A MUSIC teacher who writes stories to help her pupils has had a book published.
Sue Lake's Stories from Musicland feature characters who represent musical notes.
She has been writing the stories for 14 years and now the first volume has been published.
Mrs Lake, 50, of Farm Road, Chilwell, said: "It's quite a unique series of stories. They enable children to understand music.
"The characters have adventures and do things but kids also learn how notes work and how to count."
Mrs Lake has her own business, called Music Makers, based in Beeston, where she teaches music to children aged three to seven.
She held a book-signing at Waterstones, Nottingham, last month to promote the book.
Mrs Lake said: "It was a really proud moment and very exciting to bring my books to a wider audience.
"It's nice to be able to get my work out there, although I was a bit nervous."
An initial 1,000 copies of the book have been printed.
Next on the agenda is a tour of schools, to promote the importance of music lessons.
She said: "I'm doing a tour of local schools, reading the story to year one children and performing interactive music schools.
"I'd like them to be used in schools and nurseries in particular and my publishers are looking at that.
"I just think music is a subject being squeezed a bit in the national curriculum; schools do a really good job but it's hard to cover everything. They have so much to fit in that music can get pushed to the periphery."
The European Piano Teachers' Association is publicising Mrs Lake's work and she is hoping to take it out of Notts.
She said: "It's so good for people to take part in musical activity in so many ways."
Claire Hornsby, of Portland Road, Toton, has two children who are taught by Mrs Lake.
She said: "They both really like the books, especially my daughter, Evelyn, who is five.
"They can learn a lot about notes from the book. My daughter does not see it as learning, she sees it as fun.
"When you look into the room, she has all of the kids sitting there listening, she absolutely captivates them, it's amazing."
The book can be bought from Waterstones, Amazon or the Bookcase in Lowdham.
