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Story Sources for Social Justice and Health Topics
compiled by Allison Cox
Utilize literary sources listed here as models for shaping stories on this subject.
Child Abuse
"Ballerinas and Bears"
from "The Children of Christmas" by Cynthia Rylant, is the story of a girl who walks the streets at night, because she has no parents at home to care for her. On Christmas, she lives vicariously through the sights and sounds of those she passes on the street, until someone stops to show her that they care.
"The Boy Who Drew Unicorns"
from "The Faery Flag", Orchard Books, N.Y., (1989) , and "The Tree's Wife" from Dream Weaver, Collins, 1979, both by Jane Yolen.
The first is the story of a boy who draws unicorns, but refuses to speak because of his unspeakable life, until his teacher took the class on a trip to see the unicorns on the carousel in the park. The second story is about a young women who loved a tree and was scorned by the villagers when she bore the tree's child. Both tales work well with teens. Also, "The Boy Who Had Wings" is another Yolen gem in which a father shuns his son due to the boys unique qualities.
"I'm Tipingee, She's Tipingee, We're Tipingee Too"
from The Magic Orange Tree and other Haitian Folktales collected by Diane Wolkstein, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1978 and now reissued in 1997 by Schocken Books, NY - a division of Random House).
Tipingee's father has died and she now lives unhappily with her stepmother (I adapt this to her Aunt) who wants to keep Tipingee home from school to do her work. Finally, the stepmother agrees to sell Tipingee in return for work from a magical man she met in the woods. Tipingee overhears the plan and asks her friends to help her outwit the evil man who ends up carrying the stepmother away when his plans to capture Tipingee are thwarted. There is a refrain that all the children can join in singing and the theme of asking for help from others when your family is abusive is an important message for children to hear.
"The Rough Face Girl"
by Rafe Martin (G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1992) is probably the most accessible version for tellers.
This is the Algonquin Indian Cinderella story of a girl who is mistreated by her sisters, but believes in herself in spite of the odds and wins the hand of the "Invisible Being" through her own determination without any help from a fairy godmother. This works for most ages and it is a favorite of middle school through high school students. Rose, the Story Lady (see resource links) states that In the Micmac version of the Indian Cinderella (see story at: http://www.kstrom.net/isk/stories/cinder3.html) there seems to be an emphasis on the fact that her father knew of the abuse and did nothing.
"The Stolen Turnips"
from Old Peter's Russian Folktales by Arthur Ransome, Thomas Nelson & Sons, Ontario, 1967.
The author suggests switching the roles of the husband and wife, depending on the audience. I tell this story with the old woman as the victim who keeps refusing to beat the children (as her husband insists) who are stealing the turnips.
Homeless
Space Travelers
by Margaret Wild, Scholastic Inc., New York, NY. 1992.
A homeless boy and his mother live in a jungle gym shaped like a rocket in the park while they search for a home.
Refugees
"The Party"
from "One Day We Had To Run" by Sybella Wilkes, Millbrook Press, Brookfield, CT. 1994.
Refugee children tell their stories in words and paintings. I find this story of the bat who was refused admittance to the animals party and the birds party most compelling when I close with the words of the boy who told the author the story, "Please tell the people of the world that we just want to find somewhere to belong".
Angel Child, Dragon Child
by Michele Maria Surat, Raintree Publishers, Milwaukee, WI. 1983.
A Vietnamese girl, attending school in the U.S., is lonely for her mother who was left behind. She is tormented by a boy at school because she is different until the principal force them to learn each other's story.
"Telling One's Own Story"
from The Sower's Seeds, One Hundred Inspiring Stories for Preaching, Teaching and Public Speaking, Paulist Press, Mahwah, NJ. 1990.
The Jewish tale of passing on hope through the troubled years through story.
Respecting Differences
The Araboolies of Liberty Street
by Sam Swope, Random House, New York, 1989.
An outrageously fun story about children as heroes and tolerating differences.
Substance Abuse Prevention
"Bennie" and "Cocaine"
from audio cassette The Ups And Downs of Being Brown by Rex Ellis.
Story/poems about addiction and loss.
"The Boy and the Rattlesnake"
from Keepers of the Animals, Native American Stories and Wildlife Activities for Children by Joseph Bruchac and Michael J. Caduto, Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, CO, 1991.
Boy is cajoled by a rattlesnake to pick the snake up, with dire consequences.
"Bundles of Troubles and Bundles of Blessings"
from A Piece of the Wind by Ruthilde Kronberg and Patricia McKissack, Harper, San Francisco, 1990.
Making choices about the emotional burdens we carry.
"Drying Out"
from Every Living Thing by Cynthia Rylant, Aladdin Books of Macmillan Publishing, 1985.
A divorced veteran is ordered into treatment and is determined to leave until he befriends two squirrels... This book contains twelve deeply moving short stories, each captures the moment when someone's life changes because an animal causes a human being to see things in a different way.
The House That Crack Built
by Clark Taylor, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1992.
Deeply moving illustrations accompany this parody of the nursery rhyme - The house that Jack built.
"The Magic Thread"
from The Book of Virtues edited by William J. Bennett, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1993.
A boy wins his wish to make the difficult times pass quickly to find that much of his life has passed away.
"Misery"
from Old Peter's Russian Folktales by Arthur Ransome, Thomas Nelson & Sons, Ontario, 1967.
Misery attaches himself to a man who begins to drink and gamble his life away until he realizes that he can leave Misery behind.
Not In Here, Dad! by Cheryl
Dutton, Hutchinson Children's Books, London, 1992.
A great way to get out a message about tobacco use prevention and have the audience join in each time you say "Not in here, Dad!"
Two Little Birds
by P.M. Smith performed on the audio cassette Mary Carter Smith... Nearing Seventy-five, Aframa Agency, Baltimore, 1993.
A fat cat lures two unsuspecting birds into his trap with free worms and big promises of being "cool" without having to work .
Publishing House
Albert Whitman and Company is a publishing company that specializes in books that deal in children's and families' concerns (abuse, AIDS, disabilities, divorce, immigration, literacy, prison, substance abuse and more...) You can order a catalogue by calling 800-255-7675. These books treat subjects realistically, do not place blame but do recognize emotions honestly. Do not underestimate the power of children's stories on adult listeners.
Allison Cox specializes in designing story programs tailored to each group's interests. (206) 463-3844
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