A DESIGNER has launched a children’s storybook product where youngsters become the authors and creators – helped by her five-year-old daughter Violet.

Melanie Smith, a graphic communication graduate from the University of Brighton, has come up with ‘Story’, a mini suitcase full of ideas to help children find their imaginations to develop stories.

There are no other products like it on the market and it addresses the decline in creative thinking and play among children by trying to make literacy more fun.

Melanie said: “Story is a design company and we set it up to create story-telling products.

“Our first is a ‘walk-in’ book, like a book that has been pulled apart and you are left with the important parts – the location, the character, and most importantly we include the beginnings of ten different stories to give the children a helping hand to get their stories up and running.

“Children and parents get to be the writers, the makers and even the illustrators – and the great thing is, all the ingredients to help them are inside a little suitcase that the children can take with them wherever they go.

“In the suitcase they’ll find a map of the story locations, a mask for the children to wear and a set of story beginnings. The rest is down to the children – they can let their imaginations take them wherever they wish to go.”

She added: “Violet helped me throughout the writing and testing process – and she really loves making up stories.”

Melanie is planning to expand her library of walk-in books and is looking for finance through the Kickstarter website – which funds creative products through pledges from the public.

So far more than £2,000 has been pledged towards her target of £7,000. She has also received support developing her business plan from beepurple, the university’s entrepreneurship programme.

Melanie said: “There are no other products like this on the market and I really believe this will become a firm favourite with children.

“It addresses the decline in creative thinking and free play amongst children by combining storytelling with play – making literacy and self-discovery fun for children, especially those who struggle with traditional learning techniques.”

For more information, email hello@wearestory.co.uk and to support the campaign go to kickstarter. com/projects/wearestory/story-1.