Side-splittingly funny, spine-chillingly spooky, this companion to a Newbery Honor–winning anthology The Dark Thirty is filled with bad characters who know exactly how to charm. From the author's note that takes us back to McKissack's own childhood when she would listen to stories told on her front porch... to the captivating introductions to each tale, in which the storyteller introduces himself and sets the stage for what follows... to the ten entertaining tales themselves, here is a worthy successor to McKissack's The Dark Thirty. In "The Best Lie Ever Told," meet Dooley Hunter, a trickster who spins an enormous whopper at the State Liar's contest. In "Aunt Gran and the Outlaws," watch a little old lady slickster outsmart Frank and Jesse James. And in "Cake Norris Lives On," come face to face with a man some folks believe may have died up to twenty-seven different times!
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"This is a great conversation piece. Stories have an urban legend style, as the reader decides if the story was a porch lie. Patricia McKissach leads the reader in her author's note the setting.Great for teachers looking for a short stories with some colorful characters. AR book: 4.8/5.0"
— Paula (5 out of 5 stars)
" Short stories from the South for reading aloud. "
— Kelly, 10/17/2013" Porch Lies is a book based on African American folk tales. The author used some porch stories she heard growing up and tweaked them into her own fun and creative stories. There funny tricksters and also some good moral lessons behind each porch lie. I enjoyed reading the stories the author created! "
— Alixis, 10/8/2013" It was a treat to listen to these tales on audio CDs in our car! I'd recommend them for all ages. I loved the characters -- seems like most of them would have a definite twinkle in their eyes! "
— Heather, 8/28/2013" I really enjoyed this book and think several of the stories would work very well for a reader's theater, especially Change. Both the stories and the narrators on the audio version were engaging and fun. "
— Meredith, 5/21/2013" This is a really pleasant book that I randomly came across at Half Priced Books (love that store) and I read a story every night. It's like you're sitting down with an older Aunt or Grandfather listening to stories of back when "
— Kiki, 4/10/2012" This was a great book to listen to-the readers did a wonderful job of making me feel like I was out on the porch on a summer night, sitting back and listening to some porch lies. A great book to share as a family, too. "
— Jennifer, 11/5/2011" It doesn't take very long to read one of the fun tall tales in this book at each sitting. "
— The, 9/26/2011" This was a wonderfully done audiobook---the perfect format for enjoying these stories since they're from the African-American oral tradition. I respect Patricia McKissack's work and I wan't disappointed. I recommend this to storytellers looking for new material or inspiration! "
— Angela, 7/14/2011" A great collection of colorful and rich story telling that reflect the historical tradition of African folk tales and legends. They are side splitting funny stories, yet they teach a lesson or give the reader a glimpse into the characters who influenced the childhood of the author. "
— Kimberly, 12/24/2010" This was a fun book to read. "
— Marilyn, 8/8/2010" A theater company I once worked for had a story dedicated in this book dedicated to it.<br/><br/>Patricia McKissack endorsed us, and we turned this book into an educational touring show to tour to different schools and venues all over the Midwest. "
— Brittany, 12/7/2009" Reminded me of all the stories (mostly true) Grandpa told on our porch swing. "
— Bunni, 7/19/2009" This was a wonderfully done audiobook---the perfect format for enjoying these stories since they're from the African-American oral tradition. I respect Patricia McKissack's work and I wan't disappointed. I recommend this to storytellers looking for new material or inspiration! "
— Angela, 3/11/2009" This was a fun book to read. "
— Marilyn, 6/15/2008" It doesn't take very long to read one of the fun tall tales in this book at each sitting. "
— The, 4/21/2008" It was a treat to listen to these tales on audio CDs in our car! I'd recommend them for all ages. I loved the characters -- seems like most of them would have a definite twinkle in their eyes! "
— Heather, 4/9/2008" Short stories from the South for reading aloud. "
— Kelly, 5/29/2007Patricia McKissack is the author of many highly acclaimed books for children, including Goin’ Someplace Special, a Coretta Scott King Award winner; The Honest-to-Goodness Truth; Let My People Go, written with her husband, Fredrick, and recipient of the NAACP Image Award; The Dark-Thirty, a Newbery Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Award winner; and Mirandy and Brother Wind, recipient of the Caldecott Medal and a Coretta Scott King Honor Book. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
Pamella D‘Pella is an American actress, singer-songwriter, photographer, and dancer. Pamella is recognized for her extensive acting career, most notably for her years spent as “Julia” in the long running soap opera The Young and the Restless.
Adenrele Ojo is an actress, dancer, and audiobook narrator, winner of over a dozen Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for best narration in 2018. She made her on-screen debut in My Little Girl, starring Jennifer Lopez, and has since starred in several other films. She has also performed extensively with the Philadelphia Dance Company. As the daughter of John E. Allen, Jr., founder and artistic director of Freedom Theatre, the oldest African American theater in Pennsylvania, is no stranger to the stage. In 2010 she performed in the Fountain Theatre’s production of The Ballad of Emmett Till, which won the 2010 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Best Ensemble. Other plays include August Wilson’s Jitney and Freedom Theatre’s own Black Nativity, where she played Mary.
Mirron Willis—actor of film, stage, and television—is the winner of the prestigious Audie Award for best narration in 2012 and a finalist for the Audie in 2015, as well as the winner of four AudioFile Earphones Awards for his audiobook recordings. He has worked extensively in film and television and on stage with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Houston Shakespeare Festival, and the Ensemble Theatre, among others. He has recorded some 150 audiobooks, including the Smokey Dalton series by Kris Nelscott and My Song by Harry Belafonte. He resides and records audiobooks on his family’s historic ranch in East Texas.