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Log InGoode Stories
- Chesapeake, VA
- Storyteller
- Travels up to 60 miles
- negotiable - starting as low as $150
Overview
I'm Via Goode, and I tell good(e) stories for great kids of ALL ages! I'm not a story-reader; l PERFORM the stories with simple props, character voices, & participatory songs! Interactive, fun, educational (shhhh! don't tell 'em they're learning!) I will perform in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, & the Peninsula (Hampton Roads). Great for in-house field trips (done on-site or virtually, synchronous or asynchronous) at public & private preschools, kindergartens, elementary through high schools, as well as birthday parties, boy/girl scout meetings, PTA events, & events for adults (reunions, retirement parties, bridal showers, nursing homes). VERY reasonable rates!
17 Reviews
Miss Goode held the children’s attention the entire story time... they laughed and giggled all the way through. I would most definitely recommend Ms Goode and my 5 year old granddaughter is already requesting her for her next birthday party!
Storyteller
Response from Goode Stories:
AAAAWWWWW! THANK YOU! It was such a joy and an honor to be a part of the special birthday celebration. And the audience was WONDERFUL! You have blessed me tremendously, and I am so very happy that you (and your granddaughter!) were pleased with the storytime. I ALWAYS have fun, but my hope and prayer is that my audience has as much fun as I do :) Thank you, again, for your kind words and for allowing me to share this special day with you!
Ms. Good came on a very wet, rainy day when the kiddos were stir crazy and had just eaten chocolate and cookies. Not only did she keep them engaged throughout her story time, but us parents as well! Many parents commented that she was so fun and amazing. She truly brought our birthday party theme of favorite children's books to life.
Storyteller
Response from Goode Stories:
It was my absolute pleasure and honor to be included in this fun celebration! The children and families were delightful, and the hostess (Cobie) planned and executed a phenomenal party! I had as much fun as the guests! Thank you, again, for allowing me to share stories with such an amazing audience and to be a part of the girls' special day!
Photos from this event
Via Goode is an exceptional story teller! She is clearly gifted with a talent for telling stories to young children that are engaging, age-appropriate, and educational. She keeps the children engaged through songs, movement, props, and a wonderful sense of humor and excitement as she tells the stories. She is very thoughtful about the stories she presents, making the experience one that is a true favorite of our preschool. We always look forward to having Goode Stories come to visit! It's one of our favorite days of the year!
Educational Entertainment, Storyteller
Response from Goode Stories:
Thank you! It was my pleasure -- and an honor and a blessing to share stories with the delightful children and teachers at Great Bridge Presbyterian Church Preschool & Kindergarten. It was a FUN time!!!
Once you sit through one of Via Goode's performances, you will easily understand why we continue to invite her back year after year. Ms. Goode recently returned to our school for the third year in a row to kick off Reading month with our Preschoolers and Kindergarteners. Her background in teaching is immediately evident when you see the rapport she builds with the students. She is enthusiastic, creative, and does a fantastic job involving the student in each story to keep them connected and engaged. The students LOVED her stories and want to know when she can return.
In addition to putting on a great show, Ms. Goode is very organized and efficient when dealing with scheduling and contracts, making the process very easy. I was also very impressed that she made a point to keep track of which stories she told at our school over the past two years in order to make sure she presented our kids with something new each year.
I would not hesitate to recommend Via Goode for any storytelling needs you may have!
Educational Entertainment, Storyteller
Response from Goode Stories:
Ms. Kraft, THANK YOU for your kind words! I feel so blessed to be invited to share stories with such delightful students and amazing educators! Working with you is a breeze! It is apparent that you love what you do, which makes it even more of a treat for me to partner with you! Thank you, again!
Loved, loved, loved the storyteller.
Storyteller
Response from Goode Stories:
Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of such a special event! Your "Candy-land Christmas" was fabulous! Your attention to detail (food, decorating, activities, etc.) made the evening delightful! And I'm sure you helped create very happy memories that family members will enjoy reminiscing about for years to come! I wish you all the best in your future party-planning endeavors -- you are off to a great start! Abundant blessings to you and yours!
Via was a wonderful storyteller. She kept the children enthralled and active. Would like to have seen some more and colorful props, but other than that, wonderful!!
Storyteller
Response from Goode Stories:
So glad everyone had a fun time! I certainly did; the audiences were delightful! And the children were SO good(e) at using their imaginations (thank-you, teachers, for what you do to build that foundation), that I was able to let them use the "props" in their minds, keeping my use of physical props to a minimum (the tree, the fruit, and the farm animal cut-outs were enough to spark those little imaginations!). THANK YOU, Children's Harbor, for allowing me to share in this fun way to encourage/improve literacy!
Whenever I tell the children at our center that the storyteller is coming, they are thrilled! Ms. Goode relates so wonderfully to the different ages with her stories, her delivery and her enthusiasm. Her stories are interactive with the children, keeps them attentive, and gets them involved in the stories. The stories she tells are not only fun, but learning experiences also. We are so blessed to have Ms. Goode as part of our curriculum planning!
Educational Entertainment, Storyteller
Awesome story telling brought to life! The children were engaged and loved every moment!
Storyteller
When you first hear of a storyteller, you think of someone reading you a good book. This program goes so far beyond that. We invite Goode Stories to our school every year for summer camp and the children love her energetic telling of fun tales. From ages 2 years – 10 years, the children are engaged and you usually hear lots of giggles and laughter. Even the teachers thoroughly enjoy this program and learn fun tips and tricks to use in their classrooms. I would highly recommend this service to anyone interested!
