The Storylady
Amber Wood (she/they) has been reading aloud with children across Turtle Island for 30 years. Passionate about helping folks of all ages develop literacy skills and a love of reading, she may often be discovered sitting criss-cross-applesauce in the floors of libraries and independent bookstores looking for her next favorite tales to share! Wood is a proud supporting member of the American Library Association (ALA) and the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC).
Writer, Actor, Collaborator, and Story Facilitator
Wood’s literacy work with children inspires her to approach stories with curiosity, wonder, and openness. Similarly, her experiences with grief and mental health systems compel her to hold compassionate space for others, and to share her own stories with authenticity and willful vulnerability.
Wood’s storytelling process is informed by playwright Marilo Nuñez, cartoonist Lynda Barry, play theorist Brian Sutton Smith, and countless children’s books about feelings and kindness. As a story facilitator, she is primarily interested in the relationship which exists between the storyteller and their own stories. Wood employs memory mapping techniques (combinations of physical activities, visual image making, and sensory questions) to mine details and deepen the telling experience. These enliven the connections between brain, body, and voice to ensure that the story which is eventually told is the right one, both for the storyteller and for their intended audience.
Wood is co-creator (librettist and songwriter) of Fancy Cat, author of Karaoke Visiting Hour, and co-deviser of There’s an Easy Bake Oven Where My Heart Should Be.
The solo and collaborative projects chosen for Lightbulb Heart emphasize community building and mental health advocacy.
Photo: Jessie Golem
Lightbulb Heart 