#kidsstories — Public Fediverse posts

Life lessons often come through simple stories.

“A Tall Story: Life Lessons Children’s Stories” uses imaginative tales to teach values, emotions, and everyday wisdom.

#KidsStories #LifeLessons #ChildDevelopment

Read here:
https://www.dannasouthwellauthor.com/a-tall-story-life-lessons-childrens-stories/

Life lessons often come through simple stories.

“A Tall Story: Life Lessons Children’s Stories” uses imaginative tales to teach values, emotions, and everyday wisdom.

#KidsStories #LifeLessons #ChildDevelopment

Read here:
https://www.dannasouthwellauthor.com/a-tall-story-life-lessons-childrens-stories/

Blog/Review: Contemporary Stories are Failing Kids (And Adults)

One of the little-known facts about J.R.R. Tolkien was that he absolutely despised Disney. So great was his hatred of Disney that he described it as “vulgar,” said that Walt Disney was “a cheat,” and even said that, at times, the animation gave him nausea. The reason for this wasn’t because he had an arbitrary hatred for the mouse running around on screen. Rather his hatred of Disney was two-fold, beginning when he saw the 1937 adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in theaters with C.S. Lewis. For one thing, he saw it as a total bastardization of the original tale published by the Grimm Brothers that was made purely for money’s sake. For another thing, he disliked how the movie shied away from the grimness of the source material. The dark aspects of fairytales were something that Tolkien greatly appreciated, as he was a staunch believer that if a story for children couldn’t also be enjoyed by adults, then it wasn’t worth writing. In fact, in his essay, On Fairy Stories, he bemoaned the fact that in recent years, fairy tales have largely been associated with children, leading to their infantilization, something Disney’s adaptation of Snow White added to.

If Tolkien had only lived to see the slop being pushed on our kids, his already heartfelt disgust towards the infantilization of fairytales and stories in general would have turned into the fury of a thousand suns.

The contemporary fairytales being pushed on kids today are excessively childish. If they aren’t stories that are based on existing intellectual properties (such as any number of Disney-owned franchises) it’s online entertainment such as the stuff on Disney+. Just think about the last time that you saw a kids’ show that treated kids like they were capable of thinking for themselves, that treated them as having the potential to grow past their current mindset. Bluey is one such show from what I’ve heard, but many of the shows out there treat kids as kids. They don’t treat them as young humans who are gradually maturing, navigating the complexities of growing up.

As an example, think about the difference between Miss Rachel and Mr. Rogers. Miss Rachel is known for her infantilized online persona aimed at teaching kids various lessons about things (including Left-wing politics for some reason.) Meanwhile, Mr. Rogers spoke to young kids as an adult. He came at it not as though he was trying to be one of them, but as a wise grandfather. He reached both kids and adults, something that Miss Rachel can’t do.

A similar contrast can be found in stories today versus stories written in the past. Even if you go back 10-20 years, kids’ stories were a lot heavier than they are today and could be enjoyed by any age bracket. For example, How to Train Your Dragon came out in 2010, and, while it primarily targeted kids, it had themes in it that went a lot deeper than one would think. It dealt with themes of courage, family expectations, trying to navigate growing up, etc. At one point, Stoic straight-up disowns Hiccup. The second movie that came out in 2014 had some heavy themes in it. However, fast forward to today, and even the third HTTYD movie felt dumbed down compared to the previous ones. Look at the spin-off show on Hulu, and the contrast is even more stark.

Additionally, many of the stories targeted towards kids and adults nowadays have become soulless cash-grabs, often grifting off of pre-existing franchises. To make things worse, the morals they teach are few and far between, if there even are any.

One example of this is Pixar’s newest movie, Hoppers. While it doesn’t have anything blatantly objectionable in it, a deep dive into the morals taught in the story and the political messaging is disturbing. The YouTuber, Real-Life Fake Wizard did a deep dive into the messaging subtly hidden throughout the movie and not only does it justify the main character’s terrible behavior as a Greta Thunberg-like environmental activist, but it also justifies killing people for the sake of the state.

https://youtu.be/YTlHS3vkECc

Remember this is a movie aimed towards children pushing an anti-human, Leftist agenda on them covered up with smiles and laughter.

On that note, one of the things that made stories in the past appealing to adults and children were the strong moral lessons that they taught and the characters overcoming bad situations. This was important as not only did these stories give children profound truths that they could be reminded of throughout life, but they also prepared them in some ways for the adult world. In that way, the stories got better as you grew up as you could now interpret them through a wiser, more experienced lens. Nowadays, however, our contemporary folklore is encountering a massive divide between kids’ stories and adult stories.

To illustrate this point, just recently I went to Walmart and checked out their book section with my mom. The kids’ section was a small area, with mainly coloring books and picture books based on various franchises, most of them owned by Disney. The rest of the book area was a handful of young adult novels such as The Hunger Games and a few Percy Jackson and the Olympians books scattered around (with the main one being the Nico x Will LGBTQ+ adventure) hidden amongst the books aimed towards adults.

Several of these books I recognized from the #booktube and #booktok community as having explicit content in them, with the most notable ones being the Court of Thorns and Roses series and the Fourth Wing series, both of which, I believe, have been banned in public schools. I also saw the sequel to the infamous book, Haunting Adeline, a book which has become known for its glorification of stalking, physical abuse, and rape (including penetration with a gun.)

I wish I was making this up. That isn’t even mentioning the trigger warning on the first page of the book.

This goes to show how not only have stories aimed towards kids lost the plot (often literally) of being appealing to children while also appealing to adults with the moral messaging and overall story, but the divide between adult literature and kids’ is growing vastly. Even with young adult novels intending to be the buffer zone between kids’ books and adult literature, you still often lack clear morals and a sense of good and evil. Often, you are even being exposed to – at best – softcore porn. These stories don’t help you grow up; they dumb you down by appealing not to a higher sense of morality, but to your base impulses.

While children’s literature used to be considered to be stories for adults told amongst the elders of the village that children were privy to, learning profound universal morals and values along the way, what could be considered as modern fairytales have lost the plot entirely. They have either become something to meet kids where they are at and, in some ways, keep them there, or their idea of adult doesn’t come from the morals within the tale, but rather the increasingly explicit lack thereof. In this way, neither kids nor adults are maturing by reading these tales. They’re only being corrupted to something animalistic.

Until next time,

M.J.

Blog/Review: Contemporary Stories are Failing Kids (And Adults)

One of the little-known facts about J.R.R. Tolkien was that he absolutely despised Disney. So great was his hatred of Disney that he described it as “vulgar,” said that Walt Disney was “a cheat,” and even said that, at times, the animation gave him nausea. The reason for this wasn’t because he had an arbitrary hatred for the mouse running around on screen. Rather his hatred of Disney was two-fold, beginning when he saw the 1937 adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in theaters with C.S. Lewis. For one thing, he saw it as a total bastardization of the original tale published by the Grimm Brothers that was made purely for money’s sake. For another thing, he disliked how the movie shied away from the grimness of the source material. The dark aspects of fairytales were something that Tolkien greatly appreciated, as he was a staunch believer that if a story for children couldn’t also be enjoyed by adults, then it wasn’t worth writing. In fact, in his essay, On Fairy Stories, he bemoaned the fact that in recent years, fairy tales have largely been associated with children, leading to their infantilization, something Disney’s adaptation of Snow White added to.

If Tolkien had only lived to see the slop being pushed on our kids, his already heartfelt disgust towards the infantilization of fairytales and stories in general would have turned into the fury of a thousand suns.

