The Legend Of Lightning Larry

"One of the books every boy should have on his bookshelf." -- San Francisco Examiner No outlaw could draw as fast as Lightning Larry. But what really terrified those bad men was that peculiar gun of his. It didn't shoot bullets. It shot light. And Larry always aimed for the heart. Can Larry save the town of Brimstone from Evil-Eye McNeevil's outlaw gang? Find out in this rip-roaring original tale of a gunfighter with a huge smile and a hankering for lemonade. TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS -- A READER'S THEATER SCRIPT OF THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN AARON'S BOOK "STORIES ON STAGE," OR FREE ON AARON'S WEB SITE. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen," "The Sea King's Daughter," "The Monkey King," and many more children's books. His stories have appeared often in Cricket magazine, while his Web site is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater. Once a professional storyteller, Aaron specializes in lively retellings of folktales and other traditional literature, which have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. Toni Goffe is the British illustrator of numerous well-loved children's books and is a winner of the 1993 Gold Medallion Book Award. He is also illustrator of Aaron's "The Legend of Slappy Hooper." ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "One of the books every boy should have on his bookshelf; girls will probably like the story too . . . The language is perfect, [with] the right dose of silliness to make both parents and children chuckle . . . The illustrations are ideal." -- Cindi Rose, San Francisco Examiner, Aug. 20, 2012 "A tall-tale superhero for our time. . . . A readaloud that could lighten up classes well up in the elementary grades." -- Kirkus Reviews, Mar. 1, 1993 "Pass out the bandanas and dig out the spittoon. Read this story in an old-timer's voice, and everyone will have a good time." -- Chris Sherman, American Library Association Booklist, Mar. 1, 1993 "Move over, Wyatt Earp. Make room for a cowboy of a different caliber. A wide age range of listeners will request this one again and again." -- School Library Journal, Nov. 1993 "A rib-tickler. . . . Kids will enjoy acting this out as readers theatre." -- Jan Lieberman, TNT, Spring 1993 "Lovely. . . . Should reach the tickly bone of youngsters." -- Storyline, June 1993 "Perfect for telling or reading out loud." -- Katy Rydell, Stories, Spring 1993 "My class loved this story. Great to use when introducing tall tales." -- D. Peccianti, Reviews of All Resources (Monterey Peninsula United School District) "Introduces one amazing cowpoke. . . . Will have young listeners laughing out loud and asking you to 'read it again.'" -- Smithsonian, Nov. 1993 "Told in the spirited language of a true yarn-spinner, this is a rollicking picture book to warm the heart of just about everyone." -- Kids' Line, Summer 1993

Scholastic's next multi-platform mega-event begins here!History is broken, and three kids must travel back in time to set it right!When best friends Dak Smyth and Sera Froste stumble upon the secret of time travel -- a hand-held device known as the Infinity Ring -- they're swept up in a centuries-long secret war for the fate of mankind. Recruited by the Hystorians, a secret society that dates back to Aristotle, the kids learn that history has gone disastrously off course.Now it's up to Dak, Sera, and teenage Hystorian-in-training Riq to travel back in time to fix the Great Breaks . . . and to save Dak's missing parents while they're at it. First stop: Spain, 1492, where a sailor named Christopher Columbus is about to be thrown overboard in a deadly mutiny!

"Stories on Stage" is a collection of reader's theater scripts for young readers, adapted from stories by fifteen different authors, including Louis Sachar, Nancy Farmer, Russell Hoban, Wanda Gag, and Roald Dahl. Coming from such genres as humor, fantasy, and multicultural folktales, stories were selected for their dramatic quality, literary value, and appeal to young people. While focusing on ages 8 to 15, the collection features a wide range of reading levels. The scripts in this collection are -- "Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School," by Louis Sachar -- "Mr. Twit's Revenge," by Roald Dahl -- "Millions of Cats," by Wanda Gag -- "Tapiwa's Uncle," by Nancy Farmer -- "How Tom Beat Captain Najork," by Russell Hoban -- "Harriet," by Florence Parry Heide -- "Mr. Bim's Bamboo," by Carol Farley -- "Talk," by Harold Courlander -- "The Jade Stone," by Caryn Yacowitz -- "The Bean Boy," by Monica Shannon -- "The Kid from the Commercial," by Stephen Manes -- "The Fools of Chelm," by Steve Sanfield -- "Mouse Woman and the Snails," by Christie Harris -- "Westwoods," by Eleanor Farjeon -- "The Legend of Lightning Larry," by Aaron Shepard. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the author of many books, stories, and scripts for young people, as well as professional books and resources for writers and educators. He has also worked professionally in both storytelling and reader's theater, as a performer, director, and teacher trainer. Aaron's lively and meticulous retellings of folktales and other traditional literature have found homes with more than a dozen children's book publishers, large and small, and with the world's top children's literary magazines, winning him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. His extensive Web site, visited by thousands of teachers and librarians each week, is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater, while his stories and scripts have been featured in textbooks from publishers worldwide, including Scholastic, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, SRA, The College Board, Pearson Education, National Geographic, Oxford University Press, Barron's, Hodder Education, and McGraw-Hill. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "What? Don't have time to write up your own scripts for reader's theater? Not to worry. Aaron Shepard will get you started with his stellar scripts -- perfect for duplicating, handing out to your students, and bringing to life. This is one must-have book." -- Judy Freeman, Author, More Books Kids Will Sit Still For "One of the challenges of teaching is instilling in our students a love for reading. By transforming imaginative stories by some of our favorite authors into clever scripts, Aaron Shepard once again provides the means for teachers to nurture a passion for the written word. This second edition of Stories On Stage is a most worthwhile addition to your cache of reading strategies that work." -- Susan Finney, Author, Keep the Rest of the Class Reading and Writing While You Teach Small Groups "Reader's theater gets a boost from this collection. . . . The scripts are simple and direct, multicultural, and easily reproducible for classroom use." -- Ilene Cooper, Booklist (American Library Association), Jan. 1, 1994 "An intriguing, well-rounded collection. . . . The tone and content of source material is effectively preserved." -- The Horn Book Guide, July-Dec. 1993

