The United States of Storytelling: Folktales and True Stories from the Western States

The Native American Choctaw "codetalkers" who played a vital role in World War I. Jeanette Rankin, elected to the U.S. Congress---before women could vote. Despite being one of the youngest nations, United States history has a rich tapestry of stories---much of which is unknown. Experiencing these tales allows students to enjoy a vibrant aspect of history that is rarely represented and communicated: the hopes, fears, joys, and trials of the people who came before us.

The United States of Storytelling: Folktales and True Stories from the Western States contains lore about early pioneers and settlers, Native Americans, and later, immigrants of the states west of the Mississippi as well as the Commonwealths and Territories. Each chapter focuses on an individual state and includes approximately three to six folktales or true stories from that state, plus the date it entered the union. Appropriate for students in third through eighth grade, this guide is specifically suited for children studying the states in grades four through six, serving as a rich supplement to the social studies curriculum, a valuable storytime resource, as well as a research springboard for these age groups.

Dan Keding is an award-winning storyteller, author, and musician who serves as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Illinois, Springfield, in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science. He received his masters of arts from the University of Illinois in the study of folktales and ballads. Keding has over a dozen recordings to his credit, including the 1999 ALA Notable Recording for Children "Rudy & the Roller Skate." His published works include Stories of Hope and Spirit: Folktales from Eastern Europe and English Folktales.