# Heather McNeil

> Heather McNeil is an author and storyteller in Bend, Oregon. A retired youth-services librarian, Oregon Librarian of the Year (2014), and recipient of the Evelyn Sibley Lampman Award (2017), she performs world folktales and oral storytelling for audiences of all ages and leads storytime and early-literacy workshops for librarians, teachers, and parents. Her newest book, *Read Me a Tree, Rhyme Me a Bee: Nature Books and Activities at Storytime* (ALA Editions, 2025), gives educators books and activities for nature storytime.

## Pages

- [Home](https://heathermcneilstories.com/): Overview of Heather McNeil's storytelling performances, workshops, and books.
- [About](https://heathermcneilstories.com/about): Heather's biography, awards, and forty years in youth services and storytelling.
- [Storytelling](https://heathermcneilstories.com/storytelling): Book Heather for a live storytelling performance — Celtic, East African, trickster, literary, and scary tales.
- [Workshops](https://heathermcneilstories.com/workshops): Storytime and early-literacy workshops for librarians, teachers, and parents.
- [Books](https://heathermcneilstories.com/books): Heather's published books, including *Read Me a Tree, Rhyme Me a Bee* and her storytelling collections.
- [Gallery](https://heathermcneilstories.com/gallery): Photos of Heather performing stories and leading storytimes.
- [News & Events](https://heathermcneilstories.com/news-events): Upcoming performances, workshop dates, book news, and Heather's blog.
- [Contact](https://heathermcneilstories.com/contact): Get in touch to book a performance or workshop.

## Essays

- [The Book Shelf, or, Why Reading Aloud Really, Really Matters](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/the-book-shelf): Twenty years of reading aloud, and why sharing books together matters.
- [It's Snowing...Books!](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/its-snowing-books): A snowed-in librarian on the joy of reading many books at once.
- [I Say Airplane, You Say](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/i-say-airplane-you-say): A toddler's handmade gift, creativity, and the persistence of a writer.
- [Refiring!](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/refiring): How retirement became a new career in storytelling and early literacy.

## Books & Recognition

- [New Book Release: Read Me a Tree, Rhyme Me a Bee](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/new-book-read-me-a-tree): Heather's 2025 nature-storytime guide for librarians, teachers, and parents.
- [Coming in 2025: Read Me a Tree, Rhyme Me a Bee](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/coming-2025-read-me-a-tree): The announcement of Heather's new book of nature books and activities for storytime.
- [Named Oregon's Librarian of the Year (2014)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/oregon-librarian-of-the-year-2014): The Oregon Library Association's 2014 Librarian of the Year honor.
- [Receiving the Evelyn Sibley Lampman Award (2017)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/lampman-award-2017): Heather's 2017 award for contributions to youth library service.

## Performances & Workshops

- [Family Storytime and Early Literacy & Storytelling Workshop (Dec 2025)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/family-storytime-workshop-2025): A family storytime and workshop for First 5 Siskiyou County in Mt. Shasta.
- [Stories to Be Told — Rotary Club of Bend (Mar 2024)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/stories-to-be-told-rotary-2024): Heather shares stories at a Rotary Club of Bend morning meeting.
- [Monthly storytimes at Mudpies and Lullabies Preschool](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/monthly-storytimes-mudpies): Heather's monthly preschool storytimes in Bend.
- [Winter Solstice storytelling at UUFCO (Dec 2023)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/winter-solstice-storytelling-2023): Winter Solstice storytelling at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon.
- [Holiday stories for PEO Chapters AI and EA (Dec 2023)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/holiday-stories-peo-2023): Heather shares holiday stories with PEO chapters in Central Oregon.
- [Forest Storytelling Festival, Online (Oct 2021)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/forest-storytelling-festival-2021): Heather at the online Forest Storytelling Festival with the Clallam County Story People.
- [Celtic Stories at the UU Fellowship, Bend (Jun 2021)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/celtic-stories-uuf-2021): Celtic storytelling at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Bend.
- [The Power of Story, UUFCO (Jan 2021)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/power-of-story-2021): Heather's "The Power of Story" presentation, with a YouTube recording.
- [Around the Fire: A Storytelling Concert (Feb 2020)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/around-the-fire-2020): A storytelling concert of warmth and wit at the UU Fellowship of Central Oregon.
- [Early Literacy Workshop, Chemeketa Regional Library (May 2020)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/early-literacy-workshop-2020): An early-literacy workshop for the Chemeketa Regional Library Service.
- [Stories to Rattle Your Bones (Oct 2019)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/stories-to-rattle-your-bones-2019): Halloween storytelling at the Sunriver and Downtown Bend libraries.
- [Storytelling & the Craft of Story, First Presbyterian, Bend (Mar 2009)](https://heathermcneilstories.com/llms/storytelling-and-story-craft-2009): World folktales and a look at how stories are built, with a book signing.