Richard O’Neill – Master Storyteller

Richard O’Neill was born into a large family in a small mining community in the North East of England. His family travelled with the seasons all over the country. He attended a lot of schools for short periods, but even though his formal education was sporadic, to say the least, he developed a love of words and a love of books.

Best known for storytelling, Richard is also the author of a number of children’s books, and award-winning plays for adult audiences, a number of which have been broadcast on national radio.

He has been awarded ‘National Literacy Hero status’.

Discover how authentic storytelling and diverse books can open doors to understanding, empowerment and connection in your setting. Richard shares how his internationally published Romani picture books celebrate difference whilst creating connection, and why the stories we share with children matter far more than we might think.

In this episode you’ll:

Learn why authentic diverse books matter more than simply having diverse books on your shelves

Discover how picture books work on multiple levels for both children and adults

Explore practical ways books can help children celebrate their differences rather than hide them

Find out how wooden dancing puppets created from family tradition captivate children in our digital age

Understand why small characters in stories hold particular power for young children navigating a giant world

Watch this episode to discover how storytelling and diverse books can help every child in your setting feel validated and empowered.

Episode Links:

Richard’s website is: richardthestoryteller.weebly.com
Twitter: @‌therroneill
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richard.oneill.75033149

Child’s Play International: @‌ChildsPlayBooks
www.childs-play.com