Storyteller Jane Chang of Lake Zurich grew up in the Minneapolis suburbs. She didn`t have a grandmother who told her stories about her ancestors. In fact, Chang said she can`t remember any storytelling festivals near her home or any professional tellers at school.
Chang fell into storytelling quite by accident.
A voracious reader, Chang began working at a children`s bookstore in Libertyville a few years ago. She said she`s always loved children`s books and has a special place in her heart for children`s tales.
And then two years ago, a friend took her to the Wild Onion Storytelling Festival at the North Shore Country Day School in Winnetka. That`s when she was bitten by the storytelling bug.
”I saw all those people telling stories, and I said to myself, this is what I want to do.”
So she started telling stories to local clubs and gatherings. Then she moved on to telling at the library and at Libertyville storytelling festivals. ”There`s such a difference between reading a story and telling a story. When you tell a story, it`s so magical. You can see the delight in the audience`s eyes,” Chang said.
And even though Chang specializes in children`s tales, she said her stories are for grown-ups, too.
”Stories help people develop their imagination. When you`re listening to a story, you`re the director. You can choose what the character looks like, what she`s wearing. I think children`s stories are wonderful for children of all ages,” Chang said.
