stories for children

My research into stories in the past few years have uncovered a number of stories that go well beyond a clever plot to amuse my listeners. Call it a message, or perhaps a hint of direction. They might even include a moral. The name of this elusive quality is not all that important. To me, the significance is that the stories I tell have it. I call them inspirational stories. jaystetzer.com

A listener can chew on the messages of inspirational stories. They can mull it over long after they heard the story. As a result, their internal compass points a bit closer to “true north.”

Go to the “Listen” page of my website. Click any one of the story samples and you are likely to find a message worth your time. And you are likely to find the inspirational stories sticking in your mind. In fact, the inspirational stories I tell even inspire me! Storyteller.

As we travel along the highway of life in this fast moving, complex world, we can all use a little “inner” direction. We can be confounded and dizzy by all its twists and turns. Inspirational stories help keep us on the road. It is like having your very own GPS. There is a wealth of inspirational stories available on all of my recordings. Check them out! Priceless humor.

When I was a kid, I often heard the word “nifty” in reference to things like fancy cars and outrageous fashion. It alluded to the uniqueness and stylishness of the subject being described. As I grew older I heard the word being used in a wider range of topics: a nifty song, a nifty concert, a nifty evening out. Even later, the word took on a more cultured definition in reference to poems, books, and, of course, nifty stories.

The word seemed allusively defined, yet attractively so. Still, I did not really define the word until I found myself using it to refer to the stories I tell to audiences and on recordings. Actually, I hit the books when a listener said my stories were nifty. The Merriam/Webster Dictionary definition states: “very good, very attractive,” etymology unknown, originally used in 1865. The standard reference Compact Oxford Dictionary states: “particularly good, effective, or stylish.”

What makes nifty stories nifty? The stories I tell always have a message, a lesson, a bit of perspective, and they are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making their point. You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain. I look for stories with certain underlying values that help the listener to set their internal compass when sailing through life.

For example, a story with a moral is one that provides a clear message. It teaches by example. On the other hand, many stories are not so obvious in the lessons they offer. The characters may act out the meaning of the story. It is up to the listener to decipher the message. And there may be a different message for each listener. Stories such as these are inclined to be more widely popular. The subtler lessons tend to come from longer tales. Epic stories have many layered lessons Just compare a tale from the Arabian Nights to a fable by Aesop to see the difference. Which one gives you more freedom to choose your own message? Personally, I like to find my own message when listening to a story. Check out my World Full of Stories and Fables in Four Minutes CDs for some examples of nifty stories with more subtle lessons.

Nifty stories edify. Nifty stories are memorable. Nifty stories carry a message that applies to all people. Nifty stories are always stylish, regardless of the era that spawned them. These stories are naturally very attractive. Nifty stories are a treasure!

I am always on the lookout for stories that bring something more to listeners than a clever twist of plot. Something that listeners can take away from the story. Maybe there is a message. It might give the listener a suggestion of a new direction. There could even be an outright moral. It doesn’t really matter what name you give to this elusive quality; it is more important that the stories I tell possess it.

As a child I found deep meaning in inspirational stories. Both my mother and my grandfather told similar stories. Occasionally a teacher would tell a story that meant a great deal to me. I was surprised to find how memorable those stories were. The messages stuck in the memory, too. The Golden Rule. Honesty is the best policy. Slow down and notice the things around you. Community giving is part of community living. I am who I am because of those messages.

Today I tell many of the stories I heard as a child. The stories are ageless. The messages are as relevant now as they were long ago.

Why seek out inspirational stories? First, consider the barrage of daily news and information. Next, we live lives that leave no room for reflection. In the absence of time and reflection, we have precious little available insight to bring to current affairs. Here is the place for inspirational stories. Inspirational stories give listeners something to chew on. They give us something to consider. Something that points us a bit closer to our “true north.” Something that offers a little perspective to life.

Care for some inspiration? At www.jaystetzer.com you can find memorable inspirational stories. Go to the “Listen” page on the site and you will surely discover a number of stories with relevant messages. “The Egg Seller” and “Herschel and the Wedding” from the World Full of Stories CD are good examples of inspirational stories. From the CD Parking in Manhattan, “Service with a Smile” brings a great message to the listener. Long after they are told, inspirational stories stay in the memory. I am even inspired by the inspirational stories I tell!

The world of today is a fast moving, complex world. As we head on down the highway of life, we can all use a little direction to guide us. Inspirational stories can help us in our travels. Like having your own spiritual GPS! My recordings contain a wealth of inspirational stories. Check them out!

