Storytelling has and will always be used to communicate, engage and connect people.

Here at Tales from Mother Earth, we understand the power of storytelling and use it as a vehicle to inspire and educate. By compiling our audio/picture storybooks for children 3-10 years we want our stories to be realistic and reach a child’s heart, informing them of the wonders and vulnerabilities of nature. Our mission stands to reconnect children with nature and empower them to help the animals we feature in our tales, thus cementing a child’s own special relationship with the wild through their experience and therefore benefitting both.

When we connect with nature there are a multitude of benefits for us both physically and mentally. For children these benefits increase even further as their levels of confidence, creativity, well-being, curiosity and happiness rise dramatically. Through engaging with nature, and exploring its colours, sounds, tones and textures, a life-long love of learning can be sparked into action and amazing things can develop. We are working hard to rewild children in this way through storytelling, by helping to educate the next generation in a positive way. Whilst being on this journey, I have the privilege to chat with many professionals in the areas of conservation and child psychology. Time and time again I’m reminded that ‘we must reach the children in order to change the future’, so it’s clear to me that the path we are taking is the correct one.

Through our very own stories we aim to perpetuate more of these moments for children. By producing our range of audio/picture storybooks (book and CDs now with QR code) for children 3-10 years that highlight the plight of our wildlife, we aim to ignite the conservationist in all of us – especially young minds.

‘Journey to the Green Roof’

At Tales from Mother Earth, we believe that through collaborations with like-minded individuals and organisations lasting change can occur that can benefit everyone. One such collaboration which has been so rewarding and worthwhile has been with The Green Roof Organisation (GRO) which is an independent not-for-profit Trade Association representing the UK Green, Blue and BioSolar Roofing industries and ourselves. Back in 2022, we were commissioned to write our story ‘Journey to the Green Roof’, where our objective was to teach children how important green roofs are as a structure and highlight what they can give back to wildlife and biodiversity, as well as their many other benefits to all.

To celebrate the occasion of World Green Roof Day, 6^th June 2023, our storybook was published. It’s a 40-page storybook with downloadable audio tracks (QR Code printed within the content) that is narrated by ‘Mother Earth’. Together with beautiful illustrations, original music and a strong conservation message throughout, we’ve also included fun activities for readers to enjoy, keeping them active and engaged as they grow. Also, we like to keep our products as ethically sourced as possible, so like our other titles, ‘Journey to the Green Roof’ is printed using bio inks and the paper is sourced from World Lands Trust.

The tale comprises of two main characters, Freya, a hairy-footed flower bee and Sarah, a European seven-spotted ladybird, and focuses on how they each come to find the green roof, and the adventure they each have along the way.

Words taken from the back cover of the book:

This is a story of Freya and Sarah’s adventure to find the Green Roof. How, in one single day everything changes for them so dramatically, and how they both come to the same conclusion in very different ways – that every roof should be green!  

Nature shows us that with greenery life can be better for everyone and everything.

Taken from page 18 of the book contents:

Then she caught the scent of something incredible in the sky that made her heart skip a beat with excitement. It was the strong scent of nectar but as she flew on, she couldn’t pinpoint its location as it seemed to be coming from the city and that didn’t make sense to Freya at all.

Shortly after our launch, The Department of Education School Output Specification made a statement for new schools that we all welcomed enormously stating that: “All roofs shall comprise a bio-solar green roofing system, maximised with photovoltaics on new school buildings,” so our storybook is a great tool to help educate the children that will be learning below these roofs on the benefits of green roofs.

From this point forward we wanted children to be aware of these structures, possibly to look out for them in their neighbourhoods, and when they spot them understand their importance to biodiversity and ourselves. If they remember Freya’s and Sarah’s plight all the better as the connection would have been made.

To purchase a copy of ‘Journey to the Green Roof’ please visit the online shop:  https://talesfrommotherearth.co.uk/shop/ Each book is £12.99 plus postage.

Storytelling remains as important now as it has been throughout the centuries. It’s vital we share our knowledge, enthusiasm and love for all things green to encourage the younger generation to feel more included and respected. By sharing and educating in this way we can hope for a brighter future for all of us and really, why can’t every roof be a green one?!!

‘Journey to the Green Roof’ written by:
Jenny Bailey
Author, Director and Co-founder
Tales form Mother Earth Ltd