Ressources
Shoofly
Shoofly (audiocassette, CD and online). Various artists. Quarterly audiomagazine. Carrboro, NC: 1994
$29.95 for 4 issues, plus $3.95 SIH 50 mins.
Shoofly is dedicated to "the celebration of contemporary children's poetry and literature, and strives to introduce curious young minds [ages 3-7] to the wonder and magic of poetry and language."I was sent three issues of this audiomagazine for review and found them to include everything from two line poems to nonsense, fantasy and folk-type stories. Some of the authors are experienced writers while others are being published here for the first time. Each issue features a different musician or musical group whose songs are interspersed throughout the tape, and the poetry and prose are performed by a variety of artists almost all of whom seem to be from acting and fine arts backgrounds in the Chapel Hill area.
The only time I saw the word storyteller mentioned in the liner notes was in the biographical information of one of the authors, Jennifer Jesseph, who was described as a mother, teacher, storyteller and poet. However, I know that one back issue includes four stories by teller Jim Weiss.
The mix of styles and types of materiaL offered one after the other w'ith no segues, results in a sort of radio style variety show. It also makes for tapes which will probably be listened to over and over. The amount of poetry', too, almost guarantees that listeners will come back time and again -t o join in on some poems, and to more fully capture the images presented in others.
Shoofly was a Parents Choice Silver Honor Winner, and an Edpress Distinguished Achievement A ward winner. It would be a boon for those who carpool children for any distance, and offers and offers a refreshing alternative to television for children at home. In school it's a natural choice for listening centres in the primary grades.
Shoofly still seems to be in Business but I could not find the price of the subscription on their website
A downloadable subscription is $US 29.95
A subscription on CD is $US 39
Shoofly: An Audiomagazine for Children can also be purchased through AudibleKids.com and the iTunes store.
Arlene Furman & Jack Nestor – Editors
Mailing Address:Him him him
Shoofly
P.O. Box 339
Carrboro, NC 27510, USA
Toll-free at: 1-888-929-9401 or 1-919-968-7846
Shoofly Email: jack@shooflyaudio.com
The Second Story Review, Vol 3, No. 1, March 1998