 Cyberfolks Friendly Guided Web Site Tours
"Tell Me a Story"
Host
Janis Waldrop
The Internet is a great place for a kid to play games ... and there are a
lot of games out there. But what about good old-fashioned story telling?
Isn't anyone telling stories anymore? Yes! There are still several good
story sites for kids out there, it is just a matter of knowing where to go.
Also, I think the best story sites load quickly. I know, I don't want
to wait five minutes with a fidgety child in my lap for the site
to finish loading so I can read the story. So, let's go and check out a
few stories...
Children's Storybooks Online
Here you will find links to a number of
picture books with simple text and (mostly) computer generated art.
The quality of both the stories and the artwork vary but there are
Several which could easily become favorites of your toddler.
Billy Bear's Storybooks
This is a good place to start for the preschool kids.
I love this site! The graphics are charming but small
enough to load quickly. I recommend the elfland story; it is
interactive and stars your child. The ending is up to you though,
but they have posted a selection of endings sent in by kids.
It is a lively, creative place. You can also
download shareware picture books to your own computer.
Disney's Read a Story
Disney is always a crowd-pleaser with the younger set. And Disney has an
extensive selection of online picture books. As you can imagine with
Disney quality graphics, you have to patient about load times,
but your little ones are sure to delight in their familiarity. The stories
are basically simplified tales from their movies, but they are charming
nonetheless.
Kidz Own Website
Although recently redesigned into a members only site, Kidz Own still
offers free interactive stories for upper elementary aged kids. They are
interactive and star your child, and your child's friends, hometown, and a
parent! The stories are episodic with a new episode each week and a
completely new story about once a month. They are a nice blend of action,
mystery and positive values.
Tales to Tell
If you like fables, folk tales and stories of daring deeds, then Tales to
Tell is just the place for you. This site features an abundance of
multipart folk and fairy tales from around the world,filled with magic and
imaginative history, and the illustrations are gorgeous. They also invite
kids to send their own stories. Some of the folk tales are intense, so you
might want to read them before sending your younger children to the sight.
Adventures of Banph
If your pre-teen kids like something a little unusual, I recommend this
courageous story of an ... ant. But, he is not just any ant; he is
an ant Prince and a Warrior. Okay, that's a little strange, but the story
is very exciting and the illustrations are charming. It is a little graphics-
intensive so you have to be patient with the loading time, but I think you
will find the story well worth it. It is a continuing saga with new chapters
added regularly.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
For those parents who would like to introduce their children to a true
classic, I heartily recommend the Dynamic Text Edition
of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. This wonderful site is graphic-
intensive and probably only suitable for the pre-teen group [and their
parents] because it takes a little patience, but the music and animation
are well worth the wait. I can think of no better way to be introduced to
this beautiful classic.
Classics for Young People
If Alice has whetted your taste for finding classic children's literature
on the web, I will leave you with this last place to visit. This site
lists links to dozens of children's classic available to read online or to
download. Most are simple text versions, but I was delighted to find such
gems as "A Kidnapped Santa Claus" by L. Frank Baum; "The Hunting of the Snark"
by Lewis Carroll; and "The Outdoor Girls at Rainbow Lake" by Laura Lee Hope.
Why not drop by...see if there are any old friends you would like to visit?
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