Storytelling teacher? What's that? 
Here's MaryAnn Schmidt's Introduction to the traditional folktales told in 2017 at Manhattan School for Children in New York City. Each of her kindergarten and 1st grade classes voted on their favorite stories and Mary Ann tells them in a live recording from the classroom.

Intro To Storytelling With MaryAnn

The Ghost with One Black Eye, traditional cumulative Tale first heard at a storytelling swap from Prisilla Howe.

Recorded live at Manhattan School for Children, New York City, 2017.

The Ghost With One Black Eye

Thank you for listening. And don't forget, tell your stories and live your stories. Life can be a fairytale.

MaryAnn Tell Your Stories

Giant Without a Heart is a Norwegian folktale. It's also MaryAnn Schmidt's most frequently requested story.

MaryAnn is a teacher and professional storyteller. She tells her stories live to children listening. Some of the stories are so old, they come from a time before there was even writing. 

Sit back and listen. But don't forget, the best way to tell a story is to tell it. Life can be a fairytale.

Giant Without A Heart - Introducing StoryLand

Get ready to laugh out loud when you hear MaryAnn tell this story, written by Jill Wright. It is one of the few stories in the collection that is not a folktale.

The Old Woman and the Willy Nilly Man

The Ghost with One Black Eye is traditional cumulative tale first heard at a storytelling swap from Priscilla Howe. This short, funny rendition amuses both adults and children.

Tatterhood is a fairytale from Norway that has feminist flavors.

Tatterhood

MaryAnn takes listeners on an amazing adventure with the traditional Irish folktale, Brave Margaret.

Brave Margaret

Saving Spring, a fairy tale from Scandinavia,  illustrates that everything has its time. Perseverance and remembering who we are saves the day.

Saving Spring

Children will be "mesmerized" when they hear Turtle and Coyote, a teaching story from the Hopi People in the Southwest Desert. It's also the first story MaryAnn ever learned.

Turtle And Coyote

Also known as Anansi Does the impossible, this tale explains why there are so many stories about Kawku Anansi. The popular African folktale character often takes the form of a spider. From Ashanti, West Africa

How Anansi Got All The Stories

Each of Anansi's six sons are born with a unique difference. In the end, their differences save the day. Anansi is an African folktale character who often takes the shape of a spider. Ashanti, West Africa.

Anansi And The Six Sons

The Creole version of Tale Type 480, folk stories of compassion and greed.

The Talking Eggs

Children love the adventure of roly poly riceball in this Japanese version of tale type 480.

Roly Poly Riceball

In this special release for Halloween, MaryAnn tells the story of a whiny, brave little girl who is not afraid to face "The Ghost With One Black Eye."

Halloween Re-Release "The Ghost With One Black Eye"

MaryAnn Schmidt tells the Persian folktale, Fareedah's Carpet. The story is part of a collection of Tale Type 480; folk stories of compassion and greed.

Fareedah's Carpet

Storyteller, MaryAnn Shmidt, is back with a classic all about sharing.

Stone Soup - Thanksgiving Special

In a special release for Thanksgiving, MaryAnn Schmidt tells the Iroquois legend about how chipmunk got its stripes. Never make fun of anyone.

Chipmunk And Bear - Thanksgiving Special

Hear what happens when a king drips one drop of honey on the palace windowsill.

One Drop Of Honey

In this classic Turkish folktale, a little rooster finds a diamond button and has to deal with the greedy Sultan.

The Little Rooster and the Diamond Button

In a special for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, StoryLand releases the old  folktale, The Legend of the Big Dipper. The story about kindness imagines the origin of the constellation, which helped guide escaping slaves north to freedom.

The Legend of the Big Dipper - for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

MaryAnn Schmidt enchants children with Jill Wright's hilarious sequel to the "Little Old Woman and the Willy Nilly Man."

Old Woman/Jar Of Uums

In this traditional Liberian folktale, Mrs. Chicken has to think fast to outwit a hungry Mrs. Chicken.

Dan, Liberia

Mrs. Crocodile and Mrs. Chicken

MaryAnn Schmitt tells another West African folktale about the spider Anansi.

Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock

MaryAnn Schmidt has enchanted children for years with folktales from around the world. It's difficult to freeze these stories in time because storytelling is a live art embodied by the synergy between the teller and the listener. Now, some of these experiences, recorded live in the classroom have been preserved and shared with children everywhere.

StoryLand MaryAnn Schmidt

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks