The Guardian May 19, 2017
Storytelling must be taught – it is more than simply an art – it is a crucial skill for life and commerce.
People say children are natural storytellers, but this is not at all true, any more than it is of adults. Or rather, they are not naturally good storytellers. Children can be taught the principle of storytelling: scene structures, character arcs, reversals and the qualities of protagonists (and antagonists), dramatic events, etc.
Why, for instance, is We’re Going on a Bear Hunt such a compelling story? And what has it got to do with stories like Macbeth? (And yes, it does have something in common – all stories do.)