The monster shop I posted about yesterday has a secret entrance.
What lies beyond the secret door is an official task force dedicated to their story-bound cause and going about their storytelling business.
I speak of the so-called Ministry of Stories: the official provider of children storytellers.
Otherwise known as
an official inspiration
for the nation
Aim: to lure children into storytelling.
It is the job of the Ministers to help children put their imagination into action: as a story, a song lyrics, a play script, a screenplay, a report for a newspaper, a blog post, a game, a poem, a graphic novel…
The foundation of the Ministry of Stories was initiated by Nick Hornby, inspired by the success of Dave Eggers’ 826 centres in the United States.
826 centres were a heartbreaking work of staggering genius, indeed. I’ve come across the Brooklyn Superhero Supply a few years ago. Still, I much prefer the Hoxton Street Monster Supplies. The humour and the mood of the Ministry of Stories is decidedly harrypottery: and I love it all the more for that. The Ministry is fun, as there are
the Minister of Chalk and Brushes (responsible for the liason with schools);
the Minister of Monster Relations (responsible for the monster shop);
the Minister of the Street Over There (responsible for the liason with the communities);
the Minister of Twirly Lightbulbs and Furry Rugs (responsible for interior design of the Ministry);
the Minister of Lay-Bys and Rest Stops (responsible for directions and drawing of maps);
the Minister of Party Popper (responsible for events at the Ministry);
the Minister of Coins and Stamps (responsible for donations and sponsors);
the Minister 3:0 (responsible for online matters)
Are you interested to help? The Ministers seem very eager to lead the way.
And the children will surprise you. For even when they hate reading, they will come up with awsome and fantastic ideas for stories. If you can also give them the storytelling skill, you’ve got yourself a storytelling little monster.
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