The contemporary fairytales being pushed on kids today are excessively childish. If they aren’t stories that are based on existing intellectual properties (such as any number of Disney-owned franchises) it’s online entertainment such as the stuff on Disney+. Just think about the last time that you saw a kids’ show that treated kids like they were capable of thinking for themselves, that treated them as having the potential to grow past their current mindset. Bluey is one such show from what I’ve heard, but many of the shows out there treat kids as kids. They don’t treat them as young humans who are gradually maturing, navigating the complexities of growing up.

As an example, think about the difference between Miss Rachel and Mr. Rogers. Miss Rachel is known for her infantilized online persona aimed at teaching kids various lessons about things (including Left-wing politics for some reason.) Meanwhile, Mr. Rogers spoke to young kids as an adult. He came at it not as though he was trying to be one of them, but as a wise grandfather. He reached both kids and adults, something that Miss Rachel can’t do.

A similar contrast can be found in stories today versus stories written in the past. Even if you go back 10-20 years, kids’ stories were a lot heavier than they are today and could be enjoyed by any age bracket. For example, How to Train Your Dragon came out in 2010, and, while it primarily targeted kids, it had themes in it that went a lot deeper than one would think. It dealt with themes of courage, family expectations, trying to navigate growing up, etc. At one point, Stoic straight-up disowns Hiccup. The second movie that came out in 2014 had some heavy themes in it. However, fast forward to today, and even the third HTTYD movie felt dumbed down compared to the previous ones. Look at the spin-off show on Hulu, and the contrast is even more stark.

Additionally, many of the stories targeted towards kids and adults nowadays have become soulless cash-grabs, often grifting off of pre-existing franchises. To make things worse, the morals they teach are few and far between, if there even are any.

One example of this is Pixar’s newest movie, Hoppers. While it doesn’t have anything blatantly objectionable in it, a deep dive into the morals taught in the story and the political messaging is disturbing. The YouTuber, Real-Life Fake Wizard did a deep dive into the messaging subtly hidden throughout the movie and not only does it justify the main character’s terrible behavior as a Greta Thunberg-like environmental activist, but it also justifies killing people for the sake of the state.

https://youtu.be/YTlHS3vkECc

Remember this is a movie aimed towards children pushing an anti-human, Leftist agenda on them covered up with smiles and laughter.

On that note, one of the things that made stories in the past appealing to adults and children were the strong moral lessons that they taught and the characters overcoming bad situations. This was important as not only did these stories give children profound truths that they could be reminded of throughout life, but they also prepared them in some ways for the adult world. In that way, the stories got better as you grew up as you could now interpret them through a wiser, more experienced lens. Nowadays, however, our contemporary folklore is encountering a massive divide between kids’ stories and adult stories.

To illustrate this point, just recently I went to Walmart and checked out their book section with my mom. The kids’ section was a small area, with mainly coloring books and picture books based on various franchises, most of them owned by Disney. The rest of the book area was a handful of young adult novels such as The Hunger Games and a few Percy Jackson and the Olympians books scattered around (with the main one being the Nico x Will LGBTQ+ adventure) hidden amongst the books aimed towards adults.

Several of these books I recognized from the #booktube and #booktok community as having explicit content in them, with the most notable ones being the Court of Thorns and Roses series and the Fourth Wing series, both of which, I believe, have been banned in public schools. I also saw the sequel to the infamous book, Haunting Adeline, a book which has become known for its glorification of stalking, physical abuse, and rape (including penetration with a gun.)

I wish I was making this up. That isn’t even mentioning the trigger warning on the first page of the book.

This goes to show how not only have stories aimed towards kids lost the plot (often literally) of being appealing to children while also appealing to adults with the moral messaging and overall story, but the divide between adult literature and kids’ is growing vastly. Even with young adult novels intending to be the buffer zone between kids’ books and adult literature, you still often lack clear morals and a sense of good and evil. Often, you are even being exposed to – at best – softcore porn. These stories don’t help you grow up; they dumb you down by appealing not to a higher sense of morality, but to your base impulses.

While children’s literature used to be considered to be stories for adults told amongst the elders of the village that children were privy to, learning profound universal morals and values along the way, what could be considered as modern fairytales have lost the plot entirely. They have either become something to meet kids where they are at and, in some ways, keep them there, or their idea of adult doesn’t come from the morals within the tale, but rather the increasingly explicit lack thereof. In this way, neither kids nor adults are maturing by reading these tales. They’re only being corrupted to something animalistic.

Until next time,

M.J.

Blog/Review: Contemporary Stories are Failing Kids (And Adults)

One of the little-known facts about J.R.R. Tolkien was that he absolutely despised Disney. So great was his hatred of Disney that he described it as “vulgar,” said that Walt Disney was “a cheat,” and even said that, at times, the animation gave him nausea. The reason for this wasn’t because he had an arbitrary hatred for the mouse running around on screen. Rather his hatred of Disney was two-fold, beginning when he saw the 1937 adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in theaters with C.S. Lewis. For one thing, he saw it as a total bastardization of the original tale published by the Grimm Brothers that was made purely for money’s sake. For another thing, he disliked how the movie shied away from the grimness of the source material. The dark aspects of fairytales were something that Tolkien greatly appreciated, as he was a staunch believer that if a story for children couldn’t also be enjoyed by adults, then it wasn’t worth writing. In fact, in his essay, On Fairy Stories, he bemoaned the fact that in recent years, fairy tales have largely been associated with children, leading to their infantilization, something Disney’s adaptation of Snow White added to.

If Tolkien had only lived to see the slop being pushed on our kids, his already heartfelt disgust towards the infantilization of fairytales and stories in general would have turned into the fury of a thousand suns.

The contemporary fairytales being pushed on kids today are excessively childish. If they aren’t stories that are based on existing intellectual properties (such as any number of Disney-owned franchises) it’s online entertainment such as the stuff on Disney+. Just think about the last time that you saw a kids’ show that treated kids like they were capable of thinking for themselves, that treated them as having the potential to grow past their current mindset. Bluey is one such show from what I’ve heard, but many of the shows out there treat kids as kids. They don’t treat them as young humans who are gradually maturing, navigating the complexities of growing up.

As an example, think about the difference between Miss Rachel and Mr. Rogers. Miss Rachel is known for her infantilized online persona aimed at teaching kids various lessons about things (including Left-wing politics for some reason.) Meanwhile, Mr. Rogers spoke to young kids as an adult. He came at it not as though he was trying to be one of them, but as a wise grandfather. He reached both kids and adults, something that Miss Rachel can’t do.

A similar contrast can be found in stories today versus stories written in the past. Even if you go back 10-20 years, kids’ stories were a lot heavier than they are today and could be enjoyed by any age bracket. For example, How to Train Your Dragon came out in 2010, and, while it primarily targeted kids, it had themes in it that went a lot deeper than one would think. It dealt with themes of courage, family expectations, trying to navigate growing up, etc. At one point, Stoic straight-up disowns Hiccup. The second movie that came out in 2014 had some heavy themes in it. However, fast forward to today, and even the third HTTYD movie felt dumbed down compared to the previous ones. Look at the spin-off show on Hulu, and the contrast is even more stark.

Additionally, many of the stories targeted towards kids and adults nowadays have become soulless cash-grabs, often grifting off of pre-existing franchises. To make things worse, the morals they teach are few and far between, if there even are any.