I keep lots of memories from the days when I was a young parent. Some of them are downright exasperating! A good example is the memories I have of buying gifts for my children. Holiday gifts. Birthday gifts. Gifts rewarding good behavior. I spent some serious hours searching for something unique, something meaningful. It was tough going most of the time. I quickly realized that a good gift is hard to find. A meaningful gift is even harder to find. And whenever I succeeded in finding a gift that I regarded as special, I treasured it. And I hoped my children would do the same.

I am now a grandparent. And I am always on the lookout for a unique gift children would enjoy. Something that is memorable long after the gift is given. One great gift I have found is a memorable story. And it is appropriate for all ages, children included. Think of all the pleasurable hours an entire CD of stories can provide. Imagine the trip around the world your progeny can take on the wings of a story!

You can find three CDs listed on the “Recordings” page of my website. Fables in Four Minutes contains ten wonderful stories from ten different storytelling genres. For listeners who want to take a virtual trip around the world, World Full of Stories makes a unique present. Parking in Manhattan, my latest project, represents a compendium of hilarious urban folktales, all of them sounding as though they really happened! To purchase my CDs, just follow the directions on the “Recordings” page to place your order.

Hunting for a unique gift children will enjoy and appreciate? A unique gift children will never get tired of? A unique gift children can share with their parents and friends? A memorable gift is the gift of story. The kind of unique gift children will treasure for a long time to come.

For as long as humans could talk throughout the world stories have been told and retold. In the fabric of culture, they act as vital threads in the weave. They lend definition, roots, and significance to society. World stories spread as the culture grows.

I have been blessed by the number of world stories I have found from my travels throughout the world. And each time I visit another country I have the opportunity to learn a bit about it. In turn, that lends substantial meaning to the world stories I hear. And one of the benefits is to see how world stories come directly from the cultures of origin. My firsthand experience of a given culture heightens my appreciation of their stories. I have visited countries in Europe, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia. The differences as well as the similarities of the various countries impress me deeply.

Some world stories are downright funny. Other world stories are filled with mystery. Many world stories are full of insight. Often world stories are inscrutable. Generally world stories teach. All world stories keep us amused. JayStetzer.com

No matter what, all world stories maintain a deep bond with the fabric of their culture. People tell of their experiences through world stories.

To enjoy the breadth of subject matter found in world stories, listen to my CD entitled “World Full of Stories. It is an award winning recording that will take you on a delightful trip around the world! You can find world stories and more at www.jaystetzer.com.

Throughout the world stories have been told and retold for millennia. In the fabric of a culture, they act as vital threads in the weave. In any society they define the roots and significance of the peoples. As a culture grows, so do its world stories.

I have been blessed by the number of world stories I have found from my travels around the world. And each time I visit another country I have the opportunity to learn a bit about it. Customs and rituals. Geography and daily habits. In turn, that lends substantial meaning to the world stories I hear. In the process, I have discovered how world stories arise out of the cultures from which they are born. My firsthand experience of a given culture heightens my appreciation of their stories. I have visited countries in Europe, Central and South America, throughout Canada, the United States, and Southeast Asia. The differences as well as the similarities of the various countries impress me deeply.

You can find in every culture notions which they hold as sacred. The demonic can also be found. Their stories regularly exhibit these notions. They make up the mythical soil out of which the stories grow. Myth forms the basis for many world stories. They include creation stories along with other stories that explain the world.

By contrast, folk tales spawn from daily village life. These stories rise out of a rural setting for obvious reasons. Fairy tales also live in the world of folktales. Stories about magic and mystery were apt outlets for questioning minds of preliterate villagers. Cautionary tales abound, all of them containing messages to avert disaster. Do not go into the deep, dark woods! Steer clear of wild beasts! Do not talk to strangers! On the other hand, reward and happy endings comprise many folktales. Good is eternally pitted against evil. One can discover the Golden Rule in most plots. Regardless of genre, any worthy world story can be applied to contemporary life. And that brings us to storytelling today. Contemporary society is far removed from rural villages of old, but the old stories still remain pertinent.

Some world stories are downright funny. Other world stories are mysterious. Many world stories are insightful. Often world stories are enigmatic. Generally world stories contain lessons. All world stories entertain.

Regardless of their intent, all world stories express deep bonds with the fabric of a country and culture. People tell of their experiences through world stories. And they have merit in worlds far removed from their origin.

To enjoy the breadth of subject matter found in world stories, listen to my CD entitled “World Full of Stories.” It is an award winning journey that will take you around the globe!

Everyone loves to laugh. Laughter enlivens the spirit. And everyone loves to laugh at the foibles of our own species (as long as it happens at the expense of another). This is priceless humor.

