Storytrails in Canton

If everybody loves a story, then everybody must love a storyteller. Canton Public Library, 40 Dyer Ave. in Canton will put that to the test on Wednesday, February 19 at 1 p.m. when Gwendolyn Quezaire-Presutti returns with her Storytrails program.

Ms. Quezaire-Presutti has a talent for turning her audiences into rapt listeners who hang on her every word. She is a dynamic and spellbinding performer whose use of vivid detail brings stories and characters to life. Her specialty is historical stories, which serve as a kind of time machine taking her audiences back in time.

"She WOWed our audience last year. She’s so full of life. Everybody loved her. She has a sizzling personality," said Cheryl Donahue, Children’s Librarian at Canton Public Library.

For her storytelling performances, Ms. Quezaire-Presutti draws upon stories from her past, stories she heard from her ancestors, and stories she has learned from around the world. Her own heritage is rich and mixed. She is African-American, Cherokee, Choctaw, Spanish, French—in other words, she is American. And she prefers to describe her stories not as African-American stories or Native American stories but as, simply, American stories.

Ms. Quezaire-Presutti came to storytelling relatively late in life, having worked for 27 years for the Milwaukee County Department of Social Services before embarking on a new career, one which she pursued while volunteering at the Institute of Texan Cultures and performing at the Texas Folklife Festival. She is a natural storyteller, one who has appeal across generations and in a multitude of settings, including schools, museums, universities, festivals, corporations, and yes, libraries. She was born in Kansas City, MO, and attended the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

Her Storytrails program on February 19 is for ages 5 and up; for more info call 860-693-5800.