NORA DOOLEY, AUTHOR and Storyteller discussed her journey with Walton School students.
WAKEFIELD — Author and Storyteller Norah Dooley visited the Walton School on April 3rd to present her program “Everyone has a story.” Norah discussed her journey to becoming a storyteller and later a writer. As a young mother, she began making up stories when her young daughters refused to go to sleep. After a block party where her neighbors brought diverse rice dishes based on their family and cultural traditions, Norah made up fictional stories about her neighbors and the different ways in which they prepared rice and bread. She was also interviewed by Walton journalists for the school’s newspaper.
She talked to students about telling their own stories using their five senses to give detail and life to their ideas. Norah did several interactive storytelling exercises with the students, including the fictional tale of Molly O’Donohue, where students provided the sound effects as Norah told the story. Finally, Norah talked about the lengthy process of turning an idea into a book from publisher rejections to edits and finding the right illustrator. This program was supported in part by a grant from the Wakefield Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
