I grew up on epic fantasy works, vividly picturing myself as the protagonists--the hero, the princess, the bard, all rolled up in one--and this story captivated and satisfied me. It held my attention after I was tired of overused plot twists and tired drama. It held my attention time and time again, through more car trips than I could count, and was in fact one of the most refreshing original fantasy story I had heard in a while. I love everything I've heard by O'Callahan, and this mythical story is by far my favorite.

This entrancing story about a strong young girl who overcomes all kinds of obstacles to prove that girl stuff can be very powerful was just the thing for my older daughter. My 10-year-old daughter is now searching high and low for the lost copy. Great story and very well told.

My aunt bought me this tape years ago, and I lost track of it. Recently, I decided that my daughters had to hear it as well, so I asked my mom to see if she could dig it up and send it to me. When it arrived, I found that it was every bit as good as I remembered -- maybe even a little better. :-)

Woe is me Bones, woe is me Bones, zz zz zz zzzzz, zz zz zz zzzzz....

In this set of stories, Jay stretches the imagination, the attention span, the drama of words, and the heart. We bought this tape some years ago from some catalog (before Amazon got big), and my daughter and I still hang onto the tape, though we have passed on most other stories/tapes. I will buy another copy of it so the cousins will have it to listen to. Jay is really really expressive in how he uses words, and how he uses words can be very infectious and entertaining. He is a cut or two above most storytellers. There's something very psychologically positive and motivating about his stories, and they give lessons about how to conduct life without being the least bit preachy. Kids are the heros and heroines in these stories, and the kids in them have both mundane and exotic, and always fascinating adventures. If he ever does a CD of this, I will buy it for the grandchildren. The dragon story is a fantastic fairy tale (with a heroine being brave and wise and the adults learning from her); the orange cheeks tale could happen next door (the little hero tries to hide some mistake and makes a situation worse and worse, and then a wise and forgiving grandparent fishes the truth out, gets the kid to confess, and makes everything better--communication resolves misunderstandings; lying makes things worse).

We first heard this story when my children were very young. They loved it so much that we listened to it over and over. Every once in awhile I'd overhear them retelling parts of it, or shouting out "Raspberries!" as Jay does on the tape. It is a truly wonderful, magical, captivating story, which I am now ordering for my nieces and nephews.

This tape is so well done that our family is riveted every time we listen. Great for all ages who have any attention span at all. His voices are the best!

Wonderful story of Herman and Marguriet and how change is good for people. The voices Jay makes for each character are so clear, but not contrived. The message of the story is wonderful for every age group. Fun to listen to while traveling in the car.

I tuned into the NPR version of "Father Joe" one night while driving to a meeting. After I arrived, I was held in my car until the end by the story, and the sheer power of Jay O'Callahan's telling of it.

The very young, adolescent and parents will all enjoy these short stories. OCallahan's voice inflections are the best and you will find yourself trying them long after the stories are through. My eleven year old has listened to these stories for 3-4 years and still requests this tape to listen to on trips in the car. Real FEEL GOOD storytelling.

My sister gave me this tape for my children and we have enjoyed it so much. The first time it was funny, the second time we understood it more and laughed more, the third time we laughed more and now we immitate the characters and make jokes about the humorous perspectives. I would highly recommend this tape. My children (ages 5 and 7) love listening to this tape before bedtime (and I enjoy it too).
There's the story of Micheal the grasshopper with O'Callahan's great voice and the story of the Red Ball about a little girl and how she comes into her own in elementary school. There are also lots of other short stories each unique in their message and their style. The way O'Callahan tells the stories makes us want to listen - they sound exciting, but the stories themselves are so rich in imagination and imagery. I would highly recommend it.

At storytelling festivals around the country, I have overheard storytellers--some librarians or teachers, but many just people who want to hone their skills spinning a story--recommend this book to each other. It is a very nurturing treatment of the hurdles to effective oral communication. Even preachers and insurance agents will benefit by its advice.

I don't know, maybe it is my penchant for all things French or maybe it is my prankster personality but I found this to be one of the most charming children's books around. The drawings are absolutely beautiful and the story is sweet. The back of the book says, "Don't you just love surprises?" Well, I grabbed this book for my children on impulse and was very pleasantly surprised!