Margaret Read MacDonald facts for kids

Margaret Read MacDonald (born January 21, 1940) is an American storyteller, folklorist, and author of children's books. She has written over 65 books. These books are about stories and how to tell them. Her books have been translated into many languages.

Margaret is known around the world as a "master storyteller." She is famous for making old folktales easy and fun to tell. This helps people share these stories with children. She has also been a leader in groups like the National Storytelling Network.

Early Life and Family Stories

Margaret Read MacDonald was born in Seymour, Indiana. She grew up in a small town in southern Indiana. Her family was very active in their church.

Her mother, Mildred Amick Read, loved to tell stories. She would read poems by James Whitcomb Riley to Margaret at bedtime. This helped Margaret learn about the rhythm of words and stories.

Learning and Education

Margaret went to Indiana University Bloomington. She earned a degree in Anthropology in 1962. Later, she studied at the University of Washington and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She earned degrees in Library Science and Early Childhood Education.

She then went back to Indiana University. There, she earned her PhD in folklore in 1979. Her PhD project became a very important book called The Storyteller’s Sourcebook. This book helps people find folktales for children. It was even named an outstanding reference book in 1982.

A Career in Storytelling

Margaret MacDonald worked as a children's librarian for 35 years. She used her experience as a librarian and her folklore studies to create special books. Her goal was to make folktales "tellable." This means they are easy for anyone to share, even if they are new to storytelling.

Her picture books, like Fat Cat and Party Croc!, are famous for their rhythm. They are also easy to read aloud. Reviewers have said her books encourage kids to join in the story.

Margaret believes stories teach us important lessons. She once said:

"These stories talk about issues that affect all of us. They tell us about how to be kind, how to get along with people, and they’re playful. In most cultures, children are part of the storytelling event. The tales appeal to both children and adults. Often livelier, fun stories are told early in the evening and later, after the children have fallen asleep, the adults can turn to more serious tales."

Sharing Stories Around the World

In 1995-1996, Margaret was a Fulbright Scholar in Mahasarakham, Thailand. She worked with a storyteller named Wajuppa Tossa. Their project helped students learn and use their local languages. They also saved old tales by translating them into English.

Margaret and Wajuppa developed a special way of telling stories together. They would tell each line of a story in two different languages. This helped people understand and enjoy the tales.

Margaret has taught storytelling at universities. After retiring in 2002, she traveled a lot. She taught storytelling and performed in many countries. She also helped storytellers from places like Argentina, Brazil, and Thailand publish their own folktale collections.

Awards and Recognition

Margaret MacDonald has received many awards for her work.

• In 1998, she won the Leadership Award from the National Storytelling Network.
• In 2001, she received the Talking Leaves Award. This award recognized her as a major influence in storytelling.
• She also won the Outstanding Author and Storyteller Award in 2001-2002.

Family Life

Margaret Read MacDonald is married to James Bruce MacDonald. They have two daughters, Julie and Jennifer. Jennifer and her husband, Nat Whitman, are also storytellers.

Margaret lives in Des Moines, Washington. In the summer, she spends time on Guemes Island, Washington. She even hosts a special retreat there for storytellers.

Books and Collections

Margaret Read MacDonald has written many different kinds of books.

Picture Books

These books are often based on folktales and are great for reading aloud.

• The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle (1995)
• Tuck-me-in Tales: Bedtime Stories from Around the World (1996)
• The Fat Cat: A Danish Folktale (2001)
• Mabela the Clever (2001)
• Conejito: A Folktale from Panama (2006)
• Tunjur! Tunjur! Tunjur! A Folktale from Palestine (2006)
• The Squeaky Door (2006)
• Go to Sleep Gecko: A Folktale from Bali (2007)
• The Great, Smelly, Slobbery, Small-Tooth Dog (2007)
• How Many Donkeys: An Arabic Counting Tale (2009)
• Boy from the Dragon Palace (2011)
• Party Croc! A Folktale from Zimbabwe (2015)

Folklore Collections

These books gather many different folktales together.

• When the Lights Go Out: 20 Scary Tales to Tell (1988)
• Peace Tales: World Folktales to Talk About (1992)
• Ghost Stories from the Pacific Northwest (1995)
• Shake-it-up Tales: Stories to Sing, Dance, Drum and Act Out (2000)
• Three Minute Tales (2005)
• Five Minute Tales (2007)

Storytelling Handbooks

These books teach people how to tell stories.

• Twenty Tellable Tales: Audience Participation Folktales for the Beginning Storyteller (1986)
• A Parent’s Guide to Storytelling (1995)
• Tell the World: Telling Across Language Barriers (2007)
• Teaching with Story: Classroom Connections to Storytelling (2013)

CDs and DVDs

Margaret's stories are also available to listen to and watch.

• Tuck-me-in Tales: Bedtime Stories from Around the World (CD, 1997)
• Fat Cat and Friends. (CD, 2002)
• Mabela the Clever. (DVD, 2006)