by Jan Greer Langley, Director of the Storysacks project

The journey

What does a Princess, a literacy worker and a package have in common? They all brought Storysacks to Canada. The journey began in June 1998, when HRH, the Princess Royal, visited New Brunswick. The Honourable Marilyn Trenholme Counsell, Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, hosted a tea to introduce her friends in literacy to Princess Anne. This is where Jan Greer Langley (New Brunswick Coalition for Literacy, NBCL) and the Princess talked briefly. A few weeks later a letter arrived from Alan Wells, Director of the Basic Skills Agency in the United Kingdom that read, "I understand that you met our Patron, Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal recentlyYHRH has asked me to send you a Storysack with her compliments." Developed by Neil Griffiths, an educator and Headmaster of a Primary School in the U.K, Storysacks is a holistic literacy resource that reflects pedagogy.

The crossing

The NBCL brought Neil Griffiths to New Brunswick in May 1999, where he led twelve workshops. Pictures from the launch at Old Government House in Fredericton N.B., are posted at www.nald.ca/PROVINCE/NB/NBCL/storysak/Launch/storypic.htm

Storysacks are creative, inexpensive, fun and hand-made. The contents of a Storysack break down the fear and resistance of reading books and enjoying words and stories. Families can act out the story using the props, scenery and characters; they can tell or re-tell the story using the book, their imagination or the audio tape.

Interest in Storysacks has grown tremendously. This created a need for a central source of information. Jan Greer Langley and Diane Ross are creating and developing easily accessible resources in both official languages and in multiple formats. They are also working with the web team at NALD to create a dynamic and interactive web site.

The legacy

You can take part. If you are eager to make a Storysack keep these measures in mind:

• If you are doing this by yourself, proceed or enlist six or seven friends to help;
• Start with good quality children's literature (ask a librarian, a teacher or go to www.storysacks.nald.ca/);
• Go through the story, choose characters, props and scenery. Collect them from toy boxes, garage sales, second-hand shops and friends, or make them;
• Make sure all your contents are safe and sturdy (nothing plasticine, sharp, or small enough to swallow);
• Decide on a game to go with the story and make it;
• Decide on a non-fiction book that matches the theme of the story and purchase or find it;
• Enlist some friends and volunteers who will have fun animating the story. Use different voices and sound effects. Record the story onto Side A of an audio cassette;
• Prepare the prompt card with questions about the story, point out interesting words and your favorite illustrations. Record all the information from the prompt card as well as the game instructions onto Side B of the tape;
• Put all items in a sack large enough to hold everything. Make a smaller sack to hold the props and put it in the larger sack;
• Print the name of the story on the outside of the sack;
• Put a warning there: "This is not a toy. A Storysack is a literacy activity and is to be used only with the supervision and participation of an adult.";
• Make a list of all the items and keep it in the Sack;
• Register Storysacks at www.storysacks.nald.ca .

Detailed information can be found on the website or toll free at 1-800-720-6253. Storysacks Canada is primarily funded by the National Literacy Secretariat. Mr. Roch Carrier is Honourary Chair of Storysacks Canada.