Storytelling helps pupils develop a wide range of skills. Do they dream and fantasize? Do they lie, waffle and distract? These are not just bad habits but marvellous starting points for teaching an art that can help them to pass on experience, train and use imagination, develop language skills, promote their own confidence, communication and creativity and much more. Storytelling and story making may indeed be essential catalysts in developing critical and analytical thinking skills too.

Storytelling and Imagination: Beyond Basic Literacy 8-14 is the complete guide to using creative storytelling in the primary school classroom and for transitions to Key Stage 3 at secondary school. Taking a holistic approach incorporating reading, writing, speaking and listening, this book covers the skills of developing stories from conceiving a tale through to performance and the oral tradition. Tried and tested by the author and by teachers in hundreds of workshops, this book provides:

• ideas for sparking children’s imaginations and harnessing creativity
• information on using storytelling in cross-curricular contexts with examples and ideas
• games and practical activities in each chapter
• a range of original and traditional stories for use in the classroom
• different stages of work to suit all abilities
• joined up thinking about stories and storytelling.

More than a box of good tricks, this book is an indispensable guide for all literacy co-ordinators, practising and student teachers who are looking to create an inspiring and cross curricular approach to literacy.