Helicopter Stories: Letting Imagination Fly
Resources
All prices include postage and packaging for UK mainland only.
(Please contact us about international shipping)
The Growth of a Storyteller
£16.00 (including UK mainland postage - please ask about international)
This sequel to the bestselling Princesses, Dragons and Helicopter Stories reveals the positive impact the storytelling and story acting curriculum of Vivian Gussin Paley has on young children’s literacy, communication and confidence. Telling the story of three years of classroom based research with children aged two to seven, it shows the Helicopter Stories approach in action, capturing the children’s development as storytellers and their delight at having their stories listened to, scribed and acted out.
In each chapter Trisha Lee’s passion for children’s unique voices shines through as she shares and reflects on the children’s stories, paying each of them the same respect as would normally be bestowed on adult writers.
This book:
Examines the cognitive and developmental impact of implementing a Helicopter Stories approach over an extended time period
Analyses the stories told by children using the story structure of the Hero’s Journey and the seven basic plot types
Explores how and why stories connect with us including children’s innate ability to empathise with the hero from a very young age
Includes rich case studies of children at different ages and developmental stages
This magical book is your map to the stories of childhood and a timely reminder to dream harder, bigger and brighter. Your children need you to read this book. – Gregg Bottrill – author of Can I Go and Play Now
A must read for anyone who works with young children. – Ruth Swale – School Improvement Advisor, Curriculum Developer and Nursery World Trainer of the Year 2021
This beautiful book is utterly captivating. I guarantee you will find yourself listening to children in a different way after reading this. – Kym Scott, Early Years Consultant, founder of A Place to Learn
Princesses, Dragons and Helicopter Stories
£19.00 (including UK mainland postage - please ask about international)
This book outlines the ground-breaking Helicopter Stories approach to teaching and learning for Early Years and Key Stage 1, providing a step-by-step guide for educators looking to implement this innovative method of storytelling.
Princesses, Dragons and Helicopter Stories was shortlisted for the UKLA Academic Book of the Year award 2016
"Trisha Lee offers a step-by-step guide to scribing the stories of very young children and then enabling them to act out with the help of their peers. She provides a thoughtful and moving commentary on the significance of the process for the children and their teachers, and reinforces the importance of listening to the voice of young children. This is an essential text for every early years practitioner." - UKLA Book Award Panel
It’s Only Pretend
£12.50 (including UK mainland postage - please ask about international)
Ollie really wants to play a princess in Ariana’s story. He stops, confused, when some of the other boys laugh. But when Noah, the new boy, refuses to take any notice of the laughter, Oliver discovers that there is another way…
In a class where Helicopter Stories takes place regularly, It’s Only Pretend, explores issues around gender that might come up in story acting. It is part of the Helicopter Stories Tale series, a valuable and captivating resource for all early years educators using storytelling and story acting with their children.
This beautifully illustrated story book explores a common situation that arises for children and teachers taking part in Helicopter Stories and allows the children to explore their feelings in a sensitive and supportive environment. The story is accompanied by notes on how to use the book with young children, along with questions and discussion prompts that can be incorporated into the curriculum.
Trisha Lee is a writer, theatre director and storyteller. She pioneered Helicopter Stories in the UK and founded the theatre and education charity MakeBelieve Arts.
Amie Taylor is a writer and artist. She founded her shadow puppetry and illustration company, The Shadow Makers in 2013 and now delivers workshops and projects in creating shadow work and illustration.
“These picture books bring to life the magic of Storytelling and Story Acting… An invaluable resource for anyone who is developing the art of Helicopter Stories in their setting.”
Anna Ephgrave – author of five books around the topic of Planning in the Moment
The Woman Who Cooked Everything
£ 12.00 (Includes postage to UK mainland only - please ask about international)
The Woman Who Cooked is a little Tao of wisdom from young children.
