Joe Hayes
Joe Hayes is one of America's premier storytellers-a nationally recognized teller of tales from the Hispanic, Native American and Anglo cultures. His bilingual Spanish-English tellings have earned him a distinctive place among America's storytellers. His books and tapes of Southwestern stories are popular nationwide.
Joe's tales combine the traditional lore of the American Southwest and his own imagination. The traditional part is based on things people have told him and on what he has learned from reading the work of folklorists and anthropologists. Most of the material he uses was collected fifty or more years ago, before radio, television and movies began to replace the old stories. Joe's own contribution is based on his instincts as a storyteller and what his experience tells him listeners need in order to feel satisfied with a story. The stories reflect his own values and sense of humor, as well as the values and humor of Southwest cultures, which is made up primarily of Hispanic, Native American and Anglo cultures.
Born in Pennsylvania, Joe moved as a child to a small town in southern Arizona, some fifty miles from the Mexican border. From Mexican-American friends and schoolmates he began to acquire a knowledge of Spanish and an appreciation for Hispanic culture. As an adult his experience with Spanish helped him find work doing mineral exploration in Mexico and Spain. When Joe moved to New Mexico in 1976 he first taught high school English, but his interest in the rich folklore of the region was already growing. He enjoyed sharing stories with his own children so much that he decided to shape a career for himself as a storyteller. Joe gathered traditional stories of the Southwest, added a little of his own spice and hit the road, traveling all over to share his stories. He has captured the imagination of children in over 1500 schools.
For thirteen years Joe has been the resident storyteller at the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian in Santa Fe. He has been featured at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN, and is featured in the book Best Loved Stories Told at the National Storytelling Festival. Joe has taught storytelling to teachers at the University of New Mexico and been a guest lecturer at many colleges and universities, delivering the commencement address for the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at U.C.L.A. He was designated a New Mexico Eminent Scholar by the New Mexico Commission on Higher Education, and in 1995 he received the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence.
Joe has published 20 books, seven of them written in both Spanish and English. His book The Day It Snowed Tortillas was nominated for the Arizona Young Readers' Award and was chosen by the editors of The Bloomsbury Review as one of their 15 favorite children's books published in the past 15 years. One of his most recent books Watch Out for Clever Women! /¡Cuidado con las mujeres astutas! was nominated for the Texas Bluebonnet Award and received the Southwest Book Award for 1995.
If you would like to have Joe Hayes participate as a keynote speaker at a conference or tell stories at a local school, you can contact him through:
Cinco Puntos Press, 2709 Louisville, El Paso, TX 79930; 800-566-9072.
Reviews
The Day It Snowed Tortillas
Joe Hayes
Illustrations by Lucy Jelinek
In the Spanish-speaking communities of northern New Mexico, when you want to be told a story, you say, "Cuente me un cuento." Here, master storyteller Hayes has gathered ten cuentos in a slender volume rich with mirth and tears, joy and grief, and all the conundrums of life itself. La Llorona of course is here, her dark deed sowing fear. But so is the young thief who bested a king in a battle of wits; the little ant whose lesson is learned in charming verse; and many more. Jelinek's sketches add drama and whimsy to the tales, but this is primarily a lode for storytellers to mine. Part of Maricopa's "Joe Hayes" series. Other titles include A Heart Full of Turquoise, Everyone Knows Gato Pinto, and The Checker Playing Hound Dog. 1995, Maricopa, Ages 8 up, $3.95. Reviewer: Uma Krishnaswami
ISBN: 0-933553-00-5
Here Comes the Storyteller
Joe Hayes
Photographs by Richard Baron