One example of this is Pixar’s newest movie, Hoppers. While it doesn’t have anything blatantly objectionable in it, a deep dive into the morals taught in the story and the political messaging is disturbing. The YouTuber, Real-Life Fake Wizard did a deep dive into the messaging subtly hidden throughout the movie and not only does it justify the main character’s terrible behavior as a Greta Thunberg-like environmental activist, but it also justifies killing people for the sake of the state.

https://youtu.be/YTlHS3vkECc

Remember this is a movie aimed towards children pushing an anti-human, Leftist agenda on them covered up with smiles and laughter.

On that note, one of the things that made stories in the past appealing to adults and children were the strong moral lessons that they taught and the characters overcoming bad situations. This was important as not only did these stories give children profound truths that they could be reminded of throughout life, but they also prepared them in some ways for the adult world. In that way, the stories got better as you grew up as you could now interpret them through a wiser, more experienced lens. Nowadays, however, our contemporary folklore is encountering a massive divide between kids’ stories and adult stories.

To illustrate this point, just recently I went to Walmart and checked out their book section with my mom. The kids’ section was a small area, with mainly coloring books and picture books based on various franchises, most of them owned by Disney. The rest of the book area was a handful of young adult novels such as The Hunger Games and a few Percy Jackson and the Olympians books scattered around (with the main one being the Nico x Will LGBTQ+ adventure) hidden amongst the books aimed towards adults.

Several of these books I recognized from the #booktube and #booktok community as having explicit content in them, with the most notable ones being the Court of Thorns and Roses series and the Fourth Wing series, both of which, I believe, have been banned in public schools. I also saw the sequel to the infamous book, Haunting Adeline, a book which has become known for its glorification of stalking, physical abuse, and rape (including penetration with a gun.)

I wish I was making this up. That isn’t even mentioning the trigger warning on the first page of the book.

This goes to show how not only have stories aimed towards kids lost the plot (often literally) of being appealing to children while also appealing to adults with the moral messaging and overall story, but the divide between adult literature and kids’ is growing vastly. Even with young adult novels intending to be the buffer zone between kids’ books and adult literature, you still often lack clear morals and a sense of good and evil. Often, you are even being exposed to – at best – softcore porn. These stories don’t help you grow up; they dumb you down by appealing not to a higher sense of morality, but to your base impulses.

While children’s literature used to be considered to be stories for adults told amongst the elders of the village that children were privy to, learning profound universal morals and values along the way, what could be considered as modern fairytales have lost the plot entirely. They have either become something to meet kids where they are at and, in some ways, keep them there, or their idea of adult doesn’t come from the morals within the tale, but rather the increasingly explicit lack thereof. In this way, neither kids nor adults are maturing by reading these tales. They’re only being corrupted to something animalistic.

Until next time,

M.J.

Blog/Review: Contemporary Stories are Failing Kids (And Adults)

One of the little-known facts about J.R.R. Tolkien was that he absolutely despised Disney. So great was his hatred of Disney that he described it as “vulgar,” said that Walt Disney was “a cheat,” and even said that, at times, the animation gave him nausea. The reason for this wasn’t because he had an arbitrary hatred for the mouse running around on screen. Rather his hatred of Disney was two-fold, beginning when he saw the 1937 adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in theaters with C.S. Lewis. For one thing, he saw it as a total bastardization of the original tale published by the Grimm Brothers that was made purely for money’s sake. For another thing, he disliked how the movie shied away from the grimness of the source material. The dark aspects of fairytales were something that Tolkien greatly appreciated, as he was a staunch believer that if a story for children couldn’t also be enjoyed by adults, then it wasn’t worth writing. In fact, in his essay, On Fairy Stories, he bemoaned the fact that in recent years, fairy tales have largely been associated with children, leading to their infantilization, something Disney’s adaptation of Snow White added to.

If Tolkien had only lived to see the slop being pushed on our kids, his already heartfelt disgust towards the infantilization of fairytales and stories in general would have turned into the fury of a thousand suns.

The contemporary fairytales being pushed on kids today are excessively childish. If they aren’t stories that are based on existing intellectual properties (such as any number of Disney-owned franchises) it’s online entertainment such as the stuff on Disney+. Just think about the last time that you saw a kids’ show that treated kids like they were capable of thinking for themselves, that treated them as having the potential to grow past their current mindset. Bluey is one such show from what I’ve heard, but many of the shows out there treat kids as kids. They don’t treat them as young humans who are gradually maturing, navigating the complexities of growing up.

As an example, think about the difference between Miss Rachel and Mr. Rogers. Miss Rachel is known for her infantilized online persona aimed at teaching kids various lessons about things (including Left-wing politics for some reason.) Meanwhile, Mr. Rogers spoke to young kids as an adult. He came at it not as though he was trying to be one of them, but as a wise grandfather. He reached both kids and adults, something that Miss Rachel can’t do.

A similar contrast can be found in stories today versus stories written in the past. Even if you go back 10-20 years, kids’ stories were a lot heavier than they are today and could be enjoyed by any age bracket. For example, How to Train Your Dragon came out in 2010, and, while it primarily targeted kids, it had themes in it that went a lot deeper than one would think. It dealt with themes of courage, family expectations, trying to navigate growing up, etc. At one point, Stoic straight-up disowns Hiccup. The second movie that came out in 2014 had some heavy themes in it. However, fast forward to today, and even the third HTTYD movie felt dumbed down compared to the previous ones. Look at the spin-off show on Hulu, and the contrast is even more stark.

Additionally, many of the stories targeted towards kids and adults nowadays have become soulless cash-grabs, often grifting off of pre-existing franchises. To make things worse, the morals they teach are few and far between, if there even are any.

One example of this is Pixar’s newest movie, Hoppers. While it doesn’t have anything blatantly objectionable in it, a deep dive into the morals taught in the story and the political messaging is disturbing. The YouTuber, Real-Life Fake Wizard did a deep dive into the messaging subtly hidden throughout the movie and not only does it justify the main character’s terrible behavior as a Greta Thunberg-like environmental activist, but it also justifies killing people for the sake of the state.

https://youtu.be/YTlHS3vkECc

Remember this is a movie aimed towards children pushing an anti-human, Leftist agenda on them covered up with smiles and laughter.

On that note, one of the things that made stories in the past appealing to adults and children were the strong moral lessons that they taught and the characters overcoming bad situations. This was important as not only did these stories give children profound truths that they could be reminded of throughout life, but they also prepared them in some ways for the adult world. In that way, the stories got better as you grew up as you could now interpret them through a wiser, more experienced lens. Nowadays, however, our contemporary folklore is encountering a massive divide between kids’ stories and adult stories.

To illustrate this point, just recently I went to Walmart and checked out their book section with my mom. The kids’ section was a small area, with mainly coloring books and picture books based on various franchises, most of them owned by Disney. The rest of the book area was a handful of young adult novels such as The Hunger Games and a few Percy Jackson and the Olympians books scattered around (with the main one being the Nico x Will LGBTQ+ adventure) hidden amongst the books aimed towards adults.

Several of these books I recognized from the #booktube and #booktok community as having explicit content in them, with the most notable ones being the Court of Thorns and Roses series and the Fourth Wing series, both of which, I believe, have been banned in public schools. I also saw the sequel to the infamous book, Haunting Adeline, a book which has become known for its glorification of stalking, physical abuse, and rape (including penetration with a gun.)

I wish I was making this up. That isn’t even mentioning the trigger warning on the first page of the book.

