Isn't a realistic story a bit dull next to one full of magic?

No. The tension isn't in magic, it's 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 an adventure?

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 most then, because your child sees themselves in a situation they know. If you want momentum and excitement instead, with your child as the hero who sets out, an adventure fits better.

Can the story follow our own situation?

Yes. You choose a theme and tell us who's in it and where it takes place, and the story is written around it, with your child as the main character. That way it isn't about some random child, but about something you recognise.

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

Sometimes there's just something going on. A first sleepover at a friend's, nerves before a class presentation, 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's 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 aren't 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 doesn't 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's 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's 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 didn't 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

Isn't a realistic story a bit dull next to one full of magic?: No. The tension isn't in magic, it's 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 an adventure?: 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 most then, because your child sees themselves in a situation they know. If you want momentum and excitement instead, with your child as the hero who sets out, an adventure fits better.
Can the story follow our own situation?: Yes. You choose a theme and tell us who's in it and where it takes place, and the story is written around it, with your child as the main character. That way it isn't about some random child, but about something you recognise.

Themes that suit this kind of story

Make a story that suits your child

Start your story

What this kind of story gives your child

What that sounds like

Frequently asked questions

Other kinds of stories

Themes that suit this kind of story