Whether you like to tell stories or just listen to them, you'll want to read this collection of nine tales adapted from traditional cultures of the southwestern United States. Readers will discover Coyote being duped, how the stars appeared in the sky, the power of cooperation, and the importance of a promise. The accompanying photographs capture the teller's expressions and gestures. In gray bars down the left side of the page are Hayes' hints on telling that particular story, and also more general comments on storytelling. This well-known and popular storyteller addresses such issues as telling a story from another culture, and using voice and gesture. These stories call for audience participation in one way or another, and would be fine additions to any storyteller's repertoire. Children will enjoy reading the stories and viewing Hayes' humorous expressions. Knowledgeable and thoughtful commentary accompany the stories. 1996, Cinco Puntos Press, Ages 9 up, $12.95. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
ISBN: 0-938317-25-3
La Llorona: The Weeping Woman
Joe Hayes
Illustrated by Vicki Trego Hill
In this classic folk story from Hispanic America, the once proud, beautiful Maria becomes enraged at her husband's infidelity. She turns her rage onto her children, throwing them into the river. Realizing her fateful deed, she attempts to find them, but she is found dead the next day on the riverbank. Soon after, villagers begin hearing crying in the night, that of a weeping woman crying for her children. At this point in the tale, children are admonished to be home before dark, or La Llorona (the weeping woman), may think the children are hers and take them away. This story is presented in both English and Spanish, and has a companion audiocassette. The richly detailed illustrations in brown hues capture the town, its residents, and their clothing. 1987, Cinco Puntos Press, Ages All, $4.95. Reviewer: Mary Sue Preissner
ISBN: 0-938317-02-4
A Spoon for Every Bite
Joe Hayes
Illustrations by Rebecca Leer
Once there was a couple so poor that they only had two spoons. This is their story and that of their rich neighbor, who became their comrade. The rich neighbor could not hide his arrogant amusement when he found out, as their dinner guest, that they had to purchase a third spoon just for him. How he got his comeuppance is cleverly told, in a tale that holds entertainment, instruction, and an elegant twist of meaning. An informative note is included for readers and storytellers. 1996, Orchard, Ages 4 to 7, $15.95 and $16.99. Reviewer: Uma Krishnaswami
ISBN: 0-531-09499-5
ISBN: 0-531-08799-9
Tell Me a Cuento
Joe Hayes
Illustrated by Geronimo Garcia
Accomplished and well-known storyteller Hayes offers four tales in both English and Spanish. The first, "Mariposa," is the tale of a beautiful butterfly seeking a husband. When she meets him and marries, tragedy suddenly befalls the newlyweds, but through the kindness of her friends, mariposa loses herself in the beauty of the flowers. It is a bit of a pourquoi story, and also close to "La cucaracha," a story popular in Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands. "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Oh!" is another familiar tale in which the poor but good woman is rewarded and the rich and selfish one gets her due. "No Way, Jose!" is amusing, while the "Terrible Tragadabas" contains a touch of mystery but is not really too scary for young kids. It is a delighful collection and a fine addition for those seeking bilingual books. 1998, Cinco Puntos, Ages 4 to 8, $11.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-938317-43-1
Watch Out for Clever Women!! Cuidado Con las Mujeres Astutas!!
Folktales told by Joe Hayes
Illustrated by Vicki Trego Hill
The introduction to these, bilingual, Spanish/English folktales states that there is an old saying that a woman thinks more in one minute than most men think in an entire month. This pretty much sums up the philosophy expressed in this humorous collection of trickster tales. The tricksters turn out to be clever wives, mothers, daughters and sweethearts, who manage to outwit the villains to save their rather naive or even dumb males. Most of the stories are from the Hispanic tradition of the Southwest, although one tale deals with a Navajo shepherd and his wise mother. One tale, "The Day it Snowed Tortillas" has already been published in an all-English volume with the same title, by Joe Hayes. The illustrations are realistic black and white drawings. 1994, Cinco Puntos, Ages 5 to 12, $17.95 and $10.95. Reviewer: Gisela Jernigan
ISBN: 0-938317-21-0
ISBN: 0-938317-20-2
Added 1998
To stay up to date on new books by this author, consider subscribing to The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. For your free trial, click here.
If you're interested in reviewing children's and young adult books, then send a resume and writing sample to marilyn@childrenslit.com.