Marie L. Shedlock

Born in Boulogne, France, on May 5, 1854, to English parents, Marie L. Shedlock spent parts of her childhood in England before returning to France and later completing her education in Germany. She began her working life as a schoolteacher in England and gradually moved toward the work that would define her career: telling stories aloud for audiences.

Her debut as a storyteller came in London when she was in her thirties, and by about age 46 she had left teaching to work as a professional storyteller. Shedlock became especially influential through extended tours in the United States, where her performances were warmly received in schools and libraries. People who later became major figures in children’s librarianship and storytelling, including Ruth Sawyer and Anna Cogswell Tyler, were inspired by hearing her perform.

She also wrote about the craft she practiced. Her best-known book, The Art of the Story-Teller (1915), set down her ideas about oral performance, and Eastern Stories and Legends followed in 1920. She died on January 17, 1935, but her work still stands as an early and important bridge between teaching, performance, and the modern tradition of library storytelling.