Reviewed By: Katherine Jacobs
The Art of Retelling
http://www.aaronshep.com/kidwriter/A62.html
1. Accuracy The information portrayed on this Website has been published in the SCBWI Bulletin, June-July 1995. So according to publishing, the assumption can be made that this material has been edited and approved by another source. 2. Authority The page was created by Aaron Shepard. There is a link, “Aaron’s Homepage”, scroll down and find another link, “Who is Aaron Shepard?” This opens up a brief synopsis of Aaron Shepard’s work and his accomplishments. He has written many picture books, and has many stories have been published in children’s magazines. This author is qualified and has experience in exploring the history of folktales. 3. Objectivity The author’s objective seems genuine, to share information he has picked up from his searches. There are no advertisement links on this page, just links to other sites about the author and his work. The piece he writes on the art of retelling is not bias in any way, but written more for an audience interested in knowing how to make a picture book from a traditional folktale. 4. Currency The copyright on the Website is listed at 1995. This copyright date does not tell when the piece was originally written or when recently revised. None of the links are indicative of recent revision or current postings. 5. Coverage The coverage of material listed in the title is adequately covered. The information is given to the audience from three different viewpoints: the Storyteller, the Folklorist, and the Author. This information seems precise and to the point. The length is about two pages, Document length, and is broken down into the three areas listed above. The material is given as an insight to this author, the sharing of knowledge he has developed himself.
Reviewed By: Layna Lewis
“The Art of Retelling” is a periodical article that has been reprinted on the Internet by the author. It does an excellent job of explaing how the role of storyteller, folklorist and author come into retelling folklore. Credibility: The site is assembled by Aaron Shepard, an award winning author of picture books. His work also has appeared in “Cricket” and “School Magazine” in Australia. This page is a part of Aaron Shepard’s commercial website. His specialty is retelling folklore in children’s literature, so may it be biased. Timeliness: The copyright for the article is 1995. It appeared in the June-July 1995 issue of “SCBI Bulletin.” The page was last updated August 31, 2002. Due to the nature of the material it is not outdated yet. A link leads to the larger website that does have a biography of the author and contact information. Authority: This article is an electronic printing a article that appeared in “SCBI Bulletin,” June-July 1995. No other author or source is given. Content: Aaron Shepard tells how a picture book writer who retells folklore must approach the action as a storyteller, folklorist and author. He explains how each role is similar and different involving the tradition of the tale and its adaptation to suit the picture book format. He believes that all three can be satisfied. Links connect the user to other features of Shepard’s site. Many articles by Aaron Shepard that have appeared in either “SCBI Bulletin” or “Once Upon A Time” are included. Links of special notice are: Resources, Reading Lists from his research, information on his books, author visits and rights and permissions. The site loads quickly and is easy to use. The information is useful from the point of view of a student of folklore.