Educational Entertainment, Storyteller
FANTASTIC! As a teacher of young children, I KNOW how difficult it is to hold their attention for even the shortest of time. I was skeptical if this "old school" art form would work with a generation of high tech, ebook, i-everything kids. My class LOVED it! "Goode Stories" not only held their attention, but had them fully engaged in the stories, excited with anticipation, belly laughing, and wanting more. I found myself laughing and caught up in the stories too. I had as much fun as the kids did...maybe more because I had the added pleasure of watching their joyous reactions! My class didn't want their time with her to end. SUCCESS! I really think Via Goode has a gift for storytelling. She is creative, expressive, passionate, and funny...I have never heard anyone tell a story the way she does... very impressed!
Storyteller
Via Goode thrilled our church Senior Group with her very professional story telling. We laughed, smiled and even sang along with her tales. Her lively style and many voices entertained us royally!. Her energy and great props added to our enjoyment and we agree she is perfect entertainment for any group! Her performance gave us a lot of fun! A perfect choice!
Storyteller
Our children LOVE when Via comes to visit our school - so do our teachers. She is so engaging you can hear a pin drop during her story time. We already have her booked for Thanksgiving and Christmas and the children can't wait.Only 25 more days!
Storyteller
Via is always early to set up and is really knowledgeable about children so her techniques help with "setting the stage" and behavior guidance. She's very professional with the teachers as well. And we LOVE her stories - she is a true professional and a ton of fun!
Storyteller, Educational Entertainment
Via is an incredibly creative and gifted storyteller! Her imaginative tales not only entertain but also build important educational and social skills. It is amazing to watch Via bring the characters in her stories to life! She is a treasure!
Storyteller, Educational Entertainment
Mrs. Goode is a fantistic story teller! We have had the privilege of having her entertain our preschoolers for 3 years. Not only are her stories fun but they give us an opportunity to observe the developmental levels of our preschoolers. Our preschoolers have a great time with Ms. Goode!
Storyteller, Educational Entertainment
Via was enthusiastic, energetic and animated. She really involved the students with well know stories, yet turned them into her own "masterpieces". Via is a real gem!
Storyteller
Via has a wonderful way of engaging the kids with her stories. The props she uses are simple but captivating. I teach 3 yr olds and they absolutely loved her. I found a couple of the kids repeating some of the lyrics to one of her stories later on in the day. I would highly recommend her!
Storyteller
Booking Info
Price Range: negotiable - starting as low as $150
Gig Length: 30 - 50 minutes
Languages: English
What to Expect
audience will be engaged -- laughing, singing, participating, and LISTENING! I am able to keep the attention of even the youngest listeners! And my stories will not only delight the audience, often they will learn something, too :)
About
I do not use books -- I perform stories. I use character voices, simple props (with occasional use of simple costumes), and I incorporate songs and movement in my stories. I customize my programs to meet the venue's needs (themes, length, etc.). I specialize in stories for preschoolers through middle-school-aged audiences, but have also performed for older students, as well as adults (at libraries, nursing homes, museums, and special events). My programs are perfect for in-house field trips, birthday parties, boy/girl scout meetings (badge work!), PTA events, school assemblies, classrooms. My stories are interactive, fun and educational, age appropriate, and often emphasize morals and building good character traits. My background: Former preschool teacher and teacher's aide, substitute teacher for the public school system, room parent for public school classes, PTA member, Assistant Director of Children's Ministry for a large church, "team" mom for soccer and softball teams. I am licensed and have been "background checked". I am a member of the National Storytelling Network and the Virginia Storytelling Alliance, and was awarded "Teaching Artist of the Year - 2015" by Young Audiences of Virginia, Inc. I have been the headliner at more than 800 performances over the past 11 years. I am professional, quick to respond to my clients' needs -- and fun!
Additional Booking Notes
I have performed for audiences with as few as 10 listeners, and as many as 350 listeners. I am comfortable on stage, or in the classroom. I prefer indoor venues, and typically do not need any special sound equipment (but can bring my own, if necessary).
Services Offered
Past Booked Events
| August 15, 2022 • 9:30am - 10:30am | Nonprofit Event |
| December 07, 2019 • 1:30pm - 2:00pm | Children's Birthday Party |
| February 23, 2019 • 11:00am - 11:45am | Children's Birthday Party |
| December 01, 2018 • 12:00pm - 12:30pm | Christmas Party |
| June 22, 2018 • 3:00pm - 3:30pm | Children's Birthday Party |
| December 22, 2017 • 6:30pm - 7:00pm | Christmas Party |
| January 26, 2017 • 1:30pm - 2:30pm | Nonprofit Event |
| August 08, 2016 • 10:00am - 11:00am | School Assembly |
| July 20, 2016 • 2:30pm - 3:15pm | School Assembly |
| August 27, 2015 • 9:00am - 12:00pm | Other |
| July 20, 2015 • 1:00pm - 2:00pm | Church Service |
| November 15, 2014 • 3:00pm - 5:00pm | Other |
| October 27, 2013 • 1:00pm - 3:00pm | Halloween Party |
| May 18, 2013 • 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Birthday Party |
Setup Requirements
small table for props, adult-sized chair, dedicated space/classroom/auditorium