A love of storytelling is what inspires Larry Sceurman to write.<\/p>\n
His books come from 30 years of storytelling in the Lehigh Valley for children and adults.<\/p>\n
He tells life lessons that youths enjoy hearing about and stories about his life that are just a little enhanced in his two adult works of fiction.<\/p>\n
Sceurman leads a group of storytellers in \u201cLarry and Friends, A Fun-Filled Night of Storytelling,\u201d 7 p.m. April 23, Charles A. Brown Ice House, Bethlehem.<\/p>\n
The \u201cFriends\u201d include Charles Kiernan, Denise McCormack, Geoff Fleming, Dave Howell, Ingrid Bohn, Nancy Scott and Karen Maurer.<\/p>\n
Sceurman\u2019s latest two books for children are \u201cBookworm\u2019s Magical Journey: A Story About Learning to Read\u201d (40 pages, 2024) and \u201cFrog and Crow\u2019s Conversation: A Fable For Children and Adults about Decision-Making\u201d (42 pages, 2025), from Parisian Phoenix Publishing, hardcover, $19.99; paperback $10.99.<\/p>\n
\u201cStorytelling is the oldest form of entertainment and the oldest type of true communication and recording history. Our brains are hard-wired for stories. We like them and learn from them,\u201d says Sceurman.<\/p>\n
\u201cBookworm,\u201d with its theme about learning to read, has a special meaning for Sceurman, who is dyslexic.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always did write stuff, but dyslexia always held me back. I would use what I called \u2018Larry language\u2019 to compensate. I thought I was dumb, because that was the story told to me,\u201d Sceurman says in a phone interview from his home in Nazareth.<\/p>\n
\u201cBookworm\u201d is published in the font \u201cLexie Readable,\u201d designed to make the book easier to read for persons with dyslexia.<\/p>\n
Says Sceurman: \u201c\u2018Bookworm\u2019 was a story I told, but I never wrote it down. It\u2019s about learning to read, and to keep on trying. In shows, I have encouraged people to read.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor those with difficulties, I suggest beginning with fairy tales. People with the same problems have come up afterwards and said, \u2018I\u2019m so glad you mentioned that.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018Frog and Crow\u2019 is about decision-making, asking, \u2018Why do we put ourselves through such needless torment to make a decision?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Sceurman did his own artwork for \u201cFrog and Crow,\u201d using Magic Markers.<\/p>\n
He hesitates to give an age range for the two books:<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard to say. They are for beginning readers. Someone might begin at four or at seven. Or they could be read to someone who is three. They could be read to an adult as well as a child.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sceurman was born in Allentown and with his family moved to the Kaywin area of Bethlehem, in the vicinity of Westgate Mall, when he was three. He attended Nitschmann Middle School and Liberty High School.<\/p>\n
Sceurman has written two books for adults: \u201cThe Death of Big Butch\u201d and \u201cCoffee in the Morning,\u201d the latter a collection of short stories.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u201cBig Butch\u2019 began as a dream, as did several of the stories in my other book. The characters are composites of people I have known throughout my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Readers will recognize references to Lehigh Valley landmarks in the stories and can get a picture of less complicated times.<\/p>\n
Sceurman was inspired by storytellers and musicians at Godfrey Daniels, Bethlehem, including folk musician Gamble Rogers (1937-1991), who shared tales of colorful people between songs.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said that his characters were based on real people and just exaggerated a little bit. You can\u2019t beat that,\u201d Sceurman says.<\/p>\n
Sceurman is a founding member of the Lehigh Valley Storytelling Guild, now Patchwork: A Storytelling Guild.<\/p>\n
He has performed at Musikfest, Mayfair, Godfrey Daniels, Touchstone Theatre, NCC, schools, libraries and the Cops \u2018n\u2019 Kids literacy program.<\/p>\n
His books and performances display the wonder of storytelling. As he says, \u201cIf we lose the ability and gift that we have for telling stories, we lose part of our humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLarry and Friends, A Fun-Filled Night of Storytelling,\u201d 7 p.m. April 23, Charles A. Brown Ice House, 56 River St., Sand Island, Bethlehem. https:\/\/patchworkstorytelling.org\/upcoming-events<\/p>\n
\u201cLiterary Scene\u201d is a column about authors, books and publishing. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com<\/p>\n
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOLarry Sceurman<\/p>\n
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