Keeping your Eyes Peeled, Hoarding, and Patience - Creating Story Sacks

I’ve been creating story sacks for a few years now, and I love it. Compiling a story sack around a particular book is sometimes easy and other times challenging, and over the years through a process of trial and error I’ve found a few things that help. So this is a post full of antidotes tips to help anyone who is interested in putting together their own story sacks.

So before we start our post, here is a quick note on what a story sack is, and what it includes…

Story Sack Checklist 

• A good quality fiction book. (picture book or novel)
• A non-fiction book related to the story and themes in the chosen picture book.
• Toys, (ideally a soft toy for younger children).
• A game or activity also related to the theme of the chosen fiction book.
• Optional worksheet based on the story and themes off the story sack.

TIP 1 - Pick a Common Theme - if you are compiling you first story sack or simply if you want to have an easy time sourcing items for a story sack, base it around a story with a common theme. If you construct a story stack around a book about dinosaurs, pirates, unicorns of space, you’ll find lots of options for games, soft toys and non-fiction books, and many of which will be inexpensive or sourced second hand , keeping the cost down.

Tip 2 –Keep your Eyes Pealed - there are certain things that are the cornerstone of any story sack, plush toys that are based on the main characters and games and nonfiction books that further explore the themes in the main book it’s based around. Sometimes these themes are so popular it easy to find the items you need other times it is difficult because the characters are so unique - in that case you need to get creative, making your own or you’ll need to enlist the help of a crafty friend. Others are a challenge to source even though they shouldn’t be, like BAME plush toys. Therefore if it is good to get in the habit of keeping your eyes peeled and picking up any when you see them. For instance I brought a few plush dolls in varying genders and colours from a museum gift shop, so that I’d have them ready when I need them. It’s also good to keep an eye out for bargains in sales and charity shops for future projects to keep costs down. 

Tip 3 Become a Hoarder – When you are creating Story Sacks it can make things easier if you have a stock of items ready. To that end, I hoard things. Anything that I find that may be useful; rag-dolls or plush dolls, (with safety labels), puzzles and games, non-fiction books for common themes – space, animals, castles, and even draw string bags. This way when you find a book you wish to use as the basis for a story sack you may already have some of the items to accompany it. Also if you are in a school environment, you also have spare items if any of the bits in a story sack get broken or misplaced. 

TIP 4 - Have Patience - When I create story sacks for newly published books or and book by a debut writer/illustrators, I like to post the piece to coincide with the publication in order to champion the books. However when I’m creating a story sack around a classic book I find I can take my time. This means I can wait for the right items to come along at the right price rather than source the items new. This of course takes patience, and means you have to keep your eyes peeled and be a hoarder storing things until you have all the items to complete the story sack. 

For instance a few years ago, I found a BNWT astronaut plush in a charity shop for 50p, when I brought it I discovered it was a MR BENN, so I decided to start collecting stuff for a story sack. Over the last few years, I found a second hand copy of the picture book story for £3, a new DVD of the animated series for £1, a still cellophane covered unopened box of the MR BENN GRAB GAME, for £2.50. Whilst looking around I found a non-fiction book about dressing up for 50p and a new box of cardboard origami dress up hats for 50p. All that was needed was a MR Benn toy in his usual suit, which eventually I found in a charity shop last week for £4.00. So eventually my patience paid off! 

So the moral of the story is simple, to make engaging story sacks at a purse friendly price, become a horder, keep your eyes peeled and have patience. Happy Story Sack making!

Story Sack – The Dinosaur who lost her Voice by Julie Ballard and Francesca Gambatesa

Today’s story sack has been assembled specifically for one of my nephews who is coming up to his third Birthday and is still finding his voice. So for his Birthday, I’ve assembled a story sack based on the recently published picture book penned by Julie Ballard and illustrated by Francesca Gambatesa ‘The Dinosaur who lost her Voice.’

So before we start our post, here is a quick note on what a story sack is, and what it includes…

Story Sack Checklist

•  A good quality fiction book. (picture book or novel)
• A non-fiction book related to the story and themes in the chosen picture book.
• Toys, (ideally a soft toy for younger children).
• A game or activity also related to the theme of the chosen fiction book.
• Optional worksheet based on the story and themes off the story sack.

