About The Ganyons

Jim and Natalee have more than 100 stories and 70 side-kick puppets. Stories range from your choice of folk tales, true stories, inspirational stories, or even tall tales. Events, classrooms, assembles, birthdays are all a few of their travels.

Jim and Natalee met after their spouses passed. Their connection was instant, and so was the connection between their puppets! In 2016 they married after meeting and connecting online. To their surprise they discovered they both had puppets and a love for God in common.

As retired teachers, Jim and Natalee also have a heart for young people. They continue their passion for service to community, and Creation through offering Storytelling and Historical Storytelling programs throughout the state, a passion that they share with one another.

Read More about Natalee


• After moving to South Carolina, Natalee started a school’s first Kindergarten program;
• Living in Albuquerque for many years, Natalee taught Kindergarten & Pre-K;
• She began developing storytelling with puppets in her classroom as well as directing a teen puppet team;
• She completed 2 Child Development Degrees;
• With a son surviving childhood cancer, she learned to use puppets during treatments (the Stitch in Time story reflects how to breathe while taking stitches);
• Natalee later completed studies in Recreation Therapy in Albuquerque, NM. She entertained Seniors with dozens of her created programs for nearly 20 years;
• During the Covid months Natalee put together 2 books of 4 stories each titled Here’s How That Happened. All stories end with a ‘Brain Adage’ as she calls it;

Read Natalee’s Books

Read More about Jim


• Jim’s lifetime of service includes a career of 8 years in the U.S. Army, 23 years as a first responder (both as a firefighter and in law enforcement), and 16 years working with special needs students in Reno, Nevada;
• Currently, Jim is a mentor and instructor for the Freedom Challenge Program at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility;
• While in law enforcement, Jim implemented a program for officers to use teddy bears to help comfort youth in stressful and traumatic situations;
• In 2019, Jim authored a book about his father’s experiences of torture and deaths of U.S. and Filipino military prisoners of war by the Japanese military during WW2;
• Jim is available to present his father’s amazing story of survival for those interested in history titled No Surrender: A Soldier’s Story.

The Benefits of Storytelling

Storytelling has many benefits for audiences young and young at heart. Many benefits include development and instilling positive attributes such as:

  • Promoting character
  • Imagination
  • Increasing interest in reading and libraries
  • Problem solving
  • Understanding of history
  • Language
  • Sequencing and patterns

Natalee also presents in character as Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison, Esther of the Bible, and Gordon Parks’ model.

Additional Qualifications & Experience of Note

As a Recreational Therapist, Natalee is a three-time holder of the Child Development Associates (CDA) credential. She has also participated in the Albuquerque Academy Summer Session teaching or telling stories from 1995 to 2002. She performed and taught in many Albuquerque Public Schools and provided many workshops to schoolteachers as well.

Stories & More workshops provide certificates, handouts, and follow-up activities. Puppets can provide language and speech support.

Natalee’s References Include:

  • APS Venue
  • Character Counts
  • Teacher for preschool teachers; state credits available
  • Other references available upon request.

If you need a storyteller, your journey begins here.