A Thunder-grave in Creswell

Creswell Library

Thursday 28th August

a thunder grave

don't trust the Burned Girl!

“Walking with an umbrella during a tornado is not a god idea”*

But the girl went walking with her beautiful blue umbrella, anyway

She is buried in a thunder-grave,

Deep in the woods.

A lonely grave,

A single grave,

And there she brings

Thunder, lightning and storms inside the wood

But the edges of the wood are peaceful

And guard the world from her anger.

But one wild tornado escapes

And collects a bus full of panicking school children,

Spinning them round,

Ready to do them to death.

But the bus sprouts wings and 

As an aerobus with rocket boosters

Sails through the storm

To safety.

forest animals fled the storm

But the lightning strikes

A goblin house in the Old Widow’s Tree

And the goblin and the two fairies who live in a hole flee

The storm chases them,

Winds to blow them, rain to beat them,

Even their strongest spell doesn’t help,

And they run and run,

Too wet to fly, too scared to hide.

Down to the lake

Where a girl sails her boat through the storm,

Over a lake horrible with giant waves.

She carries them through the wind and the waves and the rain to...

Who lives in the old cottage behind the gray fence?

There is a bridge there, too,

Over a river behind the house,

A bridge to an island where a rock hides caves.

And might offer a new home to the lost goblin and his fairy friends

“Beware of the person who lives in the house behind the grey fence.”*

* “The things my Mum used to tell me”, numbers 25 and 32

the girl who could sail a boat!

forest animals watched the Burned Girl

goblin

the bus and its brave driver

an eagle caught in the storm

By the end of the story, everyone finds shelter in Creswell Library where they live to this day....

book shelf goblin

shy horse

children and eagles enjoy reading

with many thanks to the storymakers, puppeteers and artists of Creswell!

the dragons of Wirksworth

Wirksworth Library

Tuesday 26th August

mapping a landscape, a world, a story

mapping from the middle is always effective!

Past a watchful Fairy,

And a sea full of fish,

Across a broken, ancient bridge,

Over a deadly Ice Mountain,

Beyond the Golden River,

A dragon sleeps

Comments from our storymakers

It was awesome  (Ruth aged 11)

I really enjoyed the drawing and the last story (India aged 8)

I enjoyed the session very much, but I’m afraid I have nothing to say because it was so good (Ella aged 9 3/4)

with many thanks to all our storytellers, storymakers and artists at Wirksworth

The Beasts of Whaley Bridge

Whaley Bridge Library

Thursday 21st August

the world around Whaley is full of wonders

a cheetah taking shape

Over in Whaley Bridge,

A Golden Dragon flies,

Fast as the wind,

Over the edge of the hills,

Over in Whaley Bridge,

A slim cheetah runs,

Like a flicker of yellow flame,

Through the trees and the books.

Over in Whaley Bridge,

A Rainbow Dragon watches

From the edge of the bookcase,

Seeing every word you read,

Over in Whaley Bridge,

A Blue-winged Dragon slides,

As silent as smoke,

In and out of your dreams.

Over in Whaley Bridge,

Dangerous Basilisks dance,

Twisting round each other,

Like fast, green rivers.

With teeth.

Waiting Basilisks

Dancing Basilisks

with many thanks to the storymakers, puppeteers and audience of Whaley Bridge!

The mountains on the other side of Holmewood

Holmewood Library

18th August

Monday morning in a quiet library, a story told in secret,  the seed of an idea planted and watered with imagination....

and the before anyone could gasp, the Windeye Mountains were waiting and Maysay, the one-winged dragon, uncurled from under the Dragon Bridge...

with many thanks to the storytellers, artists and storymakers of Holmewood!

Thunder, lightning and stories in Matlock

 Matlock Library

Tuesday 26th August

a story to get things started

To report back on this story session, we'll simply use some of the comments of our storymakers themselves...

Absolutely fantastic- especially for imagination. Wonderful to see everyone working together and talking to the fairy

Stories are a pathway link to all our childhoods. To a world of mystery, imagination where we can be whatever we choose to be. Never grow up, stay young. The storyteller was amazing. We all loved her  - Stuart McLarkey & 2 children aged 7 & 10

Loved it – Inspired us to tell stories to each other.  (This mum & daughters came again in the afternoon to Wirksworth)

The events held at Matlock library complement the Summer Reading Challenge and enhance the experiences – A must do

The stories were really imaginative. I really enjoyed the stories because they had really good meanings. I hope to do one again because it was AMAZING!!!!  (Shannon aged 10)

 with many thanks to all our Matlock storytellers, storymakers and our excited audience