This is the fourth presentation of the award which was established in 1992 and is given every two years.

Baltuck, Naomi. Apples From Heaven: Multicultural Folk Tales About Stories and Storytellers, Linnet, 1995.
Where stories come from, where they go and what happens to them when they take on a life of their own are some of the questions posed through 21 tales in this lively collection. Included, as well, are tales of tellers-from raconteurs, liars and gossips to clams that won’t shut up. The uses of stories are explored, too, not only through the stories themselves but from Baltuck’s heartfelt introductions and her use of proverbs that pinpoint the meaning of each and every tale.

Bateman, Teresa. The Ring of Truth, Holiday House, 1997.
An original tale with the flavor of time-tested folklore, this tells of Patrick O’Kelly whose stories are so outrageous that people feel sure he must have kissed the Blarney Stone. When presented by the king of the leprechauns with a magical ring that compels him to speak on the truth, Patrick discovers to his nimble-tongued astonishment that truth proves more incredible than blarney. With its vivid language and rollicking humor this is a tale sure to win its way into many a storytelling bag of tricks.

Birch, Carol L. and Melissa A. Heckler. Who Says: Essays on Pivotal Issues in Contemporary Storytelling, August House, 1996.
Ten essays by anthropologists, writers, folklorists, musicians, teachers, and librarians, many of whom are distinguished storytellers. This collection examines diverse models of storytelling and provides an expanded language for discussion of storytelling aesthetics and ethics. Like a banquet with a variety of rich foods and provocative guests, this book demands that the reader bring his intellect to the party and join in the dialogue and contemplation.

Gillard, Marni. Storyteller, Story Teacher: Discovering the Power of Storytelling for Teaching and Living. Stenhouse. 1996.
Rather than laying out a how-to-do-it in ten easy steps approach, Gillard offers us a highly personal journey through storytelling in which she explores major turning points in he past and recalls those books and tales that left indelible impressions on her during childhood. Although Gillard’s anecdotes and experiences are unique to her, they invite the reader, whether they be tellers or teachers, to look inside themselves for ways of connecting with stories that will express the meaning of their own unique lives.

Hamilton, Virginia. Illustrated by Barry Moser. When Birds Could Talk and Bats Could Sing, Scholastic, 1996.
This collection from one of America’s most widely honored authors includes eight tales first collected from slaves on Southern plantations. Retold in vibrant colloquial speech and written in cante fable style, each story includes verse and a concluding moral. Listeners will love these irresistible feathered folk, who fussed and squabbled just like human folk in the days when the animals could talk.

Jafee, Nina. A Voice for the People: The Life and Work of Harold Courlander. Holt, 1997.
A unique biography of Harold Courlander whose appreciation of all human cultures, as presented through music, story, and folk ways, has left an indelible mark on storytelling. Courlander recorded his culturally authentic stories directly from the people, putting them in context, and setting the standard for future collectors and tellers. Jaffe tells his story with profound respect, weaving together interviews, stories, and archival research in a highly readable homage.

Martin, Rafe. Mysterious Tales of Japan. Putnam, 1996.
In one story the moaning winter wind belongs to the snow woman who yearns for her lost children and home; in another a down-on-his-luck samurai deserts his loving wife and finally returns, driven by guilt and remorse, to spend his night with a black haired skeleton. Combining elements of Shinto and Buddhism, these eerie tales reflect the strange realities that are often lived in everyday life.

Ness, Caroline. The Ocean of Story: Fairy Tales from India. Lothrop, 1995.
The incredibly rich storytelling tradition of the Indian subcontinent is the source mined by this collection of nineteen tales. Some are brief enough to be told in a minute or two, while others are so intricate s to require a half-hour to recount. Intervention by the gods, the triumph of a ready wit, the inevitability of fate and kindness to all living creatures are among the themes woven through this anthology. A wide-ranging introduction to a complex legacy.

Norman, Howard. The Girl Who Dreamed Only Geese and Other Tales of the Far North. Harcourt, Brace, 1997.
Ten folktales elucidate the culture, drama and humor of life in the Far North. Sometimes harsh, sometimes slapstick, sometimes mysterious, and sometimes wry, they provide windows to our understanding of a still-living tradition of storytelling which has been little available in children’s literature.

Schwartz, Howard and Barbara Rush. The Wonder Child and other Jewish Fairy Tales. Harper Collins, 1996.
Enchanted princes and princesses, giants, imps, demons, and werewolves populate this splendid collection of Jewish fairy tales from Easter Europe and the Near East. Elements of "Snow White," "Rumplestiltskin," "The Fisherman and His Wife," and other well-known tales tantalize us in these versions with a different slant. Magic with wide age appeal.

Sierra, Judy. Storyteller’s Research Guide: Folktales, Myths and Legends. Folkprint, 1996.
Here is a nuts and bolts tool so useful and brief – it’s small enough to be easily portable – that storytellers of all levels won’t want to be without it. Herself an accomplished teller, Sierra provides clear definitions of often used terms in folklore, bibliographies of tellable tales and indexes to finding them. Also included are practical approaches to online resources and the Internet as well as a down-to-earth look at fieldwork and copyright issues affecting storytellers.

Yashinsky, Dan, ed. Ghostwise: A Book of Midnight Stories. August House, 1997.
A masterful collection of tales, largely unfamiliar, for those who believe in "mysteries, spirits, dreams and ghosts.." Collected fro thirty-six of Canada’s most skilled tellers, the tales are organized under five headings: "Heart and Horror," "Shhhz," "Reaching Across," "Maximum Nightmare," and "Bonestories." They come from diverse cultures, and range from funny to sad t true, but all will haunt those who tell and those who listen.

Zeitlin, Steve. Because God Loves Stories: an Anthology of Jewish Storytelling. Simon and Schuster, 1997.Jewish storytelling, from Europe to the United States, is examined and celebrated in this thoughtful and witty volume. The links between humorous folktales and the humor of stand-up comedians, between the philosophies of rabbis and the philosophies of socialists, are but few of the subjects treated here. Zeitlin presents the stories and the people who tell them in such a way as to leave no doubt why Jewish storytelling is alive and well.

Anne Izard Storytellers’ Choice Award Committee
Marcia Hupp – Chairperson – Mamaroneck Public Library
Miriam Budin – Mount Kisco Public Library
Marilyn Iarusso – New York Public Library and New York Storytelling Center
Carol Katz – Harrison Public Library
Juli Biro – Westchester Storytellers’ Guild
Judy Greenfield – rye Library
Mary Jackson – New rochelle Public Library
Kate McClelland – Perrot Memorial Library
Kathy McQuown – Jewish Storytelling Center
Judith Rovenger – Youth Services