Wendy Berner
Biography:I guess you could say I am a Story Keeper, a keeper of the oral tradition. I earn my living as a storyteller, telling stories to people of all ages, celebrating oral literature. I have been telling stories for many years now and am lucky enough to have been invited to tell stories in my own community, in many other wonderful Canadian communities and in faraway places in both hemispheres. I have appeared at Storytelling, Literary, Arts and Young Authors Festivals, and many other venues across Canada, and in Fiji, Northern Ireland, France, New Zealand, England and Australia. Over the years I’ve storytold on various CBC radio programmes and specials. As well as the more usual venues of schools, libraries, museums, conferences, theatres and parks, some of my more unique storytelling venues include a Celtic Roundhouse on midsummer’s eve, at a Teddy Bear's Picnic, by the ruins of a Welsh Castle, on a boat on Paris's River Seine at moonrise, and Alberta's Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology at midnight. I also give PD workshops and talks to teachers, librarians, recreation leaders and others in storytelling, literacy and related topics and do school, library and community residencies. I believe in the power and wonder of story. Storytelling is a relevant, vibrant, rich art form in the 21st century for all ages/peoples. I keep working to have the art and oral tradition of storytelling accepted, valued and respected in an ever-widening array of venues through performances, teaching, mentoring, speaking and writing. Presentation Information:Storytelling celebrates the human spirit. Throughout time, throughout the world, people have told and still do tell stories. Wendy Berner carries on this tradition, weaving vivid powerful images with rich memorable language, inviting listeners into this exciting living art. In her storytelling performances, the focus is on keeping stories alive and bringing the timelessness, universality and joy of story to the listener. Wendy has an ever-growing REPERTOIRE of hundreds of folktales from many cultures: myths, fairy tales, cante-fables, wonder tales, urban legends, string stories, ghost stories, stories with song… and a few adapted/original stories. Most of the stories Wendy tells are hundreds or thousands of years old, yet deliciously appealing and surprisingly relevant today. Respecting the tellers that came before her, Wendy Berner tells these stories from the heart, in her own inimitable style, with moments of quirkiness and unexpected humour. SCHOOLS/LIBRARIES Wendy makes casual suggestions to teachers/librarians for possible follow-up activities and encourages audience members to keep the stories alive. Once Wendy returns home she is delighted by the number of letters, written retellings and drawings of her stories that young people 5 to 18 years have sent her. STORYTELLING for TEENS FAMILY/COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES Please note: Wendy also does storytelling performances and workshops for specialty groups such as seniors, women's groups, others. Book List / Discography:Just (?) Desserts & other savoury tales (audio recording) Wendy Berner has contributed work to the following publications: Novels for Teens First Impressions Poems Please! Sharing Poetry with Children Awards:Just (?) Desserts & other savoury tales (audio recording) Recipient of grants from: Praise for Wendy Berner:“An opportunity to bring a storyteller of your calibre into our communities is a rare event. Schools spoke of your talents to command rapt attention to your stories. Many thanks for your invigorating stories.” CEO, Buller Rural Education “Wendy has a great gift and captures student attention from beginning to end. She tells stories so beautifully. Scheherazade reincarnated! Come back to our school!!” Chinook Park School “When six year olds sit attentively for one hour, you know the storyteller is very good.” F.H. Miller School “We have a lot to learn about keeping students riveted to a cold, hard floor for an hour at a time! The looks on pupils’ faces told that they were entranced by your stories, hanging on every word. Your selections were totally appropriate. We feel privileged to have met you.” Pahiatua School “I wish we could take you home and have stories every night!” students after a concert “My opinion is that you should go and listen to her stories. They were very, very, very good! I would give her 100%. It felt like I was in and around them. She told us stories so we could pass them on to our parents. I wish we could have people like that every day.” William and Robert “You are brilliant at telling stories. When I heard your stories I made really cool pictures in my head. I didn’t watch television that day after your stories – I just sat there and thought about them.” St. Brigid’s High School “Extraordinary weaver of tales, Wendy also proved herself to be a singer of rare clarity and beauty of tone…the hours flashed by as the audience sat mesmerized.” Shropshire Star “Remarkable collection of folktales from around the world… can perform for anyone, anywhere. She has a story for every occasion, mood, subject.” Avenue Magazine “Master storyteller. True to her advance billing, Berner held her audience spellbound — absorbed, laughing, moved — for story after story.” Nipawin Journal “Lifeboat to the imagination … has won the hearts and minds of both adult and school audiences.” Sunday Mail “Thank you for your wonderful stories!” Roch Carrier “Truly wonderful — enthusiastic, intriguing and expressive. Your storytelling received outstanding rave reviews — Wendy, you were a hit!” Canadian Library Association Conference “Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!!” Books Across the Sea © Wendy Berner, 2009. No information or material may be reproduced or used without written permission from Wendy Berner. |
 Craft:storyteller Ideal Audience Size:60 Maximum Audience Size:80 Grades:K – 12, plus adults Special Equipment:- Hard chair Website:School Reading Fee:$150.00 per reading Public Reading Fee:$250.00 per reading (four readings covered by the Canada Council) Book Week Tour Contact:Monica Winkler |