Cory From Cali
his "autobiographical" story serves as an introduction to Frankie the Otter, while also teaching students a bit about me. Cory from Cali illustrates my self-confidence in action; how I look, how I talk, and how I present myself. This self-confidence is useful in creating a safe space where all students feel open to express themselves as unique individuals.
Stuie the Tui
Stuie the Tui is an original story about a tui bird from New Zealand who has a unique skill: it can imitate any sound it hears because it has two voice boxes! In the story, Stuie tries to help his best friend, but it doesn't quite work out exactly as planned.
Down By the Bay
This famous song by my friend, the one and only Raffi, is fantastic for incorporating nonsensical playfulness into almost any situation. A fly wearing a tie? A llama eating pajamas? Genius!
Peacock and Quetzal
Peacock and Quetzal is about individuality and being comfortable with who you are. This original story is told in honor of ancient Mayan folktales. Quetzal learns that being who you are, and being a good friend, is more important than the clothes you wear.
Drum Factory
Drum Factory is a retelling of the age-old camp classic "Button Factory," in which a poor guy named Joe is told to hit buttons with different parts of his body until he spins out of control! I didn’t have buttons, but I did have many, many, MANY percussion instruments. Replacing all buttons with percussion instruments resulted in Drum Factory, a hilariously wacky story fit for all ages!
The Lost Bicycle
The Lost Bicycle is my first-ever percussive story -- the one that launched it all! The story is a simple tale about Mother Earth's only son receiving a bicycle, losing the bicycle, finding the bicycle, and making many new friends along the way. Musically, The Lost Bicycle makes great use of leitmotifs, or sounds that stand for different parts of the story.
Tikki Tikki Tembo
Tikki Tikki Tembo is one of the most popular retellings in the past 50 years because of the main character's name: Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sa Rembo Chari Bari Ruchi Pip Peri Pembo. WOW! This Chinese folk-tale is around 2,000 years old, was made popular in the west by Arlene Mosel, and has delighted children and storytellers alike for many, many years. I thought the name sounded rhythmic, so I used a djembe to help bring the story to life.
John Henry
John Henry is a retelling of the classic tale of man vs. machine. It tells the story of John Henry, a steel driving man with a hammer for hand - just like THOR! In the story, John Henry races against a machine to see who can drive the steel faster. I was fortunate to record this story at the California Oil Museum in Santa Paula, California, in front of an actual drilling rig.
The Turnip
The Turnip is a retelling of an old Russian folktale from around 1850. While I am telling the turnip version, the beauty of this story is that it exists in numerous cultures all over the world featuring food such as carrots, pumpkins, potatoes, and even watermelons. In the story, the main character needs help from other people and animals to pull up what might be the world's BIGGEST turnip!