Why the theme Being teased makes a good book
An adventure that suits the child
When someone says unkind things, it can feel as though you are the only one it is happening to. It is hard to talk about and hard to know what to do. In a book about being teased, your child meets a hero who goes through something similar and comes out the other side. It shows that there is nothing wrong with the child being teased, that there are grown-ups who will listen and that friendship can begin in unexpected places. The book can be a gentle way into a conversation that is otherwise difficult to start.
How the book handles the hard part
A book about being teased does not need to show the unkindness in detail. It can let the hero find someone to play with who has also been left out, dare to say stop once and notice that it changed something, tell a teacher and be taken seriously, and discover that the very thing the others laughed at is something the hero loves. The ending does not have to be that everyone becomes friends, just that the hero is no longer standing alone.
Go gently with the personal details
Here it is worth thinking about what your child would like to recognise. Sometimes it is better for the book to be about something nearby rather than exactly what happened. Put in the things that give strength: a friend who means a lot, a hobby your child is proud of, a grown-up at nursery or school they trust, or the dog who is always pleased to see them. Friendship and respect are messages that fit well here. If you would rather build up the feeling of being good enough, there is the Confidence theme.
For the youngest, the book is more about being kind and being included than about teasing. For pre-schoolers, a simple playground situation with a clear turning point works well. From six, the hero can stand up for themselves, and a story for ten and over can also be about being the one who notices when someone else is being picked on.
The conversation afterwards
Read the book at a calm moment, ideally not on the same evening something has happened. Ask how the hero felt and what helped, and listen more than you talk. Children sometimes say more about the hero in the book than about themselves, and that is perfectly fine. The most important thing your child can take away is that they can always tell a grown-up, and that it is never their own fault.
Your child is the hero
You fill in the child's name, age and what they like, and upload a photo. The story about being teased and finding friends is written for your very own child, and the fourteen pictures are drawn from the photo in the style you choose. Brothers and sisters, parents, grandparents or the pet can come along, up to five characters. If you would like to include something that has happened lately, a trip or a lost tooth, just write it and it is woven in.
From eBook to hardcover book
The eBook is ready a few minutes after payment. Read it, change the text and ask for new pictures until you are happy. Then order it as an A4 hardcover book, printed and sent to your door, or straight to the child as a gift. Do add the audiobook or the coloring pages. Start creating the book or read more about the prices.
How the story could begin
Playtime is nearly over. You are standing by the fence, looking at your shoes, the new ones with the green laces. That is what they laughed at again today. You don't really understand how shoes can be funny, but your face went hot and your tummy went cold at the same time. Behind you the gravel crunches. Someone is coming. You expect more laughing, but it stays quiet. When you look up, a child from the other class in your year is standing there, a ball under one arm and a crack across one lens of their glasses. “I've got green laces too,” they say, lifting a foot. It's true. “Want a kick-about? Nobody ever wants to go in goal.” You hesitate. The bell goes in two minutes. But two minutes can be quite a long time, if you know what to do with them.
