Lindyline

The Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast

I have always loved good illustrations in books for kids. Whether it's Arthur Rackham, H. E. Shepard in The Wind in the Willows or Winnie-the-Pooh, ANYTHING by Trina Schart-Hyman, the work of Raymond Briggs, Li Ming, Gary Blythe, Laura Freeman, Paul Hess, Dave McKean, Uri Shulevitz, Avi, Shel Silverstein, A.G. Ford, Aaron Becker, Kadir Nelson (very yummy work), David Shannon, Christian Robinson, Marek Bennett, Rob Brookes, or Christopher Denise. I love good artwork!
When I was a kid, my mum bought my brother and me a book called The Butterfly Ball illustrated by Alan Aldridge. It was based on and expanded from a poem published in 1806, which is quite a long time ago. I loved the book and recently it's been popping up in my head for no apparent reason. So, I dug the original poem out by William Roscoe and have shared it here. I hope you like it.
I might have to make a story length version of it!
More soon!
Simon

The Singing Squirrels, and The Magic Turban, the Whip and Flying Carpet - a story from Turkey

Happy 2023!
It's cold here in New Hampshire right now! -11 degrees C, which is about 10 degrees F. Moe and I took a very short walk this morning because it was so cold.
The main story I am telling today was collected in Turkey by Dr. by Dr. Ignácz Kunos and first published in 1896, before my grandad was born. It's about a turban which can make people invisible, a whip and a flying carpet. This episode is a little longer than most at a little under 20 minutes.
I hope you like it.
Peace,
Simon

The Snowman, and a Pot o’ Brains

The last episode of 2022, and here, after a huge snow storm, Moe and I visit the woods and build a snow person. Afterwards is a story from Wales called The Pot o' Brains about a chap who needs to find one!
Thank you for being a listener, and for supporting storytelling and my craft.
Happy Holidays, however you celebrate!
Peace,
Simon

Annan and the Forest, an original story

As you know, I love the woods, as does Moe. I have always loved walking through trees and forests and have been known to occasionally hug trees! When I first read "The Giving Tree" I was horrified. I love Shel Silverstein and couldn't believe he had written a book about a boy so selfish as the boy in that story. I wondered if I didn't get it. I know it's about total sacrifice, but it still didn't sit well with me. So, I wrote a story about a boy and some trees. I understand that I am no Shel Silverstein. It's changed and been edited a fair bit over the years, and I wanted to share it with you. I hope you like it. And I still love Shel's books, just not "The Giving Tree" so much!
I hope you enjoy Annan and the Forest.

Fever and Speed and a Bookshop on the Moon!

Hi Everyone!
It's a new Lindyline, Bedtime Tales Episode. This episode contains a couple of things I have written; one I wrote a while back when my kids were small, and the other is a poem I wrote not long ago. Fever and Speed are two rabbits I once knew and they told me this tale. And a good friend of mine, Laura Simms, sent me some poems by her now late brother Norman. One of the poems was a list of stories and poems not written, and one of these was: Bookstores on the Moon. I loved the idea so much I wrote a poem myself.
There are a couple of suggested activities for you at the end of the episode. I hope you enjoy these musings and thoughts.
Peace,
Simon

The Three Golden Hairs, Grimm tale 29!

I tell a variation of the "Three Golden Hairs", an Austrian variant which I love. But there is something I really like about Grimm's tale 29, too. As I say on this podcast, there is some debate about the devil in Grimm's version. Some folks, myself included, tend to think the character portrayed as the devil is more ogre than devil. So in this retelling, he is, as is his wife, an ogre with golden hairs upon his chinny, chin, chin!
It's not too scary, and a little bit of fun in places!
If you have not heard me tell the other story, it is called The Three Feathers and is on my first album, Second-hand Tales.
Copyright and performance rights apply to this retelling.
I hope you enjoy this 32 minute episode.
Simon

How the Whale Got His Throat and more Edmund Lear

Growing up, my Mum read to me from a very old book, that was falling apart called 'The Just So Stories' which I loved. This is one of those stories, and is followed by a couple of Lear's limericks. Try making a limerick, yourself!
All the best, stay well.
Simon

An Ocean Adventure

An original children's story, set at sea with my son and me.
When a cousin lets us borrow her sail boat on the Gulf Coast, we find the unexpected on a small island.
With a couple of activity suggestions at the end.
(Warning - sharp teeth included in this story.)
I hope you enjoy!Peace,Simon

Owl and Raven

I love silly stories, and nonsense tales. In this episode of Lindyline, you will hear Edward Lear's "The Jumblies" and a more serious folk tale from Russia about Raven and Owl.
I hope you enjoy these bedtime stories.
Simon

The Visitors From Planet Cheese Five Squared - Parts 5 & 6

An original story written and told by Simon Brooks. A sci-fi adventure for kids in six chapters, these being chapters five and six! If you have not yet heard the previous chapters, please visit the two previous episodes before listening to these two final chapters!
In which farmer Caractacus and his cow Abby help the alien mice from their plight! Beware flashing lights and bad smells!