Karen Maurer, a Bethlehem storyteller, brings her craft to the Lehigh Valley Storytelling Guild's "Winter Children's Series," 2 p.m. Feb. 16, Godfrey Daniels, 7 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem.

The series, held every first and third Sunday through the winter season at Godfrey's, highlights a different member of the guild for each session. Each session, which lasts about one hour, is part of the LVSG's mission to promote and celebrate the art of storytelling.

LVSG members are professional and amateur storytellers, actors and poets who have a love for the ancient art of storytelling. This year's Children's Series included Mary Wright, Larry Sceurman and Robbi Kumalo. Upcoming in the series at Godfrey's: Ingrid Bohn, March 2, and Kristin Pedemonti, March 16.

"Storytelling is so important to literacy and to learning cause and effect," says Maurer, a retired librarian. "It's wonderful for person-to-person contact. It needs to be revisited.

"The word 'storytelling' is in almost everything, in every magazine, in every commercial. It's just everywhere. It is a meme that has become pervasive in society. It's about one person interacting with an audience."

Maurer, always a voracious reader, became interested in storytelling as a girl. "I came from a large family," she explains, "and I would help my parents entertain my younger brothers and sisters with my tales."

Years later, she honed her skills in the local libraries where she worked. Maurer, originally at Easton Area Public Library and then for 22 years as librarian at Parkland Community Library, developed children's and intergenerational storytelling programs. Now, she brings her folk tales and even some fun personal stories to the children at Godfrey Daniels.

"I try to tell stories that I think the audience will relate to," she explains, "I even bring along my accordion."

Maurer, who believes strongly in the power of reading, is excited that every child who attends the storytelling session will leave with two free books donated by the Cops 'n' Kids Children's Literacy Program.

"The 'Cops 'n' Kids' organization is there every single Sunday that we perform, and each child there receives two like-new books," she says. "It's a really fantastic afternoon."

Tickets:godfreydaniels.org, 610-867-2390

Lehigh Valley Storytelling Guild events: lvstorytellers.org