Tell Me A Story

   Tell Me A Story: Making Connections and Finding Support through
   Literature is an initiative that was created to empower our military children by
   using literature and their own stories in a way that fosters skills for resilience,
   strong peer and parent connections, a sense of pride and accomplishment,
   and a caring community.



Program Mission

Empowering our military children by using literature and their own stories in a way that fosters:

  • skills for resilience
  • strong peer and parent connections
  • a sense of pride and accomplishment
  • a caring community

Why Tell Me A Story

Stories have the capacity to open discussion on potentially difficult topics such as:

  • Family separation or deployment
  • Homecoming
  • Fear of moving to a new location
  • Grief
  • Crisis
  • Fitting-in or being different

The Tell Me A Story Event

Book Selection

Each book selected for the project will allow for discussion on one or more topics.

Example titles include:

  • Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot by Margot Theis Raven
  • Night Catch by Brenda Ehrmantraut
  • How to Bake an American Pie by Karma Wilson
  • More Than Anything Else by Marie Bradby
  • While You Are Away Eileen Spinelli
  • Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type Doreen Cronin
  • Verdi by Janell Cannon
  • The Remarkable Farkle McBride John Lithgow
  • The Three Questions by Jon Muth

The current book selection will be given to all families who attend the program.

MCEC hopes to encourage discussions among military children and their parents on potentially difficult subjects and hear and learn from the perspectives of others.

Supporting Projects

These supporting projects will help kids and parents continue the Tell Me A Story connection through other outlets such as:

  • Curriculum for Family Readiness Groups and other groups 
  • Parallel story
  • Journals for Kids
  • Military kids footlocker

Suggested Event Agenda

90 minute Agenda
20 min. Welcome & reading of featured book
20 min. Facilitated Discussion with parents and children in small groups
30 min. Activities
20 min. Closing & refreshments

Suggested Advertising

  • MCEC Local Action Committee
  • Local city newspapers
  • Installation newspapers
  • Installation cable channel
  • Family support groups 
  • PTAs

Additional information

For more information about Tell Me A Story, please contact Stacye Parry at or phone the MCEC world headquarters office at 254-953-1923.