A story that could just as easily have happened at your house

Sometimes there is just something going on. A falling-out in the playground that will not blow over, a house move on the way, a first day somewhere your child knows no one. No dragons, no magic wand. Everyday things, the kind that can suddenly feel enormous to a child.

A realistic story plays out in a world your child already knows: home, school, outside, round at grandma and grandpa's. There is no magic to fix it. The child in the story talks, tries, asks for help and keeps going, exactly the way it works in real life.

When something really is chafing, recognition can be exactly the right thing. Your child sees themselves in a situation they understand, and notices they are not the only one who feels this way. That often does more than a story that stays far from home.

The story adapts to your child's age: the tone, the length, how deep it goes. For a four-year-old it stays small and close to home; for a nine-year-old it can chafe a little and be given more room. And it does not end on a tidy, stuck-on happy ending, but on a real, believable sense of relief or pride.

What this kind of story gives your child

  • Your child sees themselves: ordinary places, ordinary days, a feeling they know from home or from school.
  • There is no magic to fix it. The character talks, tries, asks for help and keeps going, exactly the way it works in real life.
  • Small, concrete details stay with them: the empty chair at the table, the coat still hanging by the door, the plate pushed a little away.
  • An ordinary moment that feels big to a child is given the room it deserves, without anyone pretending it is nothing.
  • It ends believably: a real sense of relief, pride or understanding, not a leap that is too neat to ring true.

What that sounds like

Noah stood by the gate and counted the paving stones. Inside hung coats he did not know, on pegs with names that were not his. He held his lunchbox a little tighter. Then someone waved, a boy in a red jumper, and Noah waved back before he knew he had.

Frequently asked questions

Is a realistic story not a bit dull next to one full of magic?
No. The tension is not in magic, it is in what actually happens: do I dare say something, will it come right again, can I manage this on my own. Because your child recognises the world, they feel it all the more. An empty chair at the table can be more gripping than a dragon.
When do I choose realistic rather than a fairy tale or a fantasy story?
Choose realistic when something real is going on: a falling-out, a house move, a new baby, something new that feels scary. Recognition often helps more than magic then, because your child sees themselves in a situation they know. If you want a break from everyday life instead, a fairy tale or a fantasy fits better.
Can the story follow our own situation?
Yes. You tell us briefly what is going on for you, and the story is written around it, with your child as the main character. That way it is not about some random child, but about something you recognise.

Other kinds of stories

Themes that suit this kind of story

Make a story that suits your child

Make a personal story