John Harris the Storyteller

"Bravo! A tour de force."

- Michael Morpurgo

"Absolutely brilliant!"

- George Lamb, BBC6 Music

"Absolutely bloody brilliant!"

- Nicky Horn - Planet Rock / Capital Gold

"John Harris is 'The Urban Storyteller' - quite unlike any other storyteller you`ve ever heard and quite wonderful."

- Malcolm Burgess, Literature Development Officer for Essex

"What can I say?! The children haven't stopped talking about you, and they are desperate to have you back! At last night's Parents' Evening, it was obvious that the children had gone home to their parents and related the stories you had told them - correction, most of the children spilled out the stories on the way home in the car! One Dad, who had never known his son to talk for any length of time about anything to do with school, was taking his son home in the car, and after 15 minutes his son hadn't drawn breath, so he pulled the car over and allowed his son to finish the whole story, because they were almost home and he didn't want his son to have to finish abruptly."

- The Croft Prep School, Stratford on Avon

"Wonderful - yet again!"

- FKS School, Felsted, Essex

"The children loved your sessions - especially those troublesome "too cool for school" types in Y9; they were raving about it for days, as were all the little ones; truly inspirational so please feel very smug.... I include some of the comments from the Y8s and 9s below:
"Funny and scary with a hint of madness!"
"He makes your imagination run wild as he envelops you in his tale."
"He pulled me into the story and made me feel that I was there."
"His stories were wonderfully grim and laced with humour."
"Mindblowing!"
"He really caught the imagination of his audience."
"John Harris kept you clinging on to the edge of your seat.""

- Rookwood School, Andover

""When I went to collect him from school on that day, I asked: how was the story telling? His whole facial expression changed, he smiled and said 'It was fantastic, he told us the story with sooo much expression, really funny.'"

- From a thank you letter from a parent, Holmewood House, Tunbridge Wells

"The whole atmosphere has been really buzzy all day, and all the staff have been delighted by how absorbed and engrossed the children have been. Will you come again next year?"

- Cold Norton Primary School, Essex

"The children thoroughly enjoyed their workshops with you and were buzzing afterwards."

- Unicorn School, Richmond on Thames

"It's been brilliant! They've been completely mesmerised and I don't know how you're not completely exhausted!"

- St. Michael's Primary School, Sydenham

"We've been working really hard at developing stories, both written and told, and this will have been so good for everyone. It has been wonderful to see their reactions and the way in which they've just been glued to their seats. Thank you so much!"

- Shrewsbury High Prep School GDST

"You have an extraordinary and rare talent. You have your audiences hooked from the start. You take them on a journey that involves all sorts of twists and turns and they're with you all the way, utterly enraptured."

- Holmewood House School, Tunbridge Wells

"Please convey our thanks to John. He was, as always, brilliant with the boys."

- Bedford Prep School

"It's rare to find someone who is equally brilliant across the whole range, from Reception up to year 6. You are."

- Licensed Victuallers' Junior School, Ascot

"Every time you visit us I`m torn between watching you and watching the children. You have every single child utterly engrossed. When you take a breath, they do. When your expression changes, so do theirs. I have never in my life seen a performer who holds his entire audience the way you do, and you do it every time!"

- Clifton College Prep school, Bristol

"Over the years we've watched you, and listened to you, and learned so much that storytelling is now a part of life in this school. You have influenced the whole culture of this school."

- St. Cedd's Primary School, Bradwell on Sea

"I just wanted to say thank you on behalf of us all at Perran-ar-Worthal for the excellent day you gave us on Friday. The whole school was buzzing as a result of your exciting and spellbinding storytelling!"

- Perran-ar-Worthal CP School, Cornwall

"I was intending to sit quietly at my desk at the back of the library and get so much work done today, but I haven't been able to tear myself away from the stories. You've had us all spellbound all day."

- Badminton School, Bristol

"Thank you so much for your work on Friday. I have received nothing but positive feedback from staff, pupils and even parents.
The pupils are also passing on your stories as well as telling many of their own, so the day has proved extremely productive in all manner of ways."

- Austin Friars St. Monica's School, Carlisle

"I just casually mentioned in assembly that you were coming next week and the roar was deafening."

- St. Margaret's School, Gifford Bowers

"While you're here can we book you back again for next year? The girls just love your stories!"

- Piper's Corner School, Great Kingshill, Bucks.

"We've been working really hard recently on telling stories: on developing our use of language and imagery and pacing the story to build up the excitement. Now that they've seen such a master at work I'm sure it'll have left a huge impression on them and improved the quality of their own work enormously."

- Stifford Clays Junior School

"Thank you for such a wonderful, brilliant, exciting and stimulating day! Every child in the school sat in silence and awe during the stories and has been buzzing with excitement ever since!"

- FKS School, Felsted

"Watching John spin his brand of magic is truly amazing. His
voice drops and the audience leans in closer to hear as the story progresses, and at the denouement he raises his voice, prompting the screams.

Over the past three years and nine months John has been the most talked-about and popular visitor to the Teenage Reading Group. He is one of the best (if not the best) storytellers in the
UK today."

