Stories keep us human

Since 1991, British storyteller, humorist and author Simon Brooks has been telling to audiences from all over the world. Simon became a full-time, professional storyteller in 2003, released his first CD in 2006, and his first collection of folk and fairy tales in 2018 in his book Under the Oaken Bough (published by Parkhurst Brothers). Simon has won awards and honors for his storytelling albums from Storytelling World and Parent's Choice. Simon travels from New London, New Hampshire to Los Angeles, California, and has told his tales in Europe. He presents anywhere you want him, be it a school, college, library, festival, camp, hospital, business, restaurant, coffee house or home.

Simon is a member of North Eastern Story Telling (NEST), and the New Hampshire Storytelling Alliance. He has performed at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, at the Exchange Place in 2018, the main stage in 2019, and as part of the virtual festival of 2020, and again MCing and telling ghost stories in 2022. He performed at Timpanogos in September, 2019, performed and MCed at the virtual 2020 Timpanogos Festival and live in 2021 and 2022, and performed in person at the Florida Storytelling Festival in January, 2020, in-person. During the 2020 shut-down, Simon also performed (on-line) at the Snake River Storytelling Festival, Athens Storytelling Festival in Alabama, Six Feet Apart, The Grapevine, Better Said Than Done, HopStop (the Hopkins Center, Dartmouth Collage), and in a few Fairytale Variations produced by Stories With Spirit. Simon helped produce and perform in events created by North East Story Telling (NEST) in 2020 , and has performed and presented at the National Storytelling Conference, Northlands Confabulation, the Connecticut Storytelling Festival, and Sharing the Fire and at other venues and festivals such as the Kearney Storytelling Festival in Nebraska and Athens Storytelling Festival, Alabama.

I am in solidarity with the American First People, Latino, African Americans, Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities, and all other people of colour. I support, acknowledge and accept without prejudice all people, and all belief systems.
I recognize racial hatred, and attacks rooted in a long history of racism, and colonialist culture. I continue to commit myself as a partner in the ongoing struggle for racial justice.
I support open discourse and dialogue.

Simon's Mission

To spread and share the art of traditional storytelling to a wider audience. To show the power (and need) of the 'ancient stories' of folk and fairy tales, myths and legends. To encourage others to tell their own stories (and favorite folk tales) in a way that is inclusive to all people of all belief systems.

To keep the art of storytelling alive in all communities for young people and for adults, by performing live, conducting workshops, and producing a podcast of traditional storytelling.

Why me?

Why should I be YOUR storyteller? I want to make sure I am the right guy for you, so here's a little about me. My background is varied, and experience wide. I began telling tales for free but people told me I was good and I should charge, so I did. And now this is how I make my living and support my family.

If you want someone upbeat, someone flexible to work with, someone who can easily identify with kids and adults, then we are off to a good start. I have always written, and my work has been published in poetry anthologies, zines, and magazines (both print and on-line). My book Under the Oaken Bough, was published by Parkhurst Brothers in 2018. Under the Oaken Bough is a collection of folk and fairy tales and includes a section on tips for telling, a suggested reading list, an author Q & A, and a lexicon or vocabulary list. I studied photography at college and that was my career for a long time. I ran budget accommodation and meals establishments working for the Youth Hostel Association (England Wales). I also have worked for corporate America. I have recorded five storytelling CDs (the fifth released in 2020), and an audio of The Epic of Gilgamesh. If you want someone who brings a lot to the table, then I am your man!

Testimonials

A heart-felt thank you for these notes…

Monday consisted of more than four hours of storytelling for Brooks, with the day broken into a few different sessions with different age groups.
Some of the stories received gasps, others "ews', and most laughs, but all seemed to delight
- Nashua Telegraph

Magic in Our Midst. "He becomes his story." Watch Simon Brooks work his magic in front of dozons of children and parents and you'll know...
- Kearsarge Magazine

Simon’s ability to engage students brought them to new places and possibilities. Thank you.”
Sherri Nichols, Manchester Director of Federal Projects

“Simon put in above and beyond for his workshop. He even created an audio specific to the sound quality of various microphones with an accompanying pdf. Super smart. It was easy to reach him through text or email and responded in a quick manner. He has been the best story artist to work with in the history of [XYZ org] - and that means 50+ professionals! He knows how to reach out and invite people - a skill that not everyone has in this world. Thank you!”
Professional development workshop on virtual presentations

All I can say is WOW! You are simply amazing. I've never seen kids (and adults) so engaged in a storytelling session. Thank you so very much for being so easy to work with, completely understanding the event and what was needed, and doing extra sets... You are incredibly gifted.
- Kim Rzemien, Director of Special Events - Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston.

Simon about to start telling stories at the National Storytelling Festival, Jonesboro, TN

You can find my work in the following places:

In person when you hire me!

On my Free Stuff page

All of my recorded albums can be found here on BandCamp to listen to or to buy!
And as Kim Weitkamp says: “It makes the difference between a working artist and a starving artist!”

Also found on Substack and Patreon

on StoryStoryPodcast, a great podcast produced by Rachel Ann Harding &

my own podcast “Conversations with Storytellers” is on Podbean, and other podcast platforms!

Hire Simon