This goes to show how not only have stories aimed towards kids lost the plot (often literally) of being appealing to children while also appealing to adults with the moral messaging and overall story, but the divide between adult literature and kids’ is growing vastly. Even with young adult novels intending to be the buffer zone between kids’ books and adult literature, you still often lack clear morals and a sense of good and evil. Often, you are even being exposed to – at best – softcore porn. These stories don’t help you grow up; they dumb you down by appealing not to a higher sense of morality, but to your base impulses.

While children’s literature used to be considered to be stories for adults told amongst the elders of the village that children were privy to, learning profound universal morals and values along the way, what could be considered as modern fairytales have lost the plot entirely. They have either become something to meet kids where they are at and, in some ways, keep them there, or their idea of adult doesn’t come from the morals within the tale, but rather the increasingly explicit lack thereof. In this way, neither kids nor adults are maturing by reading these tales. They’re only being corrupted to something animalistic.

Until next time,

M.J.

Blog/Review: Contemporary Stories are Failing Kids (And Adults)

One of the little-known facts about J.R.R. Tolkien was that he absolutely despised Disney. So great was his hatred of Disney that he described it as “vulgar,” said that Walt Disney was “a cheat,” and even said that, at times, the animation gave him nausea. The reason for this wasn’t because he had an arbitrary hatred for the mouse running around on screen. Rather his hatred of Disney was two-fold, beginning when he saw the 1937 adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in theaters with C.S. Lewis. For one thing, he saw it as a total bastardization of the original tale published by the Grimm Brothers that was made purely for money’s sake. For another thing, he disliked how the movie shied away from the grimness of the source material. The dark aspects of fairytales were something that Tolkien greatly appreciated, as he was a staunch believer that if a story for children couldn’t also be enjoyed by adults, then it wasn’t worth writing. In fact, in his essay, On Fairy Stories, he bemoaned the fact that in recent years, fairy tales have largely been associated with children, leading to their infantilization, something Disney’s adaptation of Snow White added to.

If Tolkien had only lived to see the slop being pushed on our kids, his already heartfelt disgust towards the infantilization of fairytales and stories in general would have turned into the fury of a thousand suns.

The contemporary fairytales being pushed on kids today are excessively childish. If they aren’t stories that are based on existing intellectual properties (such as any number of Disney-owned franchises) it’s online entertainment such as the stuff on Disney+. Just think about the last time that you saw a kids’ show that treated kids like they were capable of thinking for themselves, that treated them as having the potential to grow past their current mindset. Bluey is one such show from what I’ve heard, but many of the shows out there treat kids as kids. They don’t treat them as young humans who are gradually maturing, navigating the complexities of growing up.

As an example, think about the difference between Miss Rachel and Mr. Rogers. Miss Rachel is known for her infantilized online persona aimed at teaching kids various lessons about things (including Left-wing politics for some reason.) Meanwhile, Mr. Rogers spoke to young kids as an adult. He came at it not as though he was trying to be one of them, but as a wise grandfather. He reached both kids and adults, something that Miss Rachel can’t do.

A similar contrast can be found in stories today versus stories written in the past. Even if you go back 10-20 years, kids’ stories were a lot heavier than they are today and could be enjoyed by any age bracket. For example, How to Train Your Dragon came out in 2010, and, while it primarily targeted kids, it had themes in it that went a lot deeper than one would think. It dealt with themes of courage, family expectations, trying to navigate growing up, etc. At one point, Stoic straight-up disowns Hiccup. The second movie that came out in 2014 had some heavy themes in it. However, fast forward to today, and even the third HTTYD movie felt dumbed down compared to the previous ones. Look at the spin-off show on Hulu, and the contrast is even more stark.

Additionally, many of the stories targeted towards kids and adults nowadays have become soulless cash-grabs, often grifting off of pre-existing franchises. To make things worse, the morals they teach are few and far between, if there even are any.

One example of this is Pixar’s newest movie, Hoppers. While it doesn’t have anything blatantly objectionable in it, a deep dive into the morals taught in the story and the political messaging is disturbing. The YouTuber, Real-Life Fake Wizard did a deep dive into the messaging subtly hidden throughout the movie and not only does it justify the main character’s terrible behavior as a Greta Thunberg-like environmental activist, but it also justifies killing people for the sake of the state.

https://youtu.be/YTlHS3vkECc

Remember this is a movie aimed towards children pushing an anti-human, Leftist agenda on them covered up with smiles and laughter.

On that note, one of the things that made stories in the past appealing to adults and children were the strong moral lessons that they taught and the characters overcoming bad situations. This was important as not only did these stories give children profound truths that they could be reminded of throughout life, but they also prepared them in some ways for the adult world. In that way, the stories got better as you grew up as you could now interpret them through a wiser, more experienced lens. Nowadays, however, our contemporary folklore is encountering a massive divide between kids’ stories and adult stories.

To illustrate this point, just recently I went to Walmart and checked out their book section with my mom. The kids’ section was a small area, with mainly coloring books and picture books based on various franchises, most of them owned by Disney. The rest of the book area was a handful of young adult novels such as The Hunger Games and a few Percy Jackson and the Olympians books scattered around (with the main one being the Nico x Will LGBTQ+ adventure) hidden amongst the books aimed towards adults.

Several of these books I recognized from the #booktube and #booktok community as having explicit content in them, with the most notable ones being the Court of Thorns and Roses series and the Fourth Wing series, both of which, I believe, have been banned in public schools. I also saw the sequel to the infamous book, Haunting Adeline, a book which has become known for its glorification of stalking, physical abuse, and rape (including penetration with a gun.)

I wish I was making this up. That isn’t even mentioning the trigger warning on the first page of the book.

This goes to show how not only have stories aimed towards kids lost the plot (often literally) of being appealing to children while also appealing to adults with the moral messaging and overall story, but the divide between adult literature and kids’ is growing vastly. Even with young adult novels intending to be the buffer zone between kids’ books and adult literature, you still often lack clear morals and a sense of good and evil. Often, you are even being exposed to – at best – softcore porn. These stories don’t help you grow up; they dumb you down by appealing not to a higher sense of morality, but to your base impulses.

While children’s literature used to be considered to be stories for adults told amongst the elders of the village that children were privy to, learning profound universal morals and values along the way, what could be considered as modern fairytales have lost the plot entirely. They have either become something to meet kids where they are at and, in some ways, keep them there, or their idea of adult doesn’t come from the morals within the tale, but rather the increasingly explicit lack thereof. In this way, neither kids nor adults are maturing by reading these tales. They’re only being corrupted to something animalistic.

Until next time,

M.J.

This Christmas story is from two years ago, but I don't think the holiday spirit has an expiration date. Does it?

In English:
A Gift for Santa Claus
Santa Claus loved sitting on the veranda, in his rocking chair, warmed by the fireplace, watching the snow-capped mountain peaks and the clouds that adorned them with fantasy and elegance.
On the windows, the ice-embroidered designs were now melting. The windows clearly revealed the enchantment of dawns and sunsets with continuously changing colors.
Winter was about to end, and Santa Claus, the reindeer, and the hardworking Elves of the Woods had rested enough after the great work of the last holidays. Soon, they would need to start reorganizing ideas before another December arrived.
In the warmth of the first spring sun, with nature awakening from the long winter, plans for toys of all sorts began to take shape. In the evening, at sunset, sitting in his favorite chair, he joyfully awaited the arrival of the moon and stars.

