The Story Machine

Elliot finds a strange machine - it doesn't bleep or buzz and it doesn't even have an on/off button! But soon he discovers that the mysterious machine makes letters, and so he decides it must be a story machine. Unfortunately Elliot isn't very good at letters and words - but he soon finds out that he can use the machine to make pictures, and so to create stories in his own way.

Inspired by the author's memories of being a dyslexic child, this lovely picture book about a little boy enjoying the magic of a typewriter is a tribute to the power of storytelling in its many different forms. Tom McLaughlin's bold, colourful attractively-designed page spreads clearly demonstrate that stories don't always have to be told just in words, but can be visual too. An inspiring picture book celebrating the joys of creativity and self-expression, this would make a good starting point for drawing and writing activities with children.