- Matthew Imrie, Thamesmead Library

"Thank you for a great day - the children gained a great deal from it and the staff were very complimentary too."

- St. Alban's Infants School, Dartford

"Thank you so much - the children were entranced and just sat in awe for a full hour!"

- Moorings Way Infants School, Portsmouth

"Thank you for a fantastic day.... all the staff have expressed their gratitude."

- Chalkwell Hall Junior School, Southend

"Absolutely fabulous! It was a delight to listen to you, and it was a delight to see their faces. They were totally enraptured for the whole hour!"

- Holmewood House School, Tunbridge Wells

"I am always amazed at how carefully you tune into the children - the stories were so absolutely spot-on. You have been fantastic today, and I just don't understand how you're not completely exhausted."

- Newton Prep School, Battersea

"Thank you so much for a truly memorable day - we look forward to seeing you again very soon!"

- Bilton Grange School, Dunchurch, Rugby

"How you got this lot to sit so still and so quiet for so long I don't know - can you come and live here?"

- Ruckleigh School, Solihull

"Utterly amazing - the looks on the kids' faces was something to behold!"

- St. Barnabus C of E Primary School, Warmley, Bristol

"Very many thanks for coming to visit us at Ranelagh, everyone thoroughly enjoyed it and it was good to see you again."

- Sally Ballard, Librarian, Ranelagh School, Bracknell

"Before we booked you we asked a few other schools about you. They all said you were great - they were right!"

- Kendall Primary School Colchester

"They were hanging on your every word - as always!"

- St. Cedd`s School, Bradwell on Sea

"I wouldn`t hesitate to recommend you to anyone."

- Cranford House School, Moulsford, Oxford

"I just wanted to say that I could see the children loved that, and so did I - it was absolutely wonderful!"

- Ofsted Inspector, Milton Hall School, Westcliffe on Sea

"Absolutely wonderful and very very funny!"

- Pinewood School, Bourton, Wilts

"A low maintenance visitor who establishes his authority with the kids as soon as they enter the room and has them hanging on his every word with their jaws on the floor. Brilliant!"

- Shepshed High School, Leicestershire

"The feedback has been fantastic!"

- Frances Mason, Youth Services Librarian, London Borough of Bexley

"You are, quite literally, magic. You have cast a spell over these children and enriched their lives."

- Chairman of Governors, Boxted Primary School, Colchester

"I've been getting glowing reports all day, from Reception right up to Year 8 - they've all had a wonderful time and I'd like to add that you are absolutely top value for money!"

- Simon Weight, Abingdon Prep School

"Absolutely amazing! You came to us highly recommended, but you exceeded our wildest expectations!"

- Thorpe Greenways Junior School, Southend

"All the children were entranced by your stories and talked about them for days afterwards - many many thanks for such a wonderful day"

- Spring Grove Prep School, Kent

"I've just had the year sixes and all they wanted to do was talk about how wonderful you are and tell me the stories, and in the staff room everyone is just raving about you!"

- Watergall Primary School, Peterborough

"As ever, your stories captivated the boys and they thoroughly enjoyed the sessions."

- Penny Horsman, Head of Junior School, Dulwich College

"I`ve never seen the year sixes burst into spontaneous applause before! Wonderful!"

- Bournes Green Junior, Southend

"Absolutely wonderful - the boys have been mesmerized."

- Ludgrove School

"Wow! I`ve never known an hour go so quickly!"

- Mildmay Junior School, Chelmsford

"I've had girls coming up to me in the corridors saying 'Miss, that storyteller was fantastic!' they're all buzzing with excitement."

- Wirral Grammar School for Girls

"I don`t have to ask if they enjoyed it - I could see their faces!"

- Northwood Prep School, Rickmansworth

"The week got off to a flying start with a visit from nationally renowned storyteller, John Harris.
John led three storytelling sessions in the theatre and charmed the children with stories from around the world and a spine chilling version of 'Beowulf'. The mesmerised expressions on the children's faces was evidence enough of their enjoyment of the experience: John had them in the palm of his hand. This was a great start to Book Week and to promoting the joy of books and reading."

- Farleigh School, Andover (Website)

"I was talking about you with my class afterwards and they were buzzing! They couldn`t get over how one person on their own, with no props, costumes, make-up or special effects, could hold their attention so completely for a whole hour. They were amazed and so was I!"

- Canvey Junior School, Canvey Island

"I know from listening to the children afterwards how much they enjoyed your visit.... it is such a bonus for them to be exposed to some good, well constructed language."

- Goodwyn School Mill Hill

"Everybody has been saying what a fantastic day they've had. The children were hanging on your every word and were buzzing with the stories. Everyone says their classes have produced amazing written work and pictures and are reading out loud with so much more animation and enthusiasm - you'll have to come again!"

- Thorpe Greenways Infants school, Southend

"Every child in this school is rushing around swapping stories and talking about who they`re going to tell them to when they get home. Thank you for such a wonderful day!"

- Thaxted Primary

"Some of us were talking in the staffroom yesterday afternoon, asking each other "How did he do it?" - the 'he' being you and the 'it' being keeping 50 or so kids enthralled without props, DVDs or prozac. I told you that one liked the timbre of your voice so that must have been partly it but I can't quite work out what the rest of it was. Anyway, if you could distil and bottle some of it, send us a crate."

