Return to Author index                              Return to Title index

Coyote; Tales of the Critter and Character (audio cassette) told by Nancy Duncan. Story
Performances, n.d. $11 plus 1.50 P&H.

If I hadn't heard coyotes before, I would feel certain that I had after listening to Nancy Duncan's barked and howled conversation between her son and a young coyote at the zoo. What amazing sounds! And Duncan knows people. She gives the listener the chance I was longing for: to join in and respond to her yips and howls with yips and howls of my own. Thank you, Nancy for that silence on the tape that allows us to let loose and answer you.

In addition to a couple of Duncan family stories, Coyote contains stories from Ursula LeGuin,Joe Bruchac Jim Heynen and others. All are told with truth and skill. Duncan creates characters with her voice, and balances those beautifully with her own narrative voice."

Also well balanced is the use of music, supplied by Michael Fitzsimmons. Sometimes, it sets the , mood for for a story, often it accents parts of the story as Duncan tells. I could have done with a little less flute behind the narration of Dried Mice but. most times the music was the perfect accent to the words. It would have been nice to have information in the liner notes about the instruments used by Fitzsimmons.

This is a gentle tape, intended for ages 5-95. Duncan has a number of other tapes as well
To order Coyote, or to inquire about other tapes and performances, ccmta.ct Story Performances, 1803 S. 58 Street, Omaha, NE 68106-2225. Phone and FAX 800-551-4532

The Second Story Review, Vol 1, No. 2, Sep 1996