****A "CENTRAL TEXT" IN NEW YORK STATE'S COMMON CORE CURRICULUM**** Want to try reader's theater but don't know where to start? Or have you tried it but want to find ways to bring it more to life? Or are you just looking for a fun, easy way to lure young people into reading fluency, cooperative effort, effective communication, and love of literature? "Readers on Stage" is a collection of resources for scripting, directing, and teaching reader's theater, primarily to ages 8 and up. Part 1 offers three sample scripts to learn from and enjoy: "The Legend of Lightning Larry," "Peddler Polly and the Story Stealer," and "The Baker's Dozen." Part 2 highlights each major aspect of reader's theater -- scripting, staging, and dramatic reading -- offering tips and tricks you're not likely to find elsewhere. For instance, you'll learn how young readers can easily create their own scripts! Part 3 provides all the plans, notes, handouts, and worksheets from actual reader's theater workshops, ready for copying. Use them to start with reader's theater tomorrow in a classroom or library, or to lead your own workshop for adults. Finally, Part 4 gives listings of additional resources. Whether you're working with young readers, training teachers, or directing a professional company, you'll want this unique, detailed guide. NOTE ON THE EBOOK: The sample materials in this book are meant to be fully reproducible -- but as most ebook apps do not allow printing, reproduction is generally possible only from the print edition. For the ebook, these materials are provided for viewing alone. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the author of many books, stories, and scripts for young people, as well as professional books and resources for writers and educators. He has also worked professionally in both storytelling and reader's theater, as a performer, director, and teacher trainer. Aaron's lively and meticulous retellings of folktales and other traditional literature have found homes with more than a dozen children's book publishers, large and small, and with the world's top children's literary magazines, winning him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. His extensive Web site, visited by thousands of teachers and librarians each week, is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater, while his stories and scripts have been featured in textbooks from publishers worldwide, including Scholastic, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, SRA, The College Board, Pearson Education, National Geographic, Oxford University Press, Barron's, Hodder Education, and McGraw-Hill. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "At last! If you've been looking for a complete resource for teaching and using readers theatre, look no further. From scripts, to implementation strategies, to materials for workshops, Readers on Stage has it all. Aaron Shepard draws upon decades of work to provide a practical, well-organized, and reader-friendly book. Don't miss it!" -- Dr. Suzanne Barchers, author, "Readers Theatre for Beginning Readers," and publisher, Storycart Press "For more than a decade, Aaron Shepard has been recognized nationally as an innovative, skilled, highly successful practitioner of readers theatre with emphasis on support of literature and reading, especially for teachers at elementary and middle-school levels. His latest book gives concise, clear, and practical tips for scriptmaking and staging, along with useful scripts and work materials." -- Dr. William Adams, Director, Institute for Readers Theatre

