For October, we are celebrating stories: the ones we read, the ones we tell, and the ones we have loved forever. We thought it might be fun for each of our coaches to share a story that they love. And you will find them below. Enjoy.
Rumpelstiltskin – Terry Greiss
Rumpelstiltskin is the story of a “little man” who helps the daughter of a miller who has boasted to the king that his daughter can spin straw into gold. She can’t, of course, but Rumple can. He appears to her three times, and he asks for payment each time. The third time, she has nothing to give, so he asks for her firstborn child. She agrees. When he comes to collect, she refuses and begs him not to take the child. He tells her she can keep the child if she can guess his name.
It is very likely that no one has ever known Rumpelstiltskin’s name. What must that be like? He is alone and friendless. It is interesting to me that he places such high value on the girl, and later the Queen discovering and saying his name. It also seems very clear that Rumpelstiltskin is the one in the story who values life most. The miller basically uses his daughter for bragging rights and gives her to the king. The daughter is highly transactional. She wants the job done. Her necklace, ring, and child are all “things” to barter with so she doesn’t die and can become queen. Since she doesn’t have a child, it is all abstract to her, and she can make this promise to get through this moment. Rumpelstiltskin is a lonely little fella, living by himself in the forest, who wants someone to love and to love him. A child. When he is tricked out of it, he cannot go on. There’s no reason to go on living. He kept his word. The queen outfoxed him.
Instead of being the creepy and evil antagonist of the story, my reading is that he is the most compassionate, the most vulnerable, and the most human character in the story.
Why Marcy McGinnis Loves, The Soul of an Octopus
I was absolutely enthralled by “The Soul of an Octopus” by Sy Montgomery. Her vivid writing transported me into the mysterious world of these incredible creatures, challenging everything I thought I knew about animal intelligence. I found myself forming unexpected emotional connections with the individual octopuses Montgomery introduced, chuckling at their antics and marveling at their problem-solving abilities. The description of two octopuses hugging each other with their combined 16 arms, and changing colors based on their excitement while mating was so vivid in its imagery that I ran to YouTube for video confirmation. The book’s blend of personal narrative and scientific insight opened my eyes to the complexity of marine life and made me want to learn more about all the wonderful creatures that live in our oceans. And oh, by the way, read this book and you’ll never order octopus in a restaurant again!
Lord of the Rings – Carol Schindler
My favorite story is The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. I have read these three volumes many times and even read them out loud once. These books are classic books about the fight between good and evil. They are filled with heroic men, women, elves, and dwarfs who band together to fight for the survival of Middle Earth against an evil Wizard. My favorite character is Frodo, a humble hobbit who is asked to take the one remaining Ring of Power into the terrifying stronghold of evil and destroy it by throwing it into the volcanic fire in the Mountain of Doom, where it was forged.
This was considered an impossible task, but it was the last hope for Middle Earth. When asked to take the ring to Mt Doom, Frodo replied, “I will take the ring, although I do not know the way.” This line has stayed with me. It is filled with humility, courage, and hope. It helped me realize that things that matter are worth the journey, even if the way is filled with uncertainty. It was a message that went straight to my heart.
I often think of Frodo when faced with the inexplicable and impossible. That is the thing about stories; they inspire, guide, and help us live better lives and to make better choices. And it does not matter if they are fictional or actual stories of people living extraordinary lives. I have not faced any evil wizards in my life, but I have been asked to do things that seem beyond me, and remembering these stories gives me the courage to carry on. I will take this path, although I do not know the way.
The Paper Bag Princess – Temis Taylor
One of my favorite children’s stories is one I read to my daughter often when she was young, The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko. I love this story because it breaks with the traditional narrative of a princess needing rescue. Princess Elizabeth takes matters into her own hands, outwits the dragon, and designs her own escape to return home wearing a paper bag rather than gowns and jewels. Elizabeth is clever, inventive, and won’t be bullied – good examples for any child (or adult). Plus, it is a great story for giving the characters fun voices.
Arm In Arm – Carolyn Hall
I started reading at 3 years old and never stopped, so it is nearly impossible to choose just one favorite story … so many from different ages, places, and circumstances come to mind. But one of my go-to gift books is not a traditional story … it is, as the author Remy Charlip calls it, “a collection of connections, endless tales, reiterations, and other echolalia.” In other words, Arm In Arm is a fantastical collection of mini-stories told as much by brilliant illustrations as by brilliantly selective narrations. Selective narrations that are basically stories about telling stories! The reasons I love these is that they are encapsulations of journeys, moods, and interactions. The characters are cats, humans, octopuses, birds, stones, boats, string, snakes, and the pages themselves. They are funny, melancholy, have little life lessons, and can also be nonsensical. But most of all, each mini narrative stretches your mind just a little outside of where it was and leaves you wondering …
Every story I am drawn to re-reading does that. Deacon King Kong by James McBride, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle, The Earthsea Trilogy by Ursula K. Le Guin – to name just a few. They all stretch my mind, startle me with brilliant narration, engage with emotion and characters that take me somewhere unexpected in voices that are strong and perhaps a bit magical. So, if you want a teaser that contains all of that and can spark a small child’s (or big adult’s) imagination … take a walk with Arm In Arm.