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Turn screentime into storytime.
At Little Digital, we believe in the power of a good story, not just to entertain, but to connect.
That’s why we were honored to contribute to the Loppet's Stories of Connection project, a community-driven storytelling initiative that uplifts voices from North Minneapolis and reconnects them to Theodore Wirth Park—a natural space that, while adjacent to the neighborhood, has historically felt out of reach to many of its BIPOC residents.
We partnered with one of the storytellers, Phyllis, to help bring her joyful childhood memories to life in a children’s book: Phyllis of the Forest. Her words became the story’s foundation; her imagination became its wings. What emerged was more than just a story, it was a reminder of what’s possible when stories are shared, honored, and made accessible to everyone.
Phyllis’s story is rooted in the experience of growing up Black in Minneapolis in the 1960s, a reality marked by racial inequity and social change. But her story is also full of the kind of magical, grounded childhood joy that crosses every boundary: pretending to be a fairy, wandering in the woods, catching turtles by the creek.
That’s the beauty of storytelling. It can take a deeply personal memory and make it feel universal.
We wanted kids—all kids—to be able to hear that voice. To see themselves in the woods. To see the forest as a space where they belong. To imagine that maybe, just maybe, they could be fairies too.
Phyllis Chatham is a mermaid, a fairy, and a longtime North Minneapolis resident. She grew up exploring the natural areas in and around the city’s North Side. She is passionate about connecting kids with the natural world and helping them discover magic in everyday places.
The future of storytelling isn’t just about platforms. It’s about priorities.
Whose stories get told?
Who gets to hear them?
And what tools are we willing to use to ensure they’re heard?
At Little Digital, we’ll keep asking these questions. And we’ll keep building the kind of digital spaces where all kids can find themselves in the narrative, where stories like Phyllis’s are not the exception, but the expectation.
We want to thank the staff at The Loppet Foundation for their help and support bringing Phyllis of the Forest to life.
Want to learn more about the Stories of Connection initiative? Visit the Loppet Foundation.
Curious about how we bring stories like Phyllis’s to life? Explore our digital library or reach out, we’d love to connect!
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