Who needs a storyteller?
We all do!
If we want to encourage children to read we have to begin by nurturing their love of stories, and no-one can do that better than a good Storyteller.
A well told story can take an audience from a gasp of shock to a scream of laughter in the twist of a phrase. It can leave the listener more exhilirated and moved than anything on a screen can do - the immediacy and intensity of a live performance which reaches every child in the audience is priceless.
A good Storyteller takes children to another world, where they stretch their imaginations and run the gamut of emotions; they can sympathise and empathise, rationalise and quantify. Their own experiences can be related to others and learned from, and their understanding of the world around them is developed. Listening to a good Storyteller can help enable a child to find their own voice in the world.
Why John Harris?
There aren't many full-time professional Storytellers in Britain, and John is the only one who works exclusively with younger audiences.
Over the last fifteen years he's been telling stories to great acclaim in hundreds of schools all over the country (and abroad) as well as libraries, literary festivals, the Roald Dahl Museum, BBC Radio 4, BBC 6 Music and Planet Rock. Visits from John have been the prize in a national schools writing competition organised by a multinational company, and he's been a guest speaker at The Prince of Wales' Education Summer School, where Michael Morpurgo described his contribution as 'A Tour de Force'.
He has also published four much loved and critically acclaimed children's books, all of which have arisen from his storytelling.
A visit from John can have a lasting effect - we simply don't have the space on this website to reprint the letters and emails we get thanking him for the excitement generated by his stories and the work produced following his visit. These aren't just from teachers but also children, parents and grand parents, all of whom want to thank him for the inspiration he's given the children.
His work encourages listening and speaking skills, concentration, an understanding of narrative, and the love of stories which is the basis not just of a love of reading but of a fully rounded human being.
Most of his bookings are either return visits or by recommendation. Wherever he tells his stories the word most often used in response is 'Spellbinding', and when you see and hear him you'll know why. It's significant that in the many schools he visits regularly the older children can remember all the stories he's ever told them - the spell he can cast can last a lifetime!
But don't take our word for it - if you click here you can see what people who've booked John recently have said about him.
Have a good look around....
This site should tell you everything you need to know about John and what he can do for your school, but if you have any questions just get in touch - click on the "Contact' link on the right hand of the page.
Do bear in mind that he gets very busy and very booked up (have a look at the 'Latest News' section) and please get in touch as soon as you can - it's never too far ahead to book him!
Thanks for stopping by - we look forward to hearing from you!