author

William James Sly

1867–1940

A teacher and storyteller, this early 20th-century writer gathered classic tales into lively short retellings meant to be read aloud at home, in school, and in church. His work is practical, warm, and clearly shaped by a deep interest in how stories reach young listeners.

1 Audiobook

World Stories Retold for Modern Boys and Girls One Hundred and Eighty-seven Five-minute Classic Stories for Retelling in Home, Sunday School, Children's Services, Public School Grades and "The Story-hour" in Public Libraries

World Stories Retold for Modern Boys and Girls One Hundred and Eighty-seven Five-minute Classic Stories for Retelling in Home, Sunday School, Children's Services, Public School Grades and "The Story-hour" in Public Libraries

by William James Sly

About the author

William James Sly was an American educator and compiler of children's literature best known for World Stories Retold for Modern Boys and Girls, first published in 1914. The book brings together a large range of short classic tales and was designed for retelling in homes, Sunday schools, public school classrooms, children's services, and library story hours.

The title page presents him as a Ph.D. and identifies him as Director of Sunday-School and Young People's Work, as well as a teacher of Sunday-school pedagogy at Colorado Woman's College. In the book's prefatory material, he also wrote from University Park in Denver, Colorado, which helps place his work in the world of early 1900s religious education and child-centered storytelling.

Very little easy-to-confirm biographical detail about his personal life appears in major online reference sources. What does come through clearly is his purpose: he selected and adapted stories for speaking aloud, with teachers, parents, and youth leaders in mind. That makes his work especially interesting today for listeners who enjoy classic moral tales, folklore, and the history of reading to children.