A highly useful resource, crammed full of stories dictated by children aged 3 to 7 years old during Helicopter Stories sessions. The illustrations were selected from over 1000 competition entries from children of the same ages.
Welcomed as a stand alone resource by teachers, but also a great accompaniment to Princesses, Dragons and Helicopter Stories.
Applauded by children and parents:
"Stories have got magic in them, it's in the walls, and it's in your hand, it's everywhere..." - 5 year old
It’s Not Fair
£12.50 (including UK mainland postage - please ask about international)
Marta doesn’t want Noah in her story. She wants her friend Shamika. Ms Fable says they have to take it in turns, but Marta doesn’t think that is fair. When Noah becomes upset because of how Marta is behaving, she begins to realise that playing with other children can open up a whole load of fun she had never imagined possible…
In a class where Helicopter Stories takes place regularly, It’s Not Fair, explores friendship and fairness and the value of taking turns. It is part of the Helicopter Stories Tale series, a valuable and captivating resource for all early years educators using storytelling and story acting with their children.
This beautifully illustrated story book explores a common situation that arises for children and teachers taking part in Helicopter Stories and allows the children to explore their feelings in a sensitive and supportive environment. The story is accompanied by notes on how to use the book with young children, along with questions and discussion prompts that can be incorporated into the curriculum.
Trisha Lee is a writer, theatre director and storyteller. She pioneered Helicopter Stories in the UK and founded the theatre and education charity MakeBelieve Arts.
Amie Taylor is a writer and artist. She founded her shadow puppetry and illustration company, The Shadow Makers in 2013 and now delivers workshops and projects in creating shadow work and illustration.
“Childhood deserves to spend its days in an immersive world of story and make-believe, and yet again, Trisha Lee shows us how… A true adventure awaits you within these pages.”
Greg Bottrill, author of Can I Go and Play Now – Rethinking the Early Years and School
I Can’t Remember
£12.50 (including UK mainland postage - please ask about international)
Ella O’Connor desperately wants to tell a story, but every time she opens her mouth, the words disappear. Will she ever discover the joy of becoming a storyteller and unlock the secret that ideas and stories can be found everywhere?
In a class where Helicopter Stories takes place regularly, I Can’t Remember, offers and empowering solution for those moments when a child can’t think of anything to say. It is part of the Helicopter Stories Tale series, a valuable and captivating resource for all early years educators using storytelling and story acting with their children.
This beautifully illustrated story book explores a common situation that arises for children and teachers taking part in Helicopter Stories and allows the children to explore their feelings in a sensitive and supportive environment. The story is accompanied by notes on how to use the book with young children, along with questions and discussion prompts that can be incorporated into the curriculum.
Trisha Lee is a writer, theatre director and storyteller. She pioneered Helicopter Stories in the UK and founded the theatre and education charity MakeBelieve Arts.
Amie Taylor is a writer and artist. She founded her shadow puppetry and illustration company, The Shadow Makers in 2013 and now delivers workshops and projects in creating shadow work and illustration.
“These stories bring to light the importance of children being able to tell their stories right here and right now. It’s a beautiful and natural way of allowing children to address their worries, share their ideas and catch a glimpse of their imaginations.”
June O’Sullivan, author and CEO of London Early Years Foundation
Buy All Three Picture Books
£33 (including mainland UK postage - for international postage please contact us before ordering)
With this option you are buying the following three picture books:
It’s Only Pretend
Ollie really wants to play a princess in Ariana’s story. He stops, confused, when some of the other boys laugh. But when Noah, the new boy, refuses to take any notice of the laughter, Oliver discovers that there is another way…
It’s Not Fair
Marta doesn’t want Noah in her story. She wants her friend Shamika. Ms Fable says they have to take it in turns, but Marta doesn’t think that is fair. When Noah becomes upset because of how Marta is behaving, she begins to realise that playing with other children can open up a whole load of fun she had never imagined possible…
I Can’t Remember
Ella O’Connor desperately wants to tell a story, but every time she opens her mouth, the words disappear. Will she ever discover the joy of becoming a storyteller and unlock the secret that ideas and stories can be found everywhere?