Priceless humor… what makes it priceless? There is a simple answer to this question. Priceless humor involves situations which most of us have experienced. The lost keys. The comic situation. The consequences that follow are generally laughable. Priceless humor

The world of urban folktales is a rich source of priceless humor. My CD Parking in Manhattan illustrates many humorous circumstances. Folks can relate to and empathize with the characters involved in these hilarious comedies. Priceless humor arises out of priceless situations. Visit here..

You can also find many examples of priceless humor in world stories. These stories always bring gales of laughter when they are told. Two good examples from my CD Fables in Four Minutes are “Rock Soup” and “Herschel in the Woods” Listen to “The Egg Seller” or “Hickory Dock” from World Full of Stories. There are many similar examples of priceless humor from virtually every country on the planet. You will find yourself remembering these stories for a long time.

There is priceless humor in virtually every genre. What is the reason for it? Simple answer number two. Laughter makes learning easier. There is often a lesson to be learned through a story with priceless humor. It just goes to show that priceless humor is a treasure. See More Info..

For centuries stories have been told and retold throughout the world. How come? For one thing, they are entertaining. For another, they deal with the human condition. Even animal characters in stories act out the situations of our own humanity.

For centuries as well, life has been a struggle. Conflict. Pestilence. Thorny relationships. Struggles that implore some understanding, some support. Some kind of resolution.

Needless to say, no one cares to listen to preaching. We desire to sweeten our bitter medicines. That is where laughter comes in. It is the honey in the brew. Witty humor is priceless humor. An awesome blend of entertainment and enlightenment.

As you know, laughter lightens the heart. Laughter enlivens the spirit. And everyone loves to laugh at the foibles of our own species (as long as it happens at the expense of another). This is priceless humor.

Look around you at the great humorists. Dave Barry. Mark Russell. Garrison Kiellor. Check out the humorists of history. Moliere. Ogden Nash. Storytellers all. Painting scenes with priceless humor.

What makes priceless humor? There is a simple answer to this question. Priceless humor involves situations which most of us have experienced. The lost keys. The misunderstood comment. The consequences that follow are generally laughable.

The world of urban folktales is a rich source of priceless humor. My CD Parking in Manhattan illustrates many humorous circumstances. These hilarious comedies involve characters everybody can relate to and empathasize with. Priceless humor arises out of priceless situations.

World stories also capitalize on priceless humor. These stories always bring gales of laughter when they are told. Check out “Rock Soup” or “Herschel in the Woods” from my CD Fables in Four Minutes. My CD World Full of Stories has many examples a listener can enjoy. These are just a few examples of priceless humor. These stories will stick with you long after you heard them. You can find priceless humor and more at www.jaystetzer.com.

When I am out and about, I tune into conversations around me. They are laden with disasters and catastrophes. And the life lessons are generally hidden from view. It is my job as a storyteller to sort out the meaning from all the information I hear. Also, I need to inject a bit of humor to make the tale palatable. Priceless humor.

Virtually every storytelling genre contains examples of priceless humor. Why? Another simple answer. Laughter makes learning easier. A story with priceless humor often comes with a lesson attached. Priceless humor is… priceless!

When I was a kid, I often heard the word “nifty” in reference to things like fancy cars and outrageous fashion. It alluded to the uniqueness and stylishness of the subject being described. As time passed, I heard the word used in a wider range of conversations, including nifty evenings out, nifty concerts, and nifty songs. Later still, it cropped up in conversations about more “cultural” experiences: nifty books, nifty poems, and nifty stories. See More Info..

The word seemed allusively defined, yet attractively so. Still, I did not really define the word until I found myself using it to refer to the stories I tell to audiences and on recordings. Actually, it was a listener who called my material “nifty stories,” and that comment sent me to the books. The current Wiktionary defines the word as “good; a general term for anything that is good, useful or beneficial.” A thesaurus gives synonyms such as “peachy, smashing, dandy, great, keen, and groovy,” all of which strike me as exchanging one jargon term for another!”

So how do I define nifty stories? The stories I tell always have a message, a lesson, a bit of perspective, and they are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making their point. You could say that my idea of stories that are nifty are ones that entertain as well as enlighten. There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line. see more..

Nifty stories are stories that teach. Nifty stories appeal to a broad audience. Nifty stories travel beyond the culture from which they originate. Nifty stories are always in vogue. Stories such as these hold the listener’s attention long enough to send their message effectively. Nifty stories are worth their weight in gold! Check out my website at www.JayStetzer.com for some nifty stories! Free mother son stories