You'd better believe Slappy Hooper was the world's biggest, fastest, bestest sign painter. He was bestest because no one else ever made pictures so true to life. But some folks said they were too good when the pictures started coming alive! Will Slappy have to give up sign painting for good? Or will a couple of timely jobs from the Heavenly Sign Company let him climb to even greater heights? Find out in this delightful tall tale from mid-20th-century Chicago. TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS -- A READER'S THEATER SCRIPT OF THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN AARON'S BOOK "FOLKTALES ON STAGE," OR FREE ON AARON'S WEB SITE. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen," "The Sea King's Daughter," "The Adventures of Mouse Deer," and many more children's books. His stories have appeared often in Cricket magazine, while his Web site is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater. Toni Goffe is a British illustrator of numerous well-loved children's books and is a winner of the 1993 Gold Medallion Book Award. He is also illustrator of Aaron's "The Legend of Lightning Larry." ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "Goffe's freewheeling cartoons perfectly complement this well-told, amiably satirical tale." -- Kirkus Reviews, Sept. 1, 1993 "Good-humored . . . Lots of possibilities for story hour." -- Booklist, Nov. 1, 1993 "A cheerful, upbeat, all-American legend. Have fun with it." -- Katy Rydell, Stories, Fall 1993 "Not only fun, but a start for many classroom learning experiences. Readers of all ages will enjoy Slappy Hooper." -- Sandra Boback, St. Boniface School, Kingston, PA "Delightful . . . [A] welcome addition to the list of American tall tales." -- The Story Bag, Special Review Issue ///////////////////////////////////////////////// SAMPLE You've heard about Paul Bunyan, the greatest lumberjack of all time. And you've heard about Pecos Bill, the greatest cowboy. Now let me tell you about Slappy Hooper, the world's biggest, fastest, bestest sign painter. You'd better believe Slappy was biggest! Why, he was seven feet tall with shoulders to match, and he weighed three hundred pounds, even without his cap and coverall and brush and bucket. And fastest? Just give him an eight-inch brush. Slip! slop! slap! The job was done -- and so smooth, you'd never see a brush stroke. And you bet Slappy was bestest! That was on account of his pictures. No one else ever made them so true to life. In fact, some folks said they were too true to life. Slappy's trouble started with the huge red rose he painted on the sign for Rose's Florist Shop. "Slappy, it's so real!" said Miss Rose Red, the owner. "Why, I can just about smell the fragrance!" But a week later, Rose Red fluttered into Slappy's sign shop. "Slappy, that sign of yours was too good. The bees got wind of it and swarmed all over that rose, trying to get in. They scared away all my customers! That was bad enough, but wait till you see what's happened now!" When they reached the florist shop, Slappy saw that the bees were gone. But the rose had withered and died. "No one buys from a florist with a withered flower on her sign," said Rose Red. "That's the last thing you'll paint for me, Slappy Hooper!"

Skulls and Siamese. Corpse paint and Persians. Baphomet, pentagrams, blood, and tabbies! Metal Cats combines two amazing subjects: the extreme personalities of the hardcore metal music scene and their adorable kitties. These incredibly cute and fluffy felines have been photographed with their loving owners in and around the dark abodes of musicians, fans, and promoters of metal including members of the bands Black Goat, Thrones, Isis, Lightning Swords of Death, Book of Black Earth, Skarp, Harassor, Akimbo, Aldebaran, Atriarch, Oak, Ghoul, Ludicra, Holy Grail, Xasthur, Cattle Decapitation, Murder Construct, Exhumed, Morbid Angel, Municipal Waste, Skeletonwitch, Gypsyhawk, Nausea, Phobia, and Napalm Death. Metal isn't all dark and disturbing, violent and misanthropic. Metal Cats is proof that while the music may be brutal, the people in the scene are softies for their pets just like you and me... A portion of the proceeds from this book and a series of benefit shows held along the West Coast will go towards one no-kill shelter in each of the four main cities visited.

"One of the books every boy should have on his bookshelf." -- San Francisco Examiner No outlaw could draw as fast as Lightning Larry. But what really terrified those bad men was that peculiar gun of his. It didn't shoot bullets. It shot light. And Larry always aimed for the heart. Can Larry save the town of Brimstone from Evil-Eye McNeevil's outlaw gang? Find out in this rip-roaring original tale of a gunfighter with a huge smile and a hankering for lemonade. TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS -- A READER'S THEATER SCRIPT OF THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN AARON'S BOOK "STORIES ON STAGE," OR FREE ON AARON'S WEB SITE. ////////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen," "The Sea King's Daughter," "The Monkey King," and many more children's books. His stories have appeared often in Cricket magazine, while his Web site is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater. Once a professional storyteller, Aaron specializes in lively retellings of folktales and other traditional literature, which have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. Toni Goffe is the British illustrator of numerous well-loved children's books and is a winner of the 1993 Gold Medallion Book Award. He is also illustrator of Aaron's "The Legend of Slappy Hooper." ////////////////////////////////////////////////// "One of the books every boy should have on his bookshelf; girls will probably like the story too . . . The language is perfect, [with] the right dose of silliness to make both parents and children chuckle . . . The illustrations are ideal." -- Cindi Rose, San Francisco Examiner, Aug. 20, 2012 "A tall-tale superhero for our time. . . . A readaloud that could lighten up classes well up in the elementary grades." -- Kirkus Reviews, Mar. 1, 1993 "Pass out the bandanas and dig out the spittoon. Read this story in an old-timer's voice, and everyone will have a good time." -- Chris Sherman, American Library Association Booklist, Mar. 1, 1993 "Move over, Wyatt Earp. Make room for a cowboy of a different caliber. A wide age range of listeners will request this one again and again." -- School Library Journal, Nov. 1993 "A rib-tickler. . . . Kids will enjoy acting this out as readers theatre." -- Jan Lieberman, TNT, Spring 1993 "Lovely. . . . Should reach the tickly bone of youngsters." -- Storyline, June 1993 "Perfect for telling or reading out loud." -- Katy Rydell, Stories, Spring 1993 "My class loved this story. Great to use when introducing tall tales." -- D. Peccianti, Reviews of All Resources (Monterey Peninsula United School District) "Introduces one amazing cowpoke. . . . Will have young listeners laughing out loud and asking you to 'read it again.'" -- Smithsonian, Nov. 1993 "Told in the spirited language of a true yarn-spinner, this is a rollicking picture book to warm the heart of just about everyone." -- Kids' Line, Summer 1993