——
These beautifully illustrated story books explore common situations that arise for children and teachers taking part in Helicopter Stories and allows the children to explore their feelings in a sensitive and supportive environment. Each story is accompanied by notes on how to use the book with young children, along with questions and discussion prompts that can be incorporated into the curriculum.
Trisha Lee is a writer, theatre director and storyteller. She pioneered Helicopter Stories in the UK and founded the theatre and education charity MakeBelieve Arts.
Amie Taylor is a writer and artist. She founded her shadow puppetry and illustration company, The Shadow Makers in 2013 and now delivers workshops and projects in creating shadow work and illustration.
“These picture books bring to life the magic of Storytelling and Story Acting… An invaluable resource for anyone who is developing the art of Helicopter Stories in their setting.”
Anna Ephgrave – author of five books around the topic of Planning in the Moment
Dramatic Mathematics by Trisha Lee and Isla Hill
£14.50 (including mainland UK postage - for international postage please contact us before ordering)
Description
Children are born with an ability to make sense of the world through play and storytelling. By creating narratives during fantasy play, children act out concepts and ideas that confuse them or that they find fascinating. Dramatic Mathematics consists of five stories and accompanying exercises to support teachers in Key Stage 1 to take a playful, story-based approach to introduce early mathematical concepts that children often struggle with.
The stories are all set in the Kingdom of Sunobia and follow the journey of kings and sorceresses, an evil ship owner and a girl called Lily, who is exceptionally clever and very good at maths. Accompanied by playful illustrations and teachers notes, each story presents a different aspect of the Key Stage 1 maths curriculum enabling teachers to engage their pupils emotionally and bring the topic of maths to life.
Offering a wide range of stimulating ideas for developing learners’ mathematical thinking and understanding, these activities can be used to enrich and supplement learning and will be an essential resource for all teachers looking to teach mathematics in an exciting new way.
Teaching Mathematics Creatively
By Linda Pound and Trisha Lee
£21.00 (including UK mainland postage - please ask about international postage)
This revised and updated third edition offers a range of strategies, activities and ideas to bring mathematics to life in the primary classroom. Taking an innovative and playful approach to maths teaching, this book promotes creativity as a key element of practice and offers ideas to help your students develop knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of the subject.
In the creative classroom, mathematics becomes a tool to build confidence, develop problem solving skills and motivate children. The fresh approaches explored in this book include a range of activities such as storytelling, music and construction, elevating maths learning beyond subject knowledge itself to enable students to see mathematics in a new way.
Key chapters of this book explore:
• Learning maths outdoors - make more noise, make more mess or work on a larger scale
• Everyday maths - making sense of the numbers, patterns, shapes and measures children see around them
• Music and maths – the role of rhythm in learning, and music and pattern in maths
Stimulating, accessible and underpinned by the latest research and theory, this is essential reading for trainee and practising teachers who wish to embed creative approaches to maths teaching in their classroom.
Linda Pound has great educational experience and has published extensively in the fields of children’s learning, creativity and mathematical development. She is an Early Years Education Consultant, running workshops and offering advice on both educational policy and practice.
Helicopter Stories Book covers
Keep children's stories bound together with these beautifully printed Helicopter Stories Book Covers.
Please contact us with your requirements so we can provide you with the exact number you require.
Prices are £9.50 for a pack of 30 or £3.50 for a pack of 10 including postage and packing. We can do other quantities too, just ask.
...or, if you have a colour printer and some card...then you can print your own book covers using this pdf (remember to make sure your printer is set to 'landscape')...or, for those stories from two and three year olds, here are our A6 mini covers, four to a page, try this pdf (with thanks to Kellyann Thornton of Whitegate Nursery, Padiham, Lancs.)
Have any more questions? Please get in touch