The Cover of The World of Indian Sorties reflects the teeming folk life of India. Vibrant colours, delicate motifs, evocative pictures, sharp sayings, freewheeling songs... these are the spices that brew in India's folk tradition.

Storytelling, one of the oldest teaching tools in the world, is the ideal way to engage comfortably with contemporary concerns, diverse subjects and curriculum workloads in schools today. This book shows how easily and effectively it can be used. The stories in this boon can be told anywhere, in any languages.

The book contains:

An overview of Indian telling
The basic of storytelling
Introduction to each state
Stories from all the States and tips on how to tell
Activities covering visual art, writing explorations, craft and discussions
Replicable black and white illustrations based on folk styles
Unique story map
Way to find other stories to tell
Discussion on storytelling in school
Further resources, story saurces and reading

Cathy Spagnoli has been a professional storyteller /writer for about 30 years and has given numerous programmes in the U.S., Canada, South Asia, Korea, Japan and Singapore. She has met hundreds of Asian storytellers and collected a wide range of tales. She has also written several books, numerous articles for journals in Indian and the U.S., and recorded many audio telling. She lives with her husband , Indian sculptor Paramasivam and their son, Manu, on an island off Seattle in a home which they built themselves, and in Cholamandal Artists Colony in Chennai, Indian. Cathy has published many books with Tulika. Among them are Priya's Day, The World of Indian Stories, It's Only a story, and High in the Sky.

Storytelling, one of the oldest teaching tools in the world, is flexible enough to address a range of modem concerns as well. And one of the richest sources for storytelling today is the diverse country of India. I have been inspired for years by this wealth and am delighted to share a few observations and stories gathered over the past twenty years as my husband, Paramasivam, and I have visited and worked in our second home, India. The stories in this book are from the 29 states of India, and were collected from written and oral sources. Along with the stories are practical ideas for telling with children of ages 6-12 years: in schools, non-formal education centres, in clubs, at home, anywhere.

The book is divided into several sections that complement each other but can be sampled separately. The first section begins with a story map leading into a brief introduction to the incredible range of storytelling styles in India, and shares ways to nourish storytelling in your setting. This is followed by a review of the basics of storytelling, with examples drawn from Indian techniques.

The next section features the stories themselves, one from each Indian state.

The stories have been chosen to offer a range of themes and types, as well as a range of difficulties and lengths. You may wish to shorten the story or simplify the language for some listeners {or to use just one part of a longer tale}. The language used is spoken English, as commonly used in telling, and is perhaps not always what a grammar teacher would prefer.

Each story is followed by suggestions for activities and discussions. The story should be enjoyed just for itself first. But, after it is digested, students can explore parts of it through visual art, writing, and other activities. Since students learn in different ways, the activities are varied. Feel free to change them so that every learner is reached and challenged. And, of course, please create your own too.

The last section includes ideas for finding new stories, suggestions for adding storytelling to your school or setting, and a list of resources and story sources. There are also brief notes on type and reach of the motifs in each story. The suggestions for school storytelling are based on my experiences in India and from the work of many generous Indian teachers, tellers, and organisations.

Dip into this resource again and again. I have made every effort to cross-check details, particularly of names. Forgive the many omissions, and continue your journey, in your way, into the rich and multidimensional world of Indian storytelling.