I came in to the world of Storytelling in 2013. Storytelling has always fascinated me since I was a child, and having a love of stories I wanted to combine my love of stories with my Illustration work.
I trained with the Tradtional Arts Team, and have trained with Storytellers from around the world, on performance, voice, visual langauge and repertoire development.
I have performed at Festivals, Schools, Parks, Museums, Heritage sites, at private and corporate events around the Midlands and the UK.
In 2022 I found out I was Dyslexic whilst studing my MA in Childrens literature and Book Illustration, and made me realise reading picture is as important as reading words and also how important and inclusive storytelling is.
I am fully insured with Public Liability Insurance, a member of the Society for Storytelling and I have an enhanced DBS.
Based in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands.
Since 2013 my repertoire has developed by seeing other storytellers, collecting stories orally and my own research in folk tales, fairy tales , myths and legends from the UK and from around the world.
Mrs Claus Storytelling

Celebrating national storytelling week in primary and secondary schools. Listening to the tales that have been told for mutliple generations and shared all around the world.

I can visit different classrooms throughout the day, or have groups of children in the main hall.
Childen can listen to the tales they know and tales they may not know, but they will be engaged.

Below are the storytelling shows that I do, they are suitable for family audiences with a mix of age ranges which is perfect for schools and public events.
I also do storytelling for older children and adults.
Shows can be adapted to suit either audience, just let me know when you book.

Suitable for the whole family, and great for Schools and museums, a selection of traditional stories of farmers, animals, giants and kings.
Fun and interactive experience.

Stories of animals all around the world, and stories of nature.
Nature and animal tails are perfect for the outdoors, such as festivals, campfires and story walks.

No campfire is complete without a Storyteller. Perfect for campsites, parks and outdoor events. A mixture of spooky stories and woodland tales.
Ideal for families, older Children and adults.

Myths and legends, a selection of tales of mythical creatures from the British Isles and beyond.
Tales of Leprechauns, Unicorns, Mermaids Giants, Fairies and much more.

A selection of stories from around the world about ghosts, vampires, and skeletons.
Children ages 5-7 and Children 8 and older.

This set of stories is suitable for adults, listen to local stories of ghosts and and folk tales.
Perfect for spooky settings such as old buildings and story walks.
(Suitable for Adults)

Festive fun for all the family, a selection of Christmas and winter tales about Snow bears, Elves, Christmas Cats and even Father Christmas himself.

Stories for cold nights of the winter season, tales of ghosts and abit of festive cheer.
(Suitable for Adults)
I tell to most age ranges.
Family Storytelling is aimed at varied ages which is perfect for events for Children and Adults.
Adult Storytelling, this is aimed at adults only, depending on the theme, the stories may be longer, or scary, not really aimed at Children.
Storytelling for Children, from the age of 4 to older Children, ideal for schools or family events.
(Please note the stories I tell are aimed at Children 4 years old and above, I do not tell to babies or toddlers.) Though they may be there at family events, the stories are not aimed at that age range.
The art of performance Storytelling is simply a Storyteller telling you or an audience a story. It’s using particular oral language, body language and engaging with the audience. It is different from simply reading a book, as the story can change with each telling, depending on the audience and the environment where the story is being told. It is not scripted, but the Storyteller owning the story as if it were their own.
NO!
The stories are mainly folk tales, fairy tales, myths, and legends, which are traditional stories. They have been passed down by word of mouth (not in books) for hundreds and sometimes thousands of years. We do not know who first told them, so they belong to everyone.
Storytellers have travelled the globe and shared these stories. As they journeyed, the stories evolved, giving rise to different versions of familiar tales such as “Cinderella” and “Beauty and the Beast” in various countries. Despite the differences in titles, these stories are essentially the same, uniting us in a shared global narrative.
Over the years, people such as the Brothers Grimm and Joseph Jacobs have collected these stories and written them down in books. Unfortunately, some oral traditions are no longer as popular as they once were, largely due to the prevalence of technology as the primary form of entertainment in households.
Even as some of these stories are collected and written down in books, the oral tradition remains resilient. Storytellers, the custodians of these tales, keep the tradition alive, passing them down from generation to generation. This resilience reassures us of the enduring nature of these stories.
If bookings are made for an event, storytelling sessions can last between 10, 20, and 45 minutes and be repeated throughout the day; one-hour performances are also available.
Each story is 5-10 minutes long, and the occasional longer story is 30 - 45 minutes long.
A storytelling show for adults typically lasts either an hour or 2-45 minutes and consists of a selection of stories with an interval in between.
Storytelling at events can be in slots of between 10 and 30 minutes long and can be repeated throughout the day.
I take bookings for..
1 hour,
1- 3 hours (half a day)
3-6 hours (full day)
Not all stories require props, as they allow us to use our imaginations when listening to a story.
I do use some props for selected stories for Children.
For some of the stories, I use my illustrations to engage young children and families.
For some Adult shows, projections and Illustrations can be used to enhance the experiential aspect.
Please ask before booking if there is something specific you require, it depends on the event, where the event is and the audience; what stories I bring with me.
"The library was transformed into a magical storytelling space where the talented professional storyteller, Jenna Catton, brought tales to life in captivating detail. Her stories held the boys spellbound, and the photos from the day show just how engaged and inspired they were."
Jenna Catton Illustrations
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