Storymaker

Storymaker is a practical guide to creating and sharing new stories with children, whether in classrooms, family settings or other group situations. Giles Abbott presents methods for building narratives from simple structural prompts, helping adults involve young people in choosing words, shaping characters and developing plots rather than relying on prepared material.

The book also connects storytelling with speaking, listening, collaboration and performance. Its approach has been used in workshops where children devise, refine, rehearse and present original stories, including narratives about the Victorian cholera epidemic and Joseph Bazalgette’s sewer engineering. Drawing on more than 20 years as a professional storyteller, teacher and voice specialist, Abbott shows how story-making can support communication and shared attention.