Friday, March 7, 2008

Freedom stories - help from LANES-listserv

Thanks all who sent information to LANES listserv! I wish we had a blog for our organization. A blog would be perfect for this kind of woolgathering and all would benefit.
*DEEP SIGH*
Here is what some people said [ If you'd rather not be referenced here, tell me and I will remove]Most people referenced David Holt's version of Freedom Bird which can be found here: http://www.davidholt.com/story/readytales/freedombird.html
Perhaps the Freedom Bird? I'm convinced that the story was one of those created in a society were people were not aloud to speak out and or speak out for freedom so they hid the message in the story --- i.e. you can kill one of us but hundreds more will rise up.
-- Johnny Porcino

You can look at the NSN American History story book - lots of not well known stories from US history- many are about freedom- also has workbook with exercises.
Of course there are books like Spinning Tales, Weaving Hope http://massmees.org/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=viewlink&link_id=1563&Itemid=512
and Peace Tales http://www.margaretreadmacdonald.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Books.BookDetail&Book_ID=11
that have freedom themed stories in them. There are Julius Lester's versions of Brer' Rabbit stories, which are always fun and Stanfield's book on High John the Conqueror. Also the People Could Fly book. Also, Stories of the Spirit, Stories of the Heart. Freedom can be a very broad subject!
-- Stu Mendelsohn

Another freedom story is ‘Fly Eagle, Fly’ from Africa. ‘The Cat Who Came Indoors’, another from Africa (also a great woman story and VERY funny – I bet you LOVE it). http://books.google.com/books?id=Lldvp3HS0A8C&pg=PA21&lpg=PA21&dq=the+cat+who+came+indoors&source=web&ots=K7ziq_6tIl&sig=vCqOuWv7Isp3P4u1SIn3VKcRTSU&hl=en#PPA21,M1
Another Moe/Asbjornsen story: ‘The White Cat in the Dovre Mountains’ freedom from Trolls – you can really have a lot of fun with this one. It is a laid back tale, as I tell it!
-- Simon Brooks

My freedom story ideas would include Exodus stories.
--Cindy Rivka

The People Could Fly http://www.virginiahamilton.com/pages/people.htm
was originally released in 1985 as the title story of a set of folktales collected by Virginia Hamilton, and illustrated in black and white by Leo and Diane Dillon. This time, the story appears in picture book format, once again illustrated by the Dillons, but this time in magnificent color.
--Laura Packer, Judith Black, Mike Lockett, Rona Leventhal, Katie Green and others I may have forgotten.

Thanks All!