Storytelling is the art and craft of telling stories orally. Storytelling is an ancient tradition, developed long before written language, which connects generations, cultures, and societies. In storytelling, a person prepares a story to present to an audience. Although some storytellers tell stories from their own imagination, most storytellers learn a story that appears in a book.
Storytelling provides great benefits for listeners. Hearing a story can expand creativity, and create a sense of community and a feeling of connection with history. In libraries and classrooms, storytelling is used to motivate children to read, to improve listening and writing skills, and to introduce young people to good literature. Storytelling sources include folklore, primarily folk tales, myths, epics, legends, and fables. Literary tales also provide material for stories.
