Welcome to Wisdom Tales
Elisa Davy Pearmain is a professional storyteller with over 30 years of experience telling in schools, libraries, churches and festivals around New England. She is the author of two award-winning books, Doorways to the Soul: 52 Wisdom Tales from around the World, and Once Upon a Time: Storytelling to Teach Character and Prevent Bullying and a CD Forgiveness: Telling our Stories in New Ways. Elisa is a teacher of storytelling, and a licensed psychotherapist, helping adults to hear their own stories in new ways for personal growth and healing. This site is packed with information about Elisa’s programs and resources and contains articles and stories and information on character development, bullying prevention, spiritual growth through story and much more. Enjoy!
Forgiveness: Telling Our Stories in New Ways
Two hours of listening including 16 stories from many traditions, commentary and exercises to help the listener and those they serve to heal from the past and live more joyfully in the present. Winner of the 2015 Storytelling World Award for Storytelling Recordings. More at Forgiveness Program.
Available from the Publications page.
Once Upon A Time: Storytelling to Teach Character and Prevent Bullying
Lessons from 99 Multicultural Folktales for grades K-8.
Winner of the Silver Medal in the Independent Publishers Book Awards for 2009.
Winner of the 2007 Storytelling World Honor Award in Specialty Categories.
Available from the Publications page.
Doorways to the Soul: Fifty-two Wisdom Tales from around the World
Winner of the 1999 Storytelling World Honor Award for Anthologies.
Doorways is an excellent resource for middle school teachers, librarians, families, religious educators, ministers, and anyone in the healing professions who wishes to use stories as an educational or therapeutic tool. While written for adults, many elementary and middle school teachers and parents report using the book regularly in their classrooms and homes.
Available from the Publications page.
Upcoming Workshops and Appearances
Elisa will be performing in the 2026 Women's Storytelling Festival (March 19 – 22, 2026). She will be a part of the Friday night concert Emceed by Elizabeth Ellis, which is Zoom only.
https://bettersaidthandone.org/womens-festival/
Elisa at Storytelling Festival of Chennai
Watch Elisa Pearmain (Massachusetts), Performing at the February 2024 World Storytelling Festival of Chennai, India.
https://youtu.be/kJfeUHLWhd8?si=UHhjq950ffZ06Gs0&t=76
Read Elisa's latest Story Blog Post
Fostering Compassion During the Coronoa Virus Pandemic
Elisa is Programming Chair for the Healing Story Alliance
The Healing Story Alliance offers unique free opportunities to enjoy in our community of storytellers and listeners with a mission to offer stories to heal ourselves, our communities, and our earth.
Keeping Our Oars in the Water on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month from 7:00-8:30 p.m. ET. To learn more, go to: https://healingstoryalliance.org/oars-themes-2022/oars/
Kind Stories in Concert, a bi-monthly storytelling concert in which we feature 3 professional tellers, and two community tellers who will tell stories on the broad and inclusive theme of Kindness. In the second half of the program, we encourage audience members to share a memory or reflection on kindness.
Check out our website for upcoming concerts and two amazing fundraiser concerts in January and February 2026!
https://healingstoryalliance.org/
You can reach Elisa by phone at: (781) 640-9499
You can write to her at: 127 White Pond Rd., Hudson, MA 01749
Contact her by e-mail at: