Home Contact Margie Rates Press Kit Programs Comments		Professional storyteller Margie Reitsma shares stories with children and adults of all ages... in libraries, schools, churches, and communities...across the Midwest. Margie believes that storytelling helps build connections - to one another, to people near and far, to the environment, and to our own hopes and dreams. Whether she's telling compelling multicultural folktales, family or personal stories, or Biblical or historical tales - Margie's goal is to create a sense of wonder, ignite a spark of imagination, and enhance memory and learning with her lively, interactive style. Margie is past president and continuing member of the Northlands Storytelling Network. She is contributing author of The Art of Storytelling , in which she wrote the chapter of Storytelling and the Church. She is also a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. Margie is a rostered artist for the Iowa Arts Council Teaching Artists (Folk Arts). She also has a background as a teacher (BA in English) and school librarian (MLS). She has taught storytelling classes from the college level to elementary school. Since becoming a full time storyteller in 1998, Margie has told stories at many libraries and schools across the Midwest. Margie's Storytelling Beginnings: Margie first experienced the power of storytelling to make connections across time and space when she lived with her family abroad in Amsterdam, Holland for 10 years. By sharing Southern folklore, American legends, and family stories with her 4 daughters, she wove a story connection linking them to their heritage and culture. At the same time, she enjoyed discovering Dutch folktales and rhymes and sharing them also. Now, as a professional storyteller, Margie is still sharing stories and helping children and adults of all ages make their own enriching story connections.