Books - Fiction

The Dinosaur who lost her Voice is a charming positive tale about friendship and overcoming disappointment. The titular dinosaur has a song in her heart and a passion for singing, until one day tragedy strikes and she loses her voice. The dinosaur is sad, and her friends wanting to help her form a choir and sing, creating a cacophony of that is not pleasant to the ears. So the voiceless dinosaur teaches them to sing, until their ensemble is performing harmonious and beautiful songs. Everyone is happy including the dinosaur that lost her voice. 

  

The book is full of positive messages and themes including friendship, empathy and kindness but also accepting who you are and showing that when adversity derails your dreams you can find other ways to realise them. The Dinosaur who lost her voice is further enchanted by Francesca Gambatesa’s vibrant illustrations both compliment and enrich the heart-warming story. 

Book – Non-Fiction

To accompany the ‘The Dinosaur who lost her Voice’ I’ve chosen two non-fiction titles. One a dinosaur picture book, full of fun facts which are always popular with young children.

The second is a picture book which through its lovely illustration teaches how to use British Sign Language to sign the song ‘5 Little Ducks’ so my nephew can sing in sign.

Soft Toys

For the plush toys, I found a beautiful knitted doppelganger for the Dinosaur who Lost her voice, and a few other dino-teddies to be her friends.

Activities

For the toys and activities I’ve included a toy microphone for singing and free-play, and a set of dinosaur puzzles. If you wish to make a story sack based around The Dinosaur who lost her Voice, you can find many puzzles and games that are dinosaur themes for any ability and age range.

Review; The Wonder Girls by J.M.Carr

 

The Wonder Girls is an exciting adventure yarn following a rag-tag group of girls in pre-war Briton, as they endeavour to outwit the evil Black Shirt’s plans to abduct ‘Aryan’ looking children and, sell them to the Nazi party in Germany.

The book starts running and gathers pace as it races from the 1936 march of the British Union of Fascists known as the ‘Black Shirts’ in London to fictional Hampshire town of Nettlefield, as streetwise foundling Baby and her sister Fingers race to save mysterious golden-haired Sophie, who they witness get kidnapped. At Nettlefield the two sisters meet Gin a teenage aspiring actress and Brian a tomboy with Downs Syndrome who live in a disused railway carriage. The four girls quickly become fast friends, together they follow the main suspects and concentrate their search for Sophie on the town Orphanage and the undertakers. Soon they cross paths with 14 year old want-to-be mechanic Ida whose mother has just passed away.

Baby tries to warn Ida that her ‘Uncle’ Mr Underwood the undertaker and the Matron of the orphanage Mrs Buller are planning on taking Ida’s, blue eyed blonde haired, sister Bonnie, but Ida resists their help. When Bonnie is forcibly removed from Ida care, she realises that she needs to embrace the eclectic band of girls and work with them to save her sister and stop her and other Aryan children being smuggled out of the country and sold to Hitler. 

As with every good adventure yarn, nothing is that easy and it takes every ounce of their combined ingenuity, skills and help from new friends to outwit the Black Shirts.

The Wonder Girls is a delightful adrenaline filled adventure that shines a light on a very dark aspect of British history whist bring a good dose of fun with it eccentric cast, yet not shying away from difficult themes. In The book J.M. Car expertly balances the emotional personal stories of the individual characters and peril whilst maintaining a historical setting that is so real it is almost tangible. 

However the true beauty if this book is while it is exploring historical events it is actually commenting on modern society. From the head on racism of the Black Shirts felt most by Baby whose from Indian decent, to accepting neurodiversity with Brian’s character, who also hints about gender choice. Feminism and equal rights for women is high on the gender too, with Ida wanting to defy society’s expectations and become a mechanic. It also unites people from the whole spectrum of society from Upper Class Vir’Gin’a to middle class Ida right through to the socially less acceptable street urchin’s Baby and Fingers and Brian with her disability.

The Wonder Girls under the guise if historical fiction is actually preaching acceptance, togetherness and solidarity, a strong message for today’s society – unity. For the Wonder Girls like society is stronger than the sum of its parts.

