From REtoday - Spring 2013 This book, as the title suggests, is a companion volume to Bible Storybags, also by Margaret Cooling. It comprises reflective storytelling ideas, suitable for primary age children, which can be used in either RE or class collective worship. More Bible Storybags has a particular focus on learning from religion and contains 16 units covering key stories from The Old Testament, such as Creation, Moses, David, Jonah and Esther. Each unit contains two scripts, differentiated for younger pupils (4-7 year olds) and older pupils (7-11 year olds). Here the busy teacher will find ideas for using the material which includes a retelling of the biblical story, together with a range of follow-up activities as well as useful background information. For example, there are tips on ways of telling the story, patterns to make the knitted characters in the stories, instructions as to how to make the storybags as well as useful websites. The book also includes appropriate questions to stimulate discussion and thinking skills around the stories, such as 'What is puzzling or surprising?' There are prescriptive 'stage directions' and manual actions to accompany each biblical story. However, the resourceful teacher will use these frameworks as a tool on which to build their own creative ideas. Practical advice includes suggestions for colours for the respective storybags, such as a brick-coloured bag for the story of Joshua and a velvet or rich-looking bag for the King Solomon narrative. I would recommend this book for the primary classroom. It contains a wealth of creative ideas to support storytelling in RE from the Judaeo- Christian tradition. Reviewed by Lizzie McWhirter
