By Leslie Collins
Northeast News
November 9, 2011

“If you wanna hear a story clap your hands, stomp your feet, say I do!

“If you wanna hear a story clap your hands, stomp your feet, say I do!”

In melodic rhythm Carole Shelton led the small group of preschoolers in song, revving them up for story time at North-East Public Library Nov. 4.

Shelton, a full-time storyteller, visited the library as part of the 12th Annual Kansas City Storytelling Celebration sponsored by MCC-Maple Woods.

For more than 20 years, Shelton has been recounting stories and tales in her smooth voice. Her fondness for storytelling began when she worked for the National Park Service as a seasonal park ranger. There, she witnessed one of the park rangers exhibit his storytelling talents.

“I was so intrigued by him that I said, ‘I’d like to do that.’ I just started telling stories as I did my puppet programs,” Shelton said.

To hone her skills, Shelton attended classes and workshops and shadowed other storytellers.

“You also perfect your own skills because you can’t copy anyone else. You have your own particular talents and your own particular gifts, so you hone in on those,” she said.

Asked what she likes about storytelling, Shelton smiled and said, “It gives me that freedom to be whoever I want to be. I can be a frog, I can be a chicken, I can be a princess. I can be anyone…

“It’s that freedom to be creative.”

To be a good storyteller, you need to use your imagination, have compassion for others and be a good listener, she said.

“You learn from other people,” she said. “You can look at their expressions when you tell stories, you can look at their body language, you look at how they respond to what you’re saying and you adjust accordingly.”

Anyone can be a storyteller, she said while stressing the importance of passing down family stories.

“Share the stories that you have with family members,” Shelton said. “Record the history from your elders and pass them on to other generations in your family.

“If you don’t pass them on, they’re lost. It’s like when a person passes on. If you don’t ever say their name again, they’re lost. But, if you remember their name or you remember their stories, you can pass it on.”