Trisha Lee is a professionally trained theatre director, with a wide range of practical and academic skills. She is passionate about the importance of storytelling and drama in children's lives, particularly in the early years. In 2002 Trisha founded MakeBelieve Arts, a theatre and education company offering innovative, high-quality theatre and education programmes to develop the creative potential of children aged 2-15.

Stories and fantasy play engage all young children and help them to draw connections and make sense of the world. MakeBelieve Arts Helicopter Stories are tried, tested and proven to have a significant impact on children's literacy and communication skills, their confidence and social and emotional development. Based on the storytelling and story acting curriculum of Vivian Gussin Paley, this book provides a practical, step-by-step guide to using this approach with young children. Covering all aspects of the approach, Artistic Director Trisha Lee shows you how you can introduce Helicopter Stories to children for the first time, scribing their tales and then bring their ideas to life by acting them out.

Foreword: Vivian Gussin Paley

Introduction: The Girl with Pigtails

Section One: Helicopter Stories: The Four Stages of Introduction - The How?

Chapter 1: A Sense of Anticipation

Introducing Story Acting

Chapter 2: Would anyone like to tell me a story?

Scribing a Story around the Stage

Chapter 3: Creating a Community of Storytellers

Private Stories

Chapter 4: The Vital Last Step

Story Acting

Summary: The Four Stage of Introduction

Section Two: Storytelling and Story Acting - The Why?

Chapter 5: The Enchanted Place

Why is story so important?

Chapter 6: Stories we may not want to hear

Guns, Superheroes, and Taboos

Chapter 7: Facing the Monsters

Solving problems from a safe space

Chapter 8: Shush Don't Tell Anyone

The Big Secret

Chapter 9: She Bumped, and She Pow, and She Landed, Bang

To Scaffold or To Model?

Chapter 10: Onwards and Upwards

Adapting Storytelling and Story Acting to New Audiences