Big sister and big brother gift What is the big brother or sister called?
The older child is the hero and the baby plays a small part. For twenty minutes in the evening, the story is all about them.
A double page from the book
Read the whole story for free
All 14 double pages, the hero and the cover are yours to see before you buy: you only pay if you love the story.
Photo optional
A short description is enough for a lovely hero. Whether you add a photo is up to you. GDPR-compliant.
Illustration styles to choose from
Many styles from the picture-book tradition, from watercolour to ligne claire, kept from the first page to the last.
What the older child is going through
In the hospital and the weeks after, everything revolves around the baby. Visitors ask about the little one, the parcels are for the little one. And the older child hears a sentence for the first time: “You're the big one now.”
It's meant kindly, and it still weighs. It says something is expected of them, and at the same time it takes something away. Sometimes older children then ask for things they could already do alone: being carried, a bottle, a nappy.
