Saturday Stories

Enjoy a short fairytale while you do a 10-minute task today. Or, take a 10-minute break and relax while you listen. It's a win either way! Sponsored by: Summit Writing  Write your next essay in an hour. That's zero to done in 60 minutes with the  ALL NEW Summit Writing System.  Get it done at summitwriting.net 

This hilarious short story will keep you entertained while you do a 9-minute task today. Or, take a 9-minute break and relax while you listen. It's a win either way! Sponsored by: Summit Writing  Write your next essay in an hour. That's zero to done in 60 minutes with the  ALL NEW Summit Writing System.  Get it done at summitwriting.net 

This fairytale can keep you entertained while you do a 26-minute task today. Or, take a 26-minute break and relax while you listen. It's a win either way! Sponsored by: Summit Writing  Write your next essay in an hour. That's zero to done in 60 minutes with the  ALL NEW Summit Writing System.  Get it done at summitwriting.net 

Build your vocabulary - this story includes 16 words from the SAT 6000 list. Join the Saturday Stories Club™ here: https://explore.summitwriting.net/saturday-stories-club

Ready to up your vocabulary game? The story "King Midas and the Golden Touch" includes no less than 51 SAT vocabulary words. In this episode of Wordplay Wednesday, we'll explore 3 of them. Check out Season 4 Episode 4 of Saturday Stories to hear the whole story.  

Thank you for joining me for this episode where I’ll be reading Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “King Midas and the Golden Touch.” You’ve probably heard the expression “He’s got the Midas' touch.” You might have even been envious of people that seem to have everything they touch turn to gold… This story may challenge your concept of wealth…or reinforce your perception of things you hold dear. ****************** Improve your reading comprehension, listening skills, writing, and vocabulary skills faster. Join the Saturday Stories Club™ and get free resources sent to your inbox each week. https://explore.summitwriting.net/saturday-stories-club

Prefer to see what you're hearing? Watch the video here https://youtu.be/FoyePfnNd30

Join the Saturday Stories Club and get free resources to help you improve your English language skills.    

Prefer to watch the video? Click here: https://youtu.be/nDmRSiGpCwc

Improve your English language skills with a story the whole family can enjoy! Juggling work, family, and studying for English language tests is exhausting. When you get home from work, you're torn between: a) Spending time with your family (important) b) Studying for the exams that will help you give your family a better life (also important). Now you can have your cake and eat it too! In this episode of Saturday Stories, you'll meet Rumpelstiltskin (a sneaky guy that can spin straw into gold) in a story appropriate for the whole family. Listen to this episode, and you'll have something to talk about besides work and depressing news stories!   Boost the power of Saturday Stories Join the FREE Saturday Stories Club™ Get resources each week that will help you take your English language skills to the next level. Click here to join now.

Welcome to Season 4! I've selected 13 stories in a variety of genres and styles and look forward to sharing them with you in the coming weeks. I invite you to join the Saturday Stories Club™. You'll be the first to know about Saturday Stories events and have instant access to resources that will help you improve your English language skills.   About this episode: In this episode, you'll hear a modern parable written by an anonymous author. The story offers a reminder that although life may turn out different than you had hoped, you may end up impacting others in ways you never imagined.

[Replay] In this episode of Wordplay Wednesday, Marina Gabor will be looking at three words from Oscar Wilde's short story, "The Selfish Giant." See how the words are used to enhance the story and how you can use them in your daily life. Prefer video? Watch it on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/NsUHXOuAx9I

About this episode: Although Oscar Wilde wrote this story to be read to children, it’s a great reminder of the consequences of selfishness and the hope found in redemption.   I hope you’ll be encouraged by the theme of redemption in this story. Join the Saturday Stories Club™ Use the show as a way to improve your reading comprehension, build your vocabulary, and develop your writing skills. When you join the Saturday Stories Club™, you'll get: A full copy of each week's story. A listening guide with room for your notes. Five reading comprehension questions to test your listening skills. Suggested vocabulary with space to add your own words. A suggested writing technique to practice with space for notes. PLUS, you'll be the first to know about live streams and webinars to help you take your writing to the next level. Click here to join the Saturday Stories Club™.

About this Episode: "The Thief of Time" by Captain S.P. Meek This story is one of the early speculative science fiction mysteries.  Published in the Astounding Stories of Super-Science: February 1930. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of science fiction - however, I enjoyed seeing how the mystery was solved using well… I won’t tell you exactly how it’s solved - that would give it away. But… the scientific idea is interesting and… if possible, in real life, it would make crimes a lot harder to solve.    Now for parents who need a break … the technology used in this story would come in handy… have you ever just wanted 5 minutes to yourself? Problem solved… but until these machines are readily available, it looks like hiding in the bathroom is still the best option.  Join the Saturday Stories Club™! Use the show as a way to improve your reading comprehension, build your vocabulary, and develop your writing skills. When you join the Saturday Stories Club™, you'll get: A full copy of each week's story. A listening guide with room for your notes. Five reading comprehension questions to test your listening skills. Suggested vocabulary with space to add your own words. A suggested writing technique to practice with space for notes. PLUS, you'll be the first to know about live streams and webinars to help you take your writing to the next level. Click here to join Saturday Stories Club!

About this episode:   In the story "The Lady or the Tiger," Frank Stockton weaves themes of barbarism vs. civilization, justice, power, and human nature. The story culminates in a choice that brings all those themes together.    The princess falls in love with someone below her station. As soon as her father finds out, he has her lover thrown in jail and prepares for justice to be served. He'll either be dinner for a tiger or marry a lady chosen by the king (NOT the princess.)   The princess finds out what's behind each door and directs her lover to the door of her choice.    In a minute, we'll be diving into this story that will have you anxiously awaiting the outcome and leave you questioning your own thoughts on barbarism vs. civilization, justice, power, and human nature.    Extend the value of the Saturday Stories podcast and join the Saturday Stories Club™. When you join the Saturday Stories Club™, you'll get: A full copy of each week's story. A listening guide with room for your notes. Five reading comprehension questions to test your listening skills. Suggested vocabulary with space to add your own words. A suggested writing technique to practice with space for notes. PLUS, you'll be the first to know about live streams and webinars to help you take your writing to the next level. Click here to join the Saturday Stories Club™.

Have you ever thought that someone is lucky? Everything they do, whether intentional or not, turns out to be in their favor.  If you’ve known a person like that, you’ll appreciate the humor in this story. Perhaps as the situations unfold, you’ll recall someone who has the same kind of luck as the antagonist in this story.   Throughout the story, you’ll laugh and rage your way through the unfairness of luck. But, I guess that’s why it’s called luck… and some people just seem to have it - fair or not!   Extend the value of the Saturday Stories podcast and join the Saturday Stories Club™. When you join the Saturday Stories Club™, you'll get: A full copy of each week's story. A listening guide with room for your notes. Five reading comprehension questions to test your listening skills. Suggested vocabulary with space to add your own words. A suggested writing technique to practice with space for notes. PLUS, you'll be the first to know about live streams and webinars to help you take your writing to the next level. Click here to join the Saturday Stories Club™.

Story Summary At the beginning of Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story, "The Antique Ring," we’ll see Edward proposing to Clara. However, before she accepts the ring, she requests a story that outlines the ring's history. Edward, being quite a prolific wordsmith, is happy to oblige and fabricates a Legend for the antique ring. What is the legend of the antique ring? Will Clara accept his proposal? Listen to the episode to find out!   Resources for this episode: Wordplay Wednesday (10-minute podcast) - Listen here. Seven-Sentence Story Workshop (30-minute webinar) - Register here. Close Reading Guide (free printable download) - Get your copy here.   Find Summit Writing Online: Website: summitwriting.net YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Instagram  

Get the show notes here.

About the story: Have you ever been excited for something to happen and had someone tell you their tale of woe? Perhaps they warned you away from an experience because of their own bad experience - even though there was no guarantee that you would have that same bad experience. In Guy de Maupassant’s short story "In The Spring," we feel the joy of spring through the eyes of the narrator. And, with spring, there is love in the air. The narrator ends up on a boat ride down the Seine river eying a young woman whom he finds decidedly pretty. Just as he is about to make a move, he’s tapped on the shoulder by a stranger who offers an unsolicited cautionary tale. The narrator doesn’t believe love will end badly for him, but when the stranger holds him back from following a young woman off the boat he hesitates. And ultimately, in the face of ridicule he is held back from experiencing both the pain and joy of love. Get the Most From My Saturday Stories Podcast I hope you enjoyed Saturday Stories this week. I always try to bring you stories that will entertain and inspire you! And now you can use the show as a way to improve your reading comprehension, build your vocabulary, and develop your writing skills. My FREE Close Reading Guide does all of this. Here's what you'll get: A full copy of the story. A listening guide with room for your notes. Five reading comprehension questions to test your listening skills. Suggested vocabulary with space to add your own words. A suggested writing technique to practice with space for notes. Get your FREE printable Close Reading Guide here.

Story Summary Get your FREE Close Reading Guide.   In Oscar Wilde's fairytale, "The Happy Prince," we find a self-centered Swallow transformed as he experiences the joy of giving and serving. The story is an easy read with underlying themes of love, compassion, and charity. The Happy Prince recently died, and there is now a statue of him standing high above the city overlooking the streets. One night, a Swallow, who didn't fly to Egypt, instead had stayed behind to woo a beautiful Reed, arrives in town and finds rest on the statue of the Happy Prince. He thinks it's raining and then discovers it's the Happy Prince crying for the misery of his people. When the Prince was alive, he had lived in a palace and hadn't experienced any suffering, but now up on the hill, he overlooks all the suffering of his people, and it brings him sorrow. He asks the Swallow if he would distribute the gold and gems from his statue. Reluctantly, the Swallow agrees until the Happy Prince is stripped to shabby stone. By the time the Swallow distributes all the wealth, winter has set in, and it's too late for the Swallow to join his flock in Egypt. Because he had grown fond of the Prince, he stays with him. This choice leads to the Swallow's death and the Prince's lead heart breaks. The Mayor finds the statue in its decrepit state and decides to take it down, melt it and make a statue of himself instead. But, the lead heart will not melt, and it is tossed to the rubbish heap along with the dead bird. Soon after, God tells an angel to bring him the two most precious things in the city, and the angel brings him the dead bird and the lead heart.   Get the Most From My Saturday Stories Podcast I hope you enjoyed Saturday Stories this week. I always try to bring you stories that will entertain and inspire you! And now, you can use the show as a way to learn story structure and improve your reading comprehension, build your vocabulary, and develop your writing skills. My FREE Close Reading Guide does all of this. Here's what you'll get: A full copy of the story. A listening guide with room for your notes. Five reading comprehension questions to test your listening skills. Suggested vocabulary with space to add your own words. A suggested writing technique to practice with space for notes. Get your FREE Close Reading Guide.

Get the Most From My Saturday Stories Podcast I hope you enjoyed Saturday Stories this week. I always try to bring you stories that will entertain and inspire you!   And now you can use the show as a way to improve your reading comprehension, build your vocabulary, and develop your writing skills.   My FREE Close Reading Guide does all of this. Here's what you'll get: A full copy of the story. A listening guide with room for your notes. Five reading comprehension questions to test your listening skills. Suggested vocabulary with space to add your own words. A suggested writing technique to practice with space for notes. Get your FREE Close Reading Guide here.

Download your free copy of this story and the Close Reading Guide. Improve your reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills. https://www.summitwriting.net/saturday-stories/ss-s3e4

"What you see depends not only on what you look AT but also on where you look FROM." ~ James Deacon   Get the show notes and close reading guide here. 

Join Marina Gabor this week for a reading of Henry Lawson's short story, "New Year's Night." You'll meet Johnny Mears, a man who has been married 20 years but forgotten the romance of the early years and taken his wife for granted. Get the show notes and resources at: https://www.summitwriting.net/saturday-stories/SS-S3E2

Show Notes Close Reading Guide

Free Resource Download your free copy of the Rip Van Winkle Close Reading Guide. Use it to help you improve your vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing skills. 

In this week's edition of Saturday Stories, we have a story about a woman’s Sunday outing to a park: Miss Brill’s character is revealed through a stream of consciousness narrative. According to encyclopedia.com, the story draws one of the most succinct and complete character portraits in twentieth central short fiction. Resources in this episode: Summit Writing 14-Day Free Trial - Improve Your Writing Faster Reading Challenge - A mix of short fiction and non-fiction regularly delivered to your inbox.  

In this episode, we’ll be enjoying Giovanni Boccaccio’s story “Federigo’s Falcon.” A story about a mother who humbles herself to ask for a gift and the gift-giver who gives up everything for the woman he loves only to find out that he’d sacrificed the very gift she desired. Listen for these Chocolate Words™. 1. Dire 2. Enormously 3. Anguish Resources: Click the links below to access the resources mentioned in this episode.  Summit Writing 14-Day Free Trial  Monthly Reading Challenge "Federigo's Falcon" by Giovanni Boccaccio

In this episode, we’ll be enjoying Howard Pyle’s story “A Piece of Good Luck.” You’ll meet Jacob Stuck, who through his clever use of luck ends up with everything he ever wanted. Happy Listening!   Resources: Join the Summit Reading Challenge. You'll get new vocabulary words and an entertaining new story or essay in your inbox each week. Every four weeks, you'll get a new challenge.  Sign up for the Summit Reading Challenge here.    Need to improve your writing faster? Get your FREE 14-Day Trial.  Summit Writing is here to help you improve your writing faster so you can achieve your goals sooner.  Sign up for your FREE 14-Day Trial at www.summitwriting.net.

Resources: https://www.summitwriting.net/pages/rikki-tikki-tavi https://www.summitwriting.net/pages/reading-challenge-sign-up https://www.summitwriting.net/signup  

Aaron P. - Intriguing Museums Addison R. - 3 Different Vacations Cody L. - Baseball Kaitlyn P. - Tennessee Players  Elianah B. - Two Blind Men and a Shadow   Happy Listening!   Get your child writing with a 14-Day Free Trial at summitwriting.net

Click Here to Get the Fairytale Reading/Writing Challenge In this episode: 1. The Mystery of the Missing Painting by Addison 2. A Short Story by Elizabeth 3. A Fairytale by Ashlyn Happy Listening!  

Sign up for the Reading/Writing Challenge here. In this episode, you'll enjoy two essays.  "Pets In The House?" by Laura "Snow In The Park" by Addison  

FREE Reading/Writing Challenges sent to your inbox each month. Sign up at www.summitwriting.net/pages/reading-writing-challenge-sign-up Get a FREE assignment Playlist and see what Summit Writing Academy has to offer. www.summitwriting.net

Welcome to Episode #10 of Saturday Stories! In this episode enjoy two fantasy stories.  "Lucy and the Crazy Monkeys" by Laura "The Unicorn Cat" by Julia Join the Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading/Writing Challenge Here

Welcome to Saturday Stories! We've got two compositions, and a Journal Reading/Writing Challenge for you.  Should kids wear skateboard helmets? Addison gives her opinion.  Are spiders a reclusive nemesis? Laura argues her point. See if you agree.   Happy Listening! Click to sign up for the Journal Reading/Writing Challenge

  Click here to download the Fable Reading/Writing Challenge.

Welcome to Saturday Stories.  This episode features stories by Monica, Sarah, and Anna.

In this episode, you'll hear Theresa's tale The Greedy Lumberjacks, Haylie's narrative essay titled The Big Money Mess and finally, Addison's tall tale titled Dolphins in Space. Enjoy!

In this episode, you'll hear about the Wood Beyond the Woods, A Boy with Nine Names, and a myth called The Rainbow Goddess. Enjoy!

Theme: Fairytales In this episode we’ll hear how Laura experienced a rollercoaster ride,  find out what happened when someone accidentally stepped on a cat (oops!), get our mouths watering for savory meatballs, and end with a fairytale. Enjoy!