- Nia Davies, SYR Hugh Owen School, Caernarfon

"'Utterly brilliant - the children have been galvanised!'"

- Pickhurst Junior School, Bromley

"I spent the whole time watching their faces - I have never seen children so entranced!"

- The Study Prep School, Wimbledon

"The looks of amazement, laughter and - sometimes - shock on the faces of our pupils testifies to the power of the stories and the talent and energy that goes into your performance. Many, many thanks for making this such an outstanding and entertaining experience for us."

- Sonia Constantinou, Librarian, Highgate Junior School

""They were all so engrossed they didn't move - he had them all completely in the palm of his hand!""

- Donna Paul, Librarian, Farleigh School, Andover

"I`ve never laughed so much in one day in my life!"

- Jake, Year 6, Dunmow St. Mary`s Primary School

"I laughed so much I thought I was going to be sick!"

- Year 2 Pupil, Summercroft Infants School, Bishops Stortford

"Absolutely fantastic - I love the way your stories can go off in different directions and the children just follow wherever the story takes them, it`s marvelous to see!"

- Duncombe School, Bengeo, Herts

"I thoroughly enjoyed that, and I don`t have to ask the children if they did because I can see sheer delight on their faces!"

- Farnborough Primary School, Kent

"Can you come back tomorrow?"

- Our Lady`s Junior, Abingdon

"I just wanted to thank you for such a wonderful day. The children are still talking about you, from Reception right the way up to Year 8 who felt 'Captivated' by your words. Many of the children are still enjoying your books and I know they would love to see you again - can we book you for next year?"

- Katherine Vacher, Head of English Barfield School Farnham

"Thank you so much for coming on Tuesday. Everyone I've spoken to, girls and teachers, really enjoyed it."

- Linda Raywood, Librarian, Abbey Junior School Reading

"Fantastic! I hope you realise you`re now an annual feature on our calendar!"

- Eaton House School, Belgravia

"That was just what we needed- the fact that my son`s just gone and taken two books out says everything!"

- Parent - Sidcup Library, Kent

"The feedback has been glowing; with many children sharing their stories heard during your sessions with others - I`ve even heard about a number of scary sleepover storytelling sessions from our year 5 and 6 pupils! The children were both delighted with and impressed at the way you made your stories come alive for them and a number of them have been encouraged to be more expressive in their own retellings. It was felt generally that your contribution to our book week encapsulated what book week is all about - the celebration of stories and storytelling."

- Megan Ellis, Librarian, Berkhamsted Collegiate School

"Thank you so much for Friday. As in previous years it was brilliant and I know that the boys will be talking for days and days about the stories."

- Carol Botteril, Librarian, Elstree School, Woolhampton

"Spellbinding - there`s no other word to describe it!"

- Alleyn`s Junior School, Dulwich

"I would like to say a very big thank you on behalf of the children, who thoroughly enjoyed your visit. They loved the stories and just being made that little bit afraid; the unpredictability of the next word, and whether it was going to make them jump. I do hope that we can call on you to visit us again. It was brilliant, thank you."

- Bishop's Stortford College Junior School

"John is a fantastic storyteller. He makes everything he says sound as if it's true, even if it isn't. If you've been dithering over whether to have a visitor or not, then stop right now and invite John Harris!"

- Chafford Hundred Campus

"Absolutely Wonderful - everyone has been raving about you, children and staff. Can you come again?"

- St Mary`s Hare Park, Romford

"Many thanks for a wonderful morning! We were particularly impressed by your ability to reach all age groups equally effectively."

- Notting Hill Prep School

"I wanted to say a big thank you on behalf of the school for your stimulating and exciting visit last week. The children were mesmerised by your story-telling, even the Year 7s and 8s who are not always easy to please. Thanks for a BRILLIANT day!"

- Laura Konviser, Librarian, Orley Farm School, Harrow

"Professional Storyteller John Harris put on an inspiring show at Clifton College Preparatory School on the 7th February, performing his stimulating versions of ancient myths and legends to the captivated Year 5s and 7s.

It was a pleasure to see children so invigorated and touched by John's storytelling without the use of visual imagery or props. There was clear encouragement to find a personal voice and choose words wisely and with patience for their poetic and descriptive quality. The children's consistent attention was given away not only by their silence but by the simultaneous gasping, tutting and laughter in response to John's performance. The underlying messages in the stories of hope and love were strong and valuable ones but it was the overall lesson on listening and communicating that was no doubt taken away by all the children, that highlights the importance of John's visit."

- Clifton College Website

"I've had such a wonderful time just sitting at the side watching the faces of every child you've told stories to. Every group you've had have been wide eyed and silent, and the staff have enjoyed it as much as the kids!"

- Pam Dalby, Librarian, Chafford School

"The Best Storyteller in the world!"

- West Leigh Junior School, Southend

"He is the best storyteller in the world!"

- Erin, Charlotte and Isabella, Year 2 - St. Gabriel's School, Berks