Aunt Isabel Tells a Good One

by Kate Duke

Book Overview

What goes into a really good story? Only the best ingredients--a heroine, a hero, excitement, a little romance, and even a villain or two. They are all here, as Aunt Isabel and her niece concoct a delightful story within a story. Fun to read aloud, this book is a lively yarn, a visual treat, and a charming introduction--all in one.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140505342
• ISBN13: 9780140505344
• Release Date: August 1994
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.9" x 9.6"
• Age Range: 3 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

entertaining way to tell what good stories consist of

This book is great for teaching story elements. I always start out the year (when we are teaching narratives) reading this book. I talk about all the parts, and we discuss what makes a really good story. It really motivates the students to write and do it correctly. I allow the student to create their own story step-by-step as I read the book back to them a second time around. They love it!

Even adult writers will enjoy this book!

Several years ago I got this book from our public library to read to our two small children and two others we were babysitting at the time. I don't know whether the children or I enjoyed it more, but later when I went back to borrow the library's copy again, I was disappointed to find it no longer available.A month or so later, the children and I were invited to visit another home-based daycare in our neighbourhood for the afternoon--the "library lady" was coming for an hour of stories and games. At the end of the visit, she pulled out a stack of discarded picture books and said she was going to give them to the daycare moms, as the library no longer needed them."Thank you," I said, "but I'd better not take any--our family already has a lot of books." I suggested that the other mother keep all of them. However, as we walked toward the door I suddenly spotted "Aunt Isabel Tells a Good One" in the pile. I walked back, pointed, and said, "Well actually...can we have THAT one?" Thus we ended up with a copy of our own.This book would be excellent for teaching ANYONE how to create a story. I'd never seen the process explained so clearly, so concisely, and so humourously. When I write my first book, I'll probably get "Aunt Isabel" out and use her for a template.

Ms.

This is an excellent book. It is a great resource to teach story elements.

A delightful way to learn about story elements

This charming picture book helps young readers or listeners gain an understanding of the things that make a story good, or what the English teachers like to call "story elements;" you remember, those things like "plot" and "character" and "conflict." Aunt Isabel spins a tale to entertain her young guest, and as she does, she explains all the things she'll need to make a good story. At some points, Penelope protests, until Isabel sets her straight as to why these things need to be included. I have used this with my middletellers troupe to help them gain a sense of how to structure the stories they tell. Even though this is a young child's book, my 12-15 year old tellers seem to enjoy this more than any dull lecture I could give them. And therein lies proof of the value of story itself to teach. A truly delightful book!

Great book for teaching story elements!

This is probably the best book I've ever used to teach story elements. A little girl and her aunt create their own story together. All along the way the aunt introduces the story elements. I use this method to teach my second graders the elements of story telling first and then story writing. Excellent!