barnes & Noble, you generally don’t have to look far to find a storytelling session. Many of these bookstores offer at least one session during the week for preschool children and a weekend performance that’s also appropriate for kids in the 5-to-8 or 5-to-10 age range.

A number of bookstores offer a half-hour storytelling session followed by a related arts and crafts activity for the kids.

“We recently read several fish stories for [preschool] kids,” says Jamie Barsumian, manager of Mrs. Nelson’s Toy & Book Shop in La Verne. “Then we did fish crafts with paper plates. We introduced the children to cutting and they went home with a fish. It was really cute.”

Storyopolis recently offered a sports-themed craft activity, which tied into a reading by children’s author Julia Mammano (“Rhinos Who Play Soccer” and “Rhinos Who Surf”). The children in attendance, most between 3 and 8, made soccer balls out of craft paper and then painted them.

Children’s authors occasionally do special readings of their work at these bookshops. But readings are mostly done by professional storytellers like Costello or employees at the store.

Beware: Not all storytellers are created equal, particularly those who are bookstore employees.

“I took my 2-year-old to a [chain] bookstore, and the person just read the story [without any of the singing, props or sense of animation],” complains Karina Richland, a Sherman Oaks resident who attended Costello’s performance at Pages. “I think the person just worked at the store. Some of the kids got bored after three minutes and they ran off.”

Borders in the City of Industry employs professional storytellers on the weekends and staff members during its Tiny Tales session every Tuesday. But the use of amateur storytellers during the week doesn’t mean quality programming doesn’t occur during these sessions for preschoolers, says L Leigh, the store’s general manager.

Leigh says the two women on her children’s book staff put plenty of thought and imagination into their readings. And they’ve learned about the nuances of storytelling by observing the professionals who perform at the store on weekends.

The White Rabbit also uses employees as storytellers.

“One of our storytellers used to be a preschool teacher,” notes Darryl Poole, the manager of the White Rabbit. “So she interacts really well with the children. Another employee who does our Wednesday story time was a librarian for 35 years. She picks a theme every week, like the moon, and she’ll also lead a craft project. Our Friday storyteller is just a mother, but she’s just a great storyteller and she does crafts also.”

Some bookstores combine children’s storytelling with visits by one of the main protagonists in the featured book. The costumed character will appear after a reading to greet the children and field questions. The storyteller usually rephrases queries into yes and no questions that the mute character can answer with a nod of the head or a gesture.

The White Rabbit, Storyopolis and Borders are a few of the bookstores that present character visits.

Darlene Daniel, the owner of Pages, says that group storytelling sessions and storytelling at home involving a parent and a child are different but complementary experiences.

“We recommend that parents read to the children side by side or with the child on the lap,” Daniel says. “There’s not only the warmth of sharing the book but there’s a physical warmth. Also, parents use bedtime stories to relax children. The selection of the book would be quieter and not something that would be overly stimulating. In the bookstore, we’re focusing in on stories with plot, with action, with humor that would be engaging in an upbeat kind of way.”

The main purpose of these storytelling sessions, most bookshop managers and storytellers say, is to foster in children a lifetime love of books and reading.

“[With group storytelling] you’re enhancing an idea you’re already trying to start at home,” says Costello. “There are many different avenues through which a child can enjoy a book. A book can make them think of a song. It can make them want to dance. It becomes food for thought and action.”

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The following is a list of a few of the Southland bookstores offering children’s storytelling:* Pages, 18399 Ventura Blvd., #15, Tarzana, (818) 342-6657.* Storyopolis, 116 N. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 358-2500.* The White Rabbit, South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Suite 2061, Costa Mesa, (714) 445-0010.* Mrs. Nelson’s Toy & Book Shop, 1030 Bonita Ave., La Verne, (909) 599-4558.