... read more

E in Italiano:
Un regalo per Babbo Natale
Babbo Natale amava stare seduto nella veranda, sulla sua sedia a dondolo, al caldo del camino, osservando le vette innevate delle montagne e le nuvole che le decoravano con fantasia ed eleganza.
Sui vetri, i disegni ricamati dal ghiaccio si stavano ormai sciogliendo. Le finestre svelavano con chiarezza l’incantesimo di albe e tramonti con i colori che cambiavano continuamente.
L’inverno stava per finire e Babbo Natale, le renne e i laboriosi Elfi dei Boschi si erano riposati abbastanza dopo il gran lavoro dell'ultime festività. A breve avrebbero dovuto iniziare a riorganizzare le idee prima che arrivasse un altro Dicembre.
... leggi il seguito

https://www.storiesottolestelle.com/storie-per-bambini-da-leggere-e-ascoltare-children-stories-to-read-and-listen/un-regalo-per-babbo-natale

#Christmas #Storytelling #HolidayVibe

#Christmas #MerryChristmas #ChristmasStory #HolidayVibes #Storytelling #KidsStories #FamilyStories #MagicOfChristmas #ChristmasSpirit #StoriesForKids

Three Little Pigs Story for Kids | 3D Animation | Wolf Bedtime Story

Watch now: https://youtu.be/xq_ZTCcNZFU

​#ThreeLittlePigsStoryForKids #ThreeLittlePigsAnimation #BedtimeStories #3DAnimation #StoriesForChildren #TheBigBadWolf #FairyTales #KidsStories #EMKidsHub

#Halloween Story Time for Kids and Adults 🎃✨

As you probably know by now, I love blending #storytelling with #technology, creativity with purpose. But today, I want to share something a bit different — a Halloween story that bridges worlds, languages, and generations.

Halloween over #Florence: The Market of #Ghosts is a magical tale set in my beloved Florence, where Severino — a mysterious child found nine years ago on the steps of the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte — lives among monks, #jazz #music, and ancient mysteries. But on Halloween night, when the full moon rises over the Arno, spirits from around the world gather for their annual meeting at a spectral market that only he can see.

It's a story about wonder, belonging, and the magic that exists just beyond what we think we know. It's for kids who believe in ghosts, and for adults who remember what it felt like to believe.

🧐 and here's another secret: this is the first of a series about Severino. His story is just beginning, and the mysteries hidden in those ancient crypts are waiting to be discovered.

I write and produce this as part of Storie Sotto le Stelle — a creative collaboration with my mother where we bring magical stories to life in Italian and English. It's a family journey that reminds me creativity, when shared, connects generations.

Whether you're looking for a bedtime story, a moment of escape, or simply want to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Florence on Halloween night, I invite you to experience Severino's adventure:

📖 Read the story (Italian & English): StorieSottoLeStelle.com

🎧 Listen on podcast (Italian & English narration): https://storiesottolestellepodcast.simplecast.com

📺 Watch on YouTube (Listen + Captions)

Italian: https://youtu.be/fZ1xK7FKnVM

English: https://youtu.be/AknZkHtQaDU

You will even find 🎺 Severino's Jazz Playlist (the songs that accompany his story)

This Halloween, whether you believe in ghosts or not... remember: nothing changes. The magic will come anyway.

Happy Halloween! 🎃🌙

#Storytelling #Halloween #Florence #FamilyProject #Italian #english #shortstories #writing #Creativity #StorieSottoLeStelle #MarcoCiappelli #kidsStories

TITLE
The Toy Room 🧸 Magical Children's Story | Stories Under The Stars ⭐ Kids Bedtime Story
FILE NAME
the-toy-room-magical-childrens-story-bedtime-tales-stories-under-stars
DESCRIPTION
✨ Welcome to Stories Under The Stars! ✨
Join us for "The Toy Room" - a heartwarming tale about friendship, magic, and the power of imagination!
🧸 What's this story about?
Follow young Carletto as he discovers a secret world where toys come to life, mice have propeller tails, and dreams are protected by brave toy soldiers. A beautiful story about inclusion, kindness, and the magic that happens when we open our hearts to others.
🌟 Perfect for:

Bedtime stories (ages 6-12)
Family listening time
English language learners
Anyone who loves magical tales

📚 About Stories Under The Stars:
Written between Florence and Los Angeles by Lucia & Marco Ciappelli, our stories blend Italian storytelling tradition with universal themes of wonder, friendship, and imagination. Originally written in Italian, each tale is carefully translated to preserve the magical atmosphere that makes these stories special.
🎧 Available in both Italian and English!
Visit our website: storiesottolestelle.com
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Subscribe for more magical stories!
New enchanted tales published regularly - perfect for bedtime, car rides, or any time you need a touch of magic.
#ChildrensStories #BedtimeStories #KidsContent #MagicalTales #FamilyTime

#bedtimestories, #kidsstories, #childrenstories, #storytime, #kidsbedtime, #familycontent, #storytelling, #educationalcontent, #kidsentertainment, #fairytales, #childrenaudiobook, #kidsaudiostories, #bedtimetales, #familystories, #kidspodcast, #magicalstories, #childrenliterature, #familyentertainment, #storyreading, #kidslearning, #kidscontent, #childrenfantasy, #storyforkids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d68fwYjofOU

TITLE
The Toy Room 🧸 Magical Children's Story | Stories Under The Stars ⭐ Kids Bedtime Story
FILE NAME
the-toy-room-magical-childrens-story-bedtime-tales-stories-under-stars
DESCRIPTION
✨ Welcome to Stories Under The Stars! ✨
Join us for "The Toy Room" - a heartwarming tale about friendship, magic, and the power of imagination!
🧸 What's this story about?
Follow young Carletto as he discovers a secret world where toys come to life, mice have propeller tails, and dreams are protected by brave toy soldiers. A beautiful story about inclusion, kindness, and the magic that happens when we open our hearts to others.
🌟 Perfect for:

Bedtime stories (ages 6-12)
Family listening time
English language learners
Anyone who loves magical tales

📚 About Stories Under The Stars:
Written between Florence and Los Angeles by Lucia & Marco Ciappelli, our stories blend Italian storytelling tradition with universal themes of wonder, friendship, and imagination. Originally written in Italian, each tale is carefully translated to preserve the magical atmosphere that makes these stories special.
🎧 Available in both Italian and English!
Visit our website: storiesottolestelle.com
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Subscribe for more magical stories!
New enchanted tales published regularly - perfect for bedtime, car rides, or any time you need a touch of magic.
#ChildrensStories #BedtimeStories #KidsContent #MagicalTales #FamilyTime

#bedtimestories, #kidsstories, #childrenstories, #storytime, #kidsbedtime, #familycontent, #storytelling, #educationalcontent, #kidsentertainment, #fairytales, #childrenaudiobook, #kidsaudiostories, #bedtimetales, #familystories, #kidspodcast, #magicalstories, #childrenliterature, #familyentertainment, #storyreading, #kidslearning, #kidscontent, #childrenfantasy, #storyforkids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d68fwYjofOU

TITLE
The Toy Room 🧸 Magical Children's Story | Stories Under The Stars ⭐ Kids Bedtime Story
FILE NAME
the-toy-room-magical-childrens-story-bedtime-tales-stories-under-stars
DESCRIPTION
✨ Welcome to Stories Under The Stars! ✨
Join us for "The Toy Room" - a heartwarming tale about friendship, magic, and the power of imagination!
🧸 What's this story about?
Follow young Carletto as he discovers a secret world where toys come to life, mice have propeller tails, and dreams are protected by brave toy soldiers. A beautiful story about inclusion, kindness, and the magic that happens when we open our hearts to others.
🌟 Perfect for:

Bedtime stories (ages 6-12)
Family listening time
English language learners
Anyone who loves magical tales

📚 About Stories Under The Stars:
Written between Florence and Los Angeles by Lucia & Marco Ciappelli, our stories blend Italian storytelling tradition with universal themes of wonder, friendship, and imagination. Originally written in Italian, each tale is carefully translated to preserve the magical atmosphere that makes these stories special.
🎧 Available in both Italian and English!
Visit our website: storiesottolestelle.com
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Subscribe for more magical stories!
New enchanted tales published regularly - perfect for bedtime, car rides, or any time you need a touch of magic.
#ChildrensStories #BedtimeStories #KidsContent #MagicalTales #FamilyTime

#bedtimestories, #kidsstories, #childrenstories, #storytime, #kidsbedtime, #familycontent, #storytelling, #educationalcontent, #kidsentertainment, #fairytales, #childrenaudiobook, #kidsaudiostories, #bedtimetales, #familystories, #kidspodcast, #magicalstories, #childrenliterature, #familyentertainment, #storyreading, #kidslearning, #kidscontent, #childrenfantasy, #storyforkids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d68fwYjofOU

TITLE
The Toy Room 🧸 Magical Children's Story | Stories Under The Stars ⭐ Kids Bedtime Story
FILE NAME
the-toy-room-magical-childrens-story-bedtime-tales-stories-under-stars
DESCRIPTION
✨ Welcome to Stories Under The Stars! ✨
Join us for "The Toy Room" - a heartwarming tale about friendship, magic, and the power of imagination!
🧸 What's this story about?
Follow young Carletto as he discovers a secret world where toys come to life, mice have propeller tails, and dreams are protected by brave toy soldiers. A beautiful story about inclusion, kindness, and the magic that happens when we open our hearts to others.
🌟 Perfect for:

Bedtime stories (ages 6-12)
Family listening time
English language learners
Anyone who loves magical tales

📚 About Stories Under The Stars:
Written between Florence and Los Angeles by Lucia & Marco Ciappelli, our stories blend Italian storytelling tradition with universal themes of wonder, friendship, and imagination. Originally written in Italian, each tale is carefully translated to preserve the magical atmosphere that makes these stories special.
🎧 Available in both Italian and English!
Visit our website: storiesottolestelle.com
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Subscribe for more magical stories!
New enchanted tales published regularly - perfect for bedtime, car rides, or any time you need a touch of magic.
#ChildrensStories #BedtimeStories #KidsContent #MagicalTales #FamilyTime

#bedtimestories, #kidsstories, #childrenstories, #storytime, #kidsbedtime, #familycontent, #storytelling, #educationalcontent, #kidsentertainment, #fairytales, #childrenaudiobook, #kidsaudiostories, #bedtimetales, #familystories, #kidspodcast, #magicalstories, #childrenliterature, #familyentertainment, #storyreading, #kidslearning, #kidscontent, #childrenfantasy, #storyforkids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d68fwYjofOU

TITLE
The Toy Room 🧸 Magical Children's Story | Stories Under The Stars ⭐ Kids Bedtime Story
FILE NAME
the-toy-room-magical-childrens-story-bedtime-tales-stories-under-stars
DESCRIPTION
✨ Welcome to Stories Under The Stars! ✨
Join us for "The Toy Room" - a heartwarming tale about friendship, magic, and the power of imagination!
🧸 What's this story about?
Follow young Carletto as he discovers a secret world where toys come to life, mice have propeller tails, and dreams are protected by brave toy soldiers. A beautiful story about inclusion, kindness, and the magic that happens when we open our hearts to others.
🌟 Perfect for:

Bedtime stories (ages 6-12)
Family listening time
English language learners
Anyone who loves magical tales

📚 About Stories Under The Stars:
Written between Florence and Los Angeles by Lucia & Marco Ciappelli, our stories blend Italian storytelling tradition with universal themes of wonder, friendship, and imagination. Originally written in Italian, each tale is carefully translated to preserve the magical atmosphere that makes these stories special.
🎧 Available in both Italian and English!
Visit our website: storiesottolestelle.com
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Subscribe for more magical stories!
New enchanted tales published regularly - perfect for bedtime, car rides, or any time you need a touch of magic.
#ChildrensStories #BedtimeStories #KidsContent #MagicalTales #FamilyTime

#bedtimestories, #kidsstories, #childrenstories, #storytime, #kidsbedtime, #familycontent, #storytelling, #educationalcontent, #kidsentertainment, #fairytales, #childrenaudiobook, #kidsaudiostories, #bedtimetales, #familystories, #kidspodcast, #magicalstories, #childrenliterature, #familyentertainment, #storyreading, #kidslearning, #kidscontent, #childrenfantasy, #storyforkids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d68fwYjofOU

A summary of The Emperor's New Clothes. The emperor wants the finest things and to stand out above all others. This leads to a valuable lesson about truth and perception. #EmperorsNewClothes #FairyTales #KidsStories #MoralOfTheStory

Young Ethan finds a lost treasure, but it belongs to a friend's beloved grandmother! Will he do the right thing? 🤔 A heartwarming story of honesty in Tennessee. #HonestyMatters #KidsStories #FriendshipGoals

https://bdking71.wordpress.com/2025/05/08/the-lost-keepsake/

Young Ethan finds a lost treasure, but it belongs to a friend's beloved grandmother! Will he do the right thing? 🤔 A heartwarming story of honesty in Tennessee. #HonestyMatters #KidsStories #FriendshipGoals

https://bdking71.wordpress.com/2025/05/08/the-lost-keepsake/

🎸✨ A funny witch is rocking the guitar in Kyoto... but what happens next?! 🤔

With Bamilou, kids get to create and listen to their own unique stories! 🏯📖

🌟 Choose a hero, a place, a tool, and a twist—then let the magic happen!

🚀 Available now on iOS & Android!

#Bamilou #KidsStories #Reading #AI

https://rumble.com/v6iq16j-the-glimmering-grove-quest-a-magical-animal-adventure-for-kids-manga-style-.html

#KidsAdventure #MagicalAnimals #ChildrensBooks #FriendshipTales #AnimalHeroes #FantasyForKids #WholesomeReads #NatureMagic #KidsStories #BraveryAndTeamwork #EarlyReaders #MiddleGradeBooks #FamilyFriendly #AdventureAwaits #HeartwarmingTales

🎙️ I had the absolute pleasure of being a guest on the After 40 Podcast with Dr. Deborah Heiser, PhD, where we discussed something very close to my heart—helping my mom, embrace her passion for storytelling later in life and finding a powerful driving force in her life. 🌟

My mom grew up in a small village in the hills around #Florence in post-war #Italy, filled with memories of enchanting #Tuscan nights and captivating #tales. For years, those stories lived in her imagination—until her 70s, when she decided it was time to share them with the world. Together, we created Storie Sotto Le Stelle—a website and podcast where her stories come to life in Italian and English, connecting generations through the magic of #storytelling.

Writing together has become more than just crafting stories—it’s about discovering joy and purpose, or what the Japanese call #ikigai. It’s proof that it’s never too late to take creative risks, rediscover talents, and connect deeply with loved ones. 🌟

Through storytelling, we’ve built a bridge between generations, where our imaginations meet, and where new possibilities are born. Each moment spent brainstorming, drafting, and laughing over the wild twists our stories take has become a cherished part of our journey. It’s an opportunity to connect in ways we hadn’t before, creating not just stories but memories that will stay with us forever.

The heart of the message is clear: after 40, life offers us the chance to pause, reevaluate, and redefine what truly matters. Whether it’s through storytelling, painting, hiking, or any other pursuit, the key is to embrace what brings you joy and let it guide you toward purpose and connection. 🌟

🖋️ “The #magic isn’t just in the stories we create but in the process of sharing this journey together.”

🎧 I invite you to listen to the episode and discover how we turned her lifelong love of storytelling into a creative journey.

👉 https://after-40-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/becoming-a-writer-later-in-life-an-interview-with-marco-ciappelli-after-40-podcast-with-dr-deborah-heiser

While you’re at it, check out Storie Sotto le Stelle to discover enchanting tales in both Italian and English. 🎄 Just in time for the holidays, don’t miss our latest story:

🌟 The Fountain of Tales and the Magical Christmas Slippers 🌟

It’s a magical journey where #Christmas wishes and ancient secrets intertwine, bringing an unforgettable adventure to life for readers and listeners of all ages.

“📚✨ Read or listen to our latest magical adventure on Storie Sotto le Stelle.
https://www.storiesottolestelle.com/

What’s your story?

#Storytelling #Ikigai #CreativeJourney or #FamilyStories #Inspiration #Podcast #shortstories #childrenstories #kidsstories #kidspodcast #books #tales #mentoring #aging #purpouse #writing #reading #holidays #ChristmasStories #fantasy

ITSPmagazine Podcasts The Mentor Project

🎙️ I had the absolute pleasure of being a guest on the After 40 Podcast with Dr. Deborah Heiser, PhD, where we discussed something very close to my heart—helping my mom, embrace her passion for storytelling later in life and finding a powerful driving force in her life. 🌟

My mom grew up in a small village in the hills around #Florence in post-war #Italy, filled with memories of enchanting #Tuscan nights and captivating #tales. For years, those stories lived in her imagination—until her 70s, when she decided it was time to share them with the world. Together, we created Storie Sotto Le Stelle—a website and podcast where her stories come to life in Italian and English, connecting generations through the magic of #storytelling.

Writing together has become more than just crafting stories—it’s about discovering joy and purpose, or what the Japanese call #ikigai. It’s proof that it’s never too late to take creative risks, rediscover talents, and connect deeply with loved ones. 🌟

Through storytelling, we’ve built a bridge between generations, where our imaginations meet, and where new possibilities are born. Each moment spent brainstorming, drafting, and laughing over the wild twists our stories take has become a cherished part of our journey. It’s an opportunity to connect in ways we hadn’t before, creating not just stories but memories that will stay with us forever.

The heart of the message is clear: after 40, life offers us the chance to pause, reevaluate, and redefine what truly matters. Whether it’s through storytelling, painting, hiking, or any other pursuit, the key is to embrace what brings you joy and let it guide you toward purpose and connection. 🌟

🖋️ “The #magic isn’t just in the stories we create but in the process of sharing this journey together.”

🎧 I invite you to listen to the episode and discover how we turned her lifelong love of storytelling into a creative journey.

👉 https://after-40-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/becoming-a-writer-later-in-life-an-interview-with-marco-ciappelli-after-40-podcast-with-dr-deborah-heiser

While you’re at it, check out Storie Sotto le Stelle to discover enchanting tales in both Italian and English. 🎄 Just in time for the holidays, don’t miss our latest story:

🌟 The Fountain of Tales and the Magical Christmas Slippers 🌟

It’s a magical journey where #Christmas wishes and ancient secrets intertwine, bringing an unforgettable adventure to life for readers and listeners of all ages.

“📚✨ Read or listen to our latest magical adventure on Storie Sotto le Stelle.
https://www.storiesottolestelle.com/

What’s your story?

#Storytelling #Ikigai #CreativeJourney or #FamilyStories #Inspiration #Podcast #shortstories #childrenstories #kidsstories #kidspodcast #books #tales #mentoring #aging #purpouse #writing #reading #holidays #ChristmasStories #fantasy

ITSPmagazine Podcasts The Mentor Project

🎙️ I had the absolute pleasure of being a guest on the After 40 Podcast with Dr. Deborah Heiser, PhD, where we discussed something very close to my heart—helping my mom, embrace her passion for storytelling later in life and finding a powerful driving force in her life. 🌟

My mom grew up in a small village in the hills around #Florence in post-war #Italy, filled with memories of enchanting #Tuscan nights and captivating #tales. For years, those stories lived in her imagination—until her 70s, when she decided it was time to share them with the world. Together, we created Storie Sotto Le Stelle—a website and podcast where her stories come to life in Italian and English, connecting generations through the magic of #storytelling.

Writing together has become more than just crafting stories—it’s about discovering joy and purpose, or what the Japanese call #ikigai. It’s proof that it’s never too late to take creative risks, rediscover talents, and connect deeply with loved ones. 🌟

Through storytelling, we’ve built a bridge between generations, where our imaginations meet, and where new possibilities are born. Each moment spent brainstorming, drafting, and laughing over the wild twists our stories take has become a cherished part of our journey. It’s an opportunity to connect in ways we hadn’t before, creating not just stories but memories that will stay with us forever.

The heart of the message is clear: after 40, life offers us the chance to pause, reevaluate, and redefine what truly matters. Whether it’s through storytelling, painting, hiking, or any other pursuit, the key is to embrace what brings you joy and let it guide you toward purpose and connection. 🌟

🖋️ “The #magic isn’t just in the stories we create but in the process of sharing this journey together.”

🎧 I invite you to listen to the episode and discover how we turned her lifelong love of storytelling into a creative journey.

👉 https://after-40-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/becoming-a-writer-later-in-life-an-interview-with-marco-ciappelli-after-40-podcast-with-dr-deborah-heiser

While you’re at it, check out Storie Sotto le Stelle to discover enchanting tales in both Italian and English. 🎄 Just in time for the holidays, don’t miss our latest story:

🌟 The Fountain of Tales and the Magical Christmas Slippers 🌟

It’s a magical journey where #Christmas wishes and ancient secrets intertwine, bringing an unforgettable adventure to life for readers and listeners of all ages.

“📚✨ Read or listen to our latest magical adventure on Storie Sotto le Stelle.
https://www.storiesottolestelle.com/

What’s your story?

#Storytelling #Ikigai #CreativeJourney or #FamilyStories #Inspiration #Podcast #shortstories #childrenstories #kidsstories #kidspodcast #books #tales #mentoring #aging #purpouse #writing #reading #holidays #ChristmasStories #fantasy

ITSPmagazine Podcasts The Mentor Project

🎙️ I had the absolute pleasure of being a guest on the After 40 Podcast with Dr. Deborah Heiser, PhD, where we discussed something very close to my heart—helping my mom, embrace her passion for storytelling later in life and finding a powerful driving force in her life. 🌟

My mom grew up in a small village in the hills around #Florence in post-war #Italy, filled with memories of enchanting #Tuscan nights and captivating #tales. For years, those stories lived in her imagination—until her 70s, when she decided it was time to share them with the world. Together, we created Storie Sotto Le Stelle—a website and podcast where her stories come to life in Italian and English, connecting generations through the magic of #storytelling.

Writing together has become more than just crafting stories—it’s about discovering joy and purpose, or what the Japanese call #ikigai. It’s proof that it’s never too late to take creative risks, rediscover talents, and connect deeply with loved ones. 🌟

Through storytelling, we’ve built a bridge between generations, where our imaginations meet, and where new possibilities are born. Each moment spent brainstorming, drafting, and laughing over the wild twists our stories take has become a cherished part of our journey. It’s an opportunity to connect in ways we hadn’t before, creating not just stories but memories that will stay with us forever.