Story Sack – ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’ by Drew Dewalt & Oliver Jeffers and ‘The Crayon Man’ by Natascha Biebow & Steve Salerno

For a long time I’ve wanted to make a story based on Drew Dewalt ‘s and Oliver Jerrers’s ‘The Day the Crayons Quit,’ but as is often the way I could not find an age appropriate related non-fiction book to compliment the story. It was therefore joy to me, when I heard that SCWBI-BI Regional Director, (who I’ve had the pleasure of working with in my time volunteering for SCBWI) Natascha Biebow had written a picture book about the man who invented crayons, as it is the illusive missing piece of the story stack.

So before we start our post, here is a quick note on what a story sack is, and what it includes…

Story Sack Checklist

• A good quality fiction book. (picture book or novel)
• A non-fiction book related to the story and themes in the chosen picture book.
• Toys, (ideally a soft toy for younger children).
• A game or activity also related to the theme of the chosen fiction book.
• Optional worksheet based on the story and themes off the story sack.

Fiction Book - ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’ by Drew Dewalt & Oliver Jeffers

The Day the Crayons Quit is a celebration of colour and creativity. It’s a humorous read, as the Crayons all write letters to their owner Duncan complaining about how he uses them; pointing out the notions of preconceptions of how things are; pink for girls, blue for water, and so on. It is done in charming way which is reminiscent of the Little Prince’s drawings in the classic Antonie de Saint-Exupery book. Duncan responds by unleashing his creativity to use his colours in a more liberated way, pleasing everyone, including his teacher. The Day the Crayons Quit is an original, unique and funny read with vibrant illustrations which work perfectly with the text.

Non-Fiction Book ‘The Crayon Man’ by Natascha Biebow & Steve Salerno

‘The Crayon Man’, is much akin to ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’ as it is also a celebration of creativity and colour, telling the remarkable true story, of Edwin Binney who invented the Crayola waxed crayons. The book is beautiful, as it explores Edwin’s journey with fun flowing narrative interjected with boxes of facts and beautiful illustrations by Steve Salerno. In addition it has a biography of Edwin Binney and a section explaining the way Crayola Crayons are made today, which makes it a perfect companion book for the story sack – Thanks Natascha and Steve! 

Toys

This is maybe the easiest story sack I’ve ever done as far as soft toys are concerned, as there is a wide range of ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’ merchandise available online, I opted for the Crayon box full of Crayon finger puppets, which was relatively inexpensive at £6.99 including postage. Plus I’ve included a man finger puppet which can be used as Edwin too. 

Games

There are ready made games available online, like a fabric crayon matching set from Esty, or a Crayola branded card game (if you can find one cheap enough), but to keep cost down, I chose to make my own. So, I used four small draw string bags that I already had and filled them with four packs of chunky crayons (89p each) , which can be used in multiple ways…


Crayon Colour Snap

Up to four players

Equipment: Four bags full of identical set of crayons.

Rules:

1. On the count of three, all players pull a random crayon from their bag.

2. If any colours match, the first person to shut Snap wins them all, and places them in front of them. Any un-matching coloured crayons go back in the bag they came from.

3. When the bags are empty, the player with the most crayons in front of them wins. In the event of a tie, those players play again, until there is an outright winner. 

Crayon Colour Quick Fire Draw

Up to four players

Equipment:

· Four bags full of identical set of crayons. Colour Dice. Paper. Doodle cards, (or story cube)

Rules:

1. All players have a bag with identical crayons inside (that correspond to the colours on the dice).

2. Turn over a doodle card to see what you need to draw, or if using a story cube, throw the cube.

3. Throw colour dice - to get a colour.

4. Find the colour in your bag, and draw the picture with that colour. First player to shout done, and having drawn the picture correctly in the right colour wins. If using a doodle cards, the player gets the card, and the overall winner is the one with the most cards at the end, if using a story cube, keep tally.

Worksheet or Activity

For a activity, I’ve included a pack of Crayola crayons, for drawing and colouring, a pack of crayon stickers and a ‘the Day the Crayons Quit’ inspired activity Sheet. 

Thank you for visiting!