Stickeen
Bill Harley will tell one of the great tales of the America wilderness. Performed in Muir's own language Stickeen tells the story of naturalist John Muir's adventures on an Alaskan glacier in 1880 with a curious brave little dog.
When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world ~ John Muir
ABOUT BILL
Bill Harley tells stories. As an author, a storyteller, a songwriter, playwright, speaker and workshop leader, he brings a lifetime of experience to his work. His fifteen books have won numerous national awards, and his thirty-six recordings have won dozens of honors, including six Grammy nominations and two Grammy Awards. Recognized by audiences and peers as one of the finest performing storytellers in the country, his work has influenced a generation of children, parents, performing artists and educators.
“Early on,” Bill remembers, “a director said to me”, Your job is not to be the best. It’s to be the only. “ And he is the only– there is no one quite like him. Willy Claflin, the much-beloved storyteller, songwriter and children’s author, says, “More than any of us, Bill is Everyman. He somehow knows how to touch on what we all feel.” Using song and story to paint a vibrant and hilarious picture of growing up, schooling and family life, his work spans the generation gap, reminds us of our common humanity and challenges us to be our very best selves.
The son of a children’s writer and a law book editor, Bill began singing, storytelling and writing stories in 1975 while still in college. His first book was published after fifteen years of performing and writing for the stage. “All of that time spent crafting for the spoken word and performance taught me a lot about story,” Harley notes. He has appeared numerous times at the National Storytelling Festival, in theaters, at festivals and conferences around the world and, visited over 3,000 schools. For twenty years, Bill was a regular commentator on NPR’s flagship news show, “All Things Considered”, bringing his insight and humor to a broader audience.
Harley’s knowledge of story and language coupled with his trademark wit and wisdom is evident in his writing for children and families. His first novel, The Amazing Flight of Darius Frobisher, was chosen by Bank Street School of Education as one of the best children’s books of the year and his second novel, Night of the Spadefoot Toads was awarded the Green Earth Book Award as best environmental book of the year in the children’s fiction category. His latest books, a series about the trials and tribulations of fourth grader, Charlie Bumpers, has won widespread accolades. The first book in the series, “Charlie Bumpers vs. the Teacher of the Year” won the Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Award and is part of Read to Them’s popular “One School, One Book” program.
Whatever Harley’s forum, whatever the format, it’s always all about story, community and connection. If ten thousand hours is the measure of an expert, Harley is a master many times over. “As a rule, I have a hard time figuring out where I fit,” he says of his multi-faceted career, “but I got into this because I’m trying to make the world a better place.”
One story, one song, one book at a time.