A hilarious Irish folktale with a terrific female heroine. "Long ago, there lived a giant called Cuhullin. My, but he was big and fierce and strong. And what made him so strong? He had a magic finger. And believe it or not, all his strength was in that little finger. Now Cuhullin had fought all the other giants, and squashed them flat. Well, all but one, and that was Finn McCool." But Finn doesn't want to fight. Finn is SCARED. When he sucks his magic thumb, Finn can see Cuhullin coming to get him. So he runs straight home to his wife, Oona. Oona isn't scared, not one bit. She just laughs . . . Will Cuhullin find Finn McCool and SQUASH HIM FLAT? Or will Oona save the day?

Thanks to the strength of his magic little finger, the giant Cuchulainn has fought all other giants and squashed them flat - all but one: Finn McCool. And when Finn McCool sucks his magic thumb, he can see what is coming next - Cuchulainn! So, being a coward at heart, he asks his brave wife Oona to help him. And in the end, Oona's brains conquer Cuchulainn's brute strength once and for all! Jessica Souhami's retelling of a popular Irish tale brings it bang up to date with contemporary dialogue and colourful collage. A hilarious and beautiful picture book children everywhere are sure to enjoy.

Judy Freeman, author of the Books Kids Will Sit Still For series, gives practical how-to tips on how to tell a story, and write and stage a Reader's Theater script that gets children involved with creative drama. Reader's theater teaches children how to become better listeners, enriches their thinking skills, and encourages their response to literature. Included are ideas on using folk and fairy tales, songs, chants and nonsense rhymes, and a reader's theater script. Also included in this handbook are 400 plus annotated children's books every storyteller should know, 100 great titles for creative drama and reader's theatre and professional books and Web sites for storytelling, creative drama and reader's theater. Grades PreK-6. Judy Freeman, author of the Books Kids Will Sit Still For series, gives personal and practical how-to tips on how to learn and tell a story, how to act out a story using creative drama, and how to write and stage a Reader's Theater script. All are guaranteed to get your children listening, thinking, reading, loving, and living stories with comprehension, fluency, expression, and joy. Once Upon a Time pulls together a wealth of ideas, activities, and strategies for using folk and fairy tales, songs, chants, and nonsense rhymes. Also included in this handbook are the texts of 10 of Judy's favorite stories you can read today and tell tomorrow; a songbook of songs, chants, and nonsense rhymes; and a Reader's Theater script. You'll also find annotated bibliographies: 400+ children's books every storyteller should know; 100+ great children's books to use for creative drama and Reader's Theater; professional books and Web sites for storytelling, creative drama, and Reader's Theater; and a title and author index. Chapters include: ; Getting Started with Storytelling ; Judy Freeman's Songbook: Including Songs, Chants, Riddles, and Plenty of Nonsense ; Judy Freeman's Storybook: Tales You can Hear Today and Tell Tomorrow ; 400+ Children's Books Every Storyteller Should Know ; Getting Started with Creative Drama and Reader's Theater ; 100+ Children's Books Just Right for Creative Drama and/or Reader's Theater

This very funny folktale tells about the princess who will not laugh. Her father says he will give her hand in marriage to the man who can make her laugh – and one boy plus a golden goose set off to the palace to try their luck… As they go along, the animals and people they meet all try to steal one of the golden goose’s feathers – and they stick fast to the goose. “Honk Honk Hold Tight!” says the boy, and the whole parade soon ends up at the palace. What will the princess do? A fabulous read-aloud, laugh-out-loud story that has its origins in Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the UK, with variants discovered in Russia and Egypt.

Fifty royalty-free one-act plays adapted from folk tales of many countries.

To prove he is the strongest giant in the world, Cúchulainn has to fight the giant Finn McCool. Finn a smaller giant is terrified, but his clever wife Oona manages to outwit Cúchulainn. Suggested level: primary.