The Story of Stories – Children’s Picture Book

Story of Stories is a picture book about a writer bear following his dream to write.

What would happen if you were a journalist but there was nothing to write about? Should you give up writing? Or should you find another way to follow your dream?

Does it seem journalists have to write breaking stories about bad stuff all the time? What if they wrote about funny, happy, moving, or even sad, and scary stories? If a story had more depth wouldn’t people enjoy it more?

A beautiful story about stories!

Author: Roopa Pai Illustrator: Prashant Miranda

Text and Images from Story of Stories:

It was a beautiful summer day in the Forest-By-The-Sea in the glorious land of Somewheristan. Whales danced in the waves, singing to each other. Sea lions, their smooth brown bodies glistening in the sun, played peek-a-boo with the noisy seagulls, barking and scolding.

Every creature in the Forest was happy, happy, happy.

Excuse me! you say. That can’t be true. There’s NEVER a time when EVERY creature ANYwhere is happy, happy, happy.

Hmmm. Maybe you’re right. Maybe not EVERY creature was happy. This journalist bear, for instance.

In this picture, Bear is trying to smile, but he has a great sorrow. He simply cannot find a ‘BREAKING NEWS’ story. He even sent Bird to look – because Bird moves faster and sees better – but Bird came back with nothing.

‘BREAKING NEWS’ stories are about anger and fear and hate and greed, and there was none of that in the Forest. Everything was happy, happy, happy.

A journalist bear without a ‘BREAKING NEWS’ story doesn’t deserve to be a journalist bear, thought Bear sadly to himself. He should be a Waiter Bear, or a Sweeper Bear, or a Telephone Voice Bear, saying, ‘Please check the number you have dialled’, or ‘Kindly wait – you are in a queue’.

He packed his things and started walking to the bus-stop, when Singing Sardarji popped out from behind a tree.

“Arrey oh Journalist Bear!” said Sardarji. “Going somewhere?”

“Don’t you seeeeeeee?” sang the Tweety Birds and the Hooty Owls.

“If Singing Sardarjis don’t,
and Journalist Bears won’t,
the world would be a bad playyyyy-ce, don’t you see?” sang Sardarji.

“I do enjoy being a Journalist Bear,” Bear said sadly. “I do love finding out things, and talking to people, and writing their stories, but I also do NOT have a ‘BREAKING NEWS’ story, which means…”

‘A-HA!’ said Singing Sardarji.
“What?” said Bear, puzzled.

“You like finding out things! And talking to people! And writing their stories! You are a Journalist Bear, Bear, but you have the soul of a… drumroll please… Writer Bear!”

And that was how Writer Bear and Singing Sardarji set out to explore the world.

Everywhere they went, Sardarji sang to the people, and Bear listened to them. Over time, Bear wrote many, many stories. Happy stories that made people cry, funny stories that made them think, sad stories that made them hope, and scary stories that made them laugh.

And Storyweavers all over the world picked up the long, strong, shining threads of Bear’s stories, and wove them into new and wonderful stories for all of us to enjoy.

Die Geschichte der Geschichten

German version of The Story of Stories, a popular book from our home page. In this picture, Bear is trying to smile, but he has a great sorrow. He simply cannot find a ‘BREAKING NEWS’ story.

A journalist bear without a ‘BREAKING NEWS’ story doesn’t deserve to be a journalist bear? Should bear just give up or follow his heart and find another way to reach his dream.

L’histoire des histoires

is the French version of The Story of Stories, a popular book from our home page. A journalist bear who has no breaking news to write. Will he let his dreams end just like that, or will he pursue and achieve this in another way? An inspiring story about perseverance and dedication.

This is a Level 2 Book brought to us by Pratham’s Storyweaver licensed under creative commons.

About the Author

Roopa Pai is an award winning children’s book author, well known in her home country India, and regular contributor to Pratham’s creative commons resource. She trained as an engineer, however worked primarily in journalism and as a writer.

Watch the Story, read by Kiwi Opa on our You Tube channel:

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