The heart of the message is clear: after 40, life offers us the chance to pause, reevaluate, and redefine what truly matters. Whether it’s through storytelling, painting, hiking, or any other pursuit, the key is to embrace what brings you joy and let it guide you toward purpose and connection. 🌟

🖋️ “The #magic isn’t just in the stories we create but in the process of sharing this journey together.”

🎧 I invite you to listen to the episode and discover how we turned her lifelong love of storytelling into a creative journey.

👉 https://after-40-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/becoming-a-writer-later-in-life-an-interview-with-marco-ciappelli-after-40-podcast-with-dr-deborah-heiser

While you’re at it, check out Storie Sotto le Stelle to discover enchanting tales in both Italian and English. 🎄 Just in time for the holidays, don’t miss our latest story:

🌟 The Fountain of Tales and the Magical Christmas Slippers 🌟

It’s a magical journey where #Christmas wishes and ancient secrets intertwine, bringing an unforgettable adventure to life for readers and listeners of all ages.

“📚✨ Read or listen to our latest magical adventure on Storie Sotto le Stelle.
https://www.storiesottolestelle.com/

What’s your story?

#Storytelling #Ikigai #CreativeJourney or #FamilyStories #Inspiration #Podcast #shortstories #childrenstories #kidsstories #kidspodcast #books #tales #mentoring #aging #purpouse #writing #reading #holidays #ChristmasStories #fantasy

ITSPmagazine Podcasts The Mentor Project

🎙️ I had the absolute pleasure of being a guest on the After 40 Podcast with Dr. Deborah Heiser, PhD, where we discussed something very close to my heart—helping my mom, embrace her passion for storytelling later in life and finding a powerful driving force in her life. 🌟

My mom grew up in a small village in the hills around #Florence in post-war #Italy, filled with memories of enchanting #Tuscan nights and captivating #tales. For years, those stories lived in her imagination—until her 70s, when she decided it was time to share them with the world. Together, we created Storie Sotto Le Stelle—a website and podcast where her stories come to life in Italian and English, connecting generations through the magic of #storytelling.

Writing together has become more than just crafting stories—it’s about discovering joy and purpose, or what the Japanese call #ikigai. It’s proof that it’s never too late to take creative risks, rediscover talents, and connect deeply with loved ones. 🌟

Through storytelling, we’ve built a bridge between generations, where our imaginations meet, and where new possibilities are born. Each moment spent brainstorming, drafting, and laughing over the wild twists our stories take has become a cherished part of our journey. It’s an opportunity to connect in ways we hadn’t before, creating not just stories but memories that will stay with us forever.

The heart of the message is clear: after 40, life offers us the chance to pause, reevaluate, and redefine what truly matters. Whether it’s through storytelling, painting, hiking, or any other pursuit, the key is to embrace what brings you joy and let it guide you toward purpose and connection. 🌟

🖋️ “The #magic isn’t just in the stories we create but in the process of sharing this journey together.”

🎧 I invite you to listen to the episode and discover how we turned her lifelong love of storytelling into a creative journey.

👉 https://after-40-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/becoming-a-writer-later-in-life-an-interview-with-marco-ciappelli-after-40-podcast-with-dr-deborah-heiser

While you’re at it, check out Storie Sotto le Stelle to discover enchanting tales in both Italian and English. 🎄 Just in time for the holidays, don’t miss our latest story:

🌟 The Fountain of Tales and the Magical Christmas Slippers 🌟

It’s a magical journey where #Christmas wishes and ancient secrets intertwine, bringing an unforgettable adventure to life for readers and listeners of all ages.

“📚✨ Read or listen to our latest magical adventure on Storie Sotto le Stelle.
https://www.storiesottolestelle.com/

What’s your story?

#Storytelling #Ikigai #CreativeJourney or #FamilyStories #Inspiration #Podcast #shortstories #childrenstories #kidsstories #kidspodcast #books #tales #mentoring #aging #purpouse #writing #reading #holidays #ChristmasStories #fantasy

ITSPmagazine Podcasts The Mentor Project

A new magical #story for kids and the young at heart is out!

As you know, these are stories I co-write with my mom, and we do it just for fun. I hope you enjoy them and share with parents, grandparents, and anyone who loves to go on a magical adventure. 🌟✨

🌟 It’s part 2 of The Tribe of the Wandering Shoes, but I’ll share both parts here in case you missed the Summer adventure. 🍂 This one will get every kid in the perfect Autumn / Halloween mood! 🎃

But the real #Halloween story is coming next week, so make sure to subscribe to the podcast and follow me for more! 👻✨

Part 1 : The Summer Aventure (English Version)
👉 https://storiesottolestellepodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-tribe-of-wandering-shoes-a-story-under-the-stars-in-four-parts-just-like-the-seasons-the-summer-adventure-read-in-english-stories-sotto-le-stelle-podcast-short-stories-for-children-and-the-young-at-heart

Part 2 : The Autumn Adventure (English Version)
👉 https://storiesottolestellepodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-tribe-of-wandering-shoes-part-two-a-story-under-the-stars-in-four-parts-just-like-the-seasons-the-autumn-adventure-read-in-english-stories-sotto-le-stelle-podcast-short-stories-for-children-and-the-young-at-heart

Curious to know more about Storie Sotto Le Stelle and find more magical stories? https://www.storiesottolestelle.com/

#books #kidsstories #shortStories #writing #reading #childrenbooks #book #bedtimestories

Who: women who got erased from history.
Where: Somerset, UK

Preorder from http://books2read.com/junior-unsung

#Somerset #women #womeninsomerset #historicalwomen #kidsbooks #kidsstories

🌟 Exciting News from the Heart of Tuscany (and my own) to the World! 🌍

This year, something truly magical happened in my family. My mom, at the vibrant age of 75, discovered her passion for writing short stories for kids. Her tales, woven with the rich threads of Italian-Tuscan culture, are not only enchanting but deeply inspiring.

I was so captivated by her #creativity and the universality of her stories' morals and values that I decided to pitch in with a tech twist. Leveraging the power of #GenerativeAI, I've been working on translating, voicing, and creating covers for her #childrenstories that are presented in multiple languages.

The goal? To share theme with children (and the young at heart) across the globe.

📚 Each story, originally penned in Italian, carries the essence of Tuscan tradition. But as I edit and polish her drafts, I'm constantly reminded of how these tales resonate universally. It's a proud moment for me to see my mom embark on this incredible journey of storytelling at 75, proving it's never too late to pursue a new passion.

I'm thrilled to invite you to explore these stories. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, or just a kid at heart, these tales are for you.

They're freely available for all to enjoy, with over 20 more drafts waiting to be shared.

🔊 And there's more! Stay tuned for a podcast featuring the English versions of these stories. I can't wait to bring this experience to your ears. So follow me and I will let you know as soon as the podcast is available!

🌐 Visit https://www.storiesottolestelle.com/ to dive into this magical world.

Your feedback would mean the world to us.

Remember, while these stories are rooted in Tuscan/Italian tradition, they're crafted with the whole world in mind. It's a beautiful blend of tradition and #AI, and I hope you enjoy reading or listening them as much as we do love to write them.

Cheers to all, wherever you are. Here's to the timeless power of storytelling, bridging generations and cultures!

#storytelling #childrensbooks #kidsstories #GenerativeAI #Multilingual #TuscanCulture #ChildrensStories #Podcasting #Inspiration #creativity #writing #writers #technology #italy