Folktellers in Royal Oak today released the first book from its new middle-grade fantasy series, in partnership with Reading is Fundamental (RIF) in New York City and Momentum Books in Troy, as part of its new Storytelling for Literacy Program.
The new Excerpts from an Unknown Guidebook Series begins with the June 1 release of “Book I: Phases of the Moon.” The series will continue with the release of “Book II: The Cave in the Rock,” in August, and the rest of the eight-book series through 2023.
The books are an integral part of Folktellers National Storytelling for Literacy Program, in which children read the books from the series and shoot their own movie trailers, inspired by the characters and themes from the stories. Students work either in teams or individually at school or at home to create videos, with an opportunity to enter the national Folkie Awards contest for prizes and recognition.
This all-inclusive, visual literacy program has been designed to engage students, parents, and educators in the art of storytelling using multimedia. The ultimate goal is to promote visual literacy – the ability to read, write and create visual images using technology, while communicating and exchanging ideas in an educational setting.
“Stories and reading are powerful things, and an exclusive release like this has never been done before,” says Josef Bastian, creator of the Guidebook Series and an award-winning author. “When kids are engaged and excited about storytelling through reading and filmmaking, it opens up a whole world of possibilities for them. We want children to feel empowered within this new storytelling universe by making them part of it. This program demonstrates the true power of storytelling in action.”
Producers Scott Paskoff and Amy Weber add, “We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of Team Folktellers. It’s an incredible universe that will entertain kids and adults for generations. Folktellers will enable children and young adults to tap into their own creativity, while keeping important stories at the forefront of their personal learning and growth.”
Stephen Sadler, a Folktellers partner based in Detroit, says, “Folktellers mission is built upon the art of storytelling. Our vision, ‘stories have power and are meant to be shared,’ fits perfectly with our partners’ mission and values. We’re excited and confident this program will make a positive impact on the lives of those involved.”
RIF is offering a sneak peek of the entire Guidebook Series in the Folktellers Universe Collection here on its Literacy Central website.
Momentum Books was founded in 1987 and acquired by Hour Media In 2001. It is one of the nation’s largest publishers of award-winning books and periodicals with more than 300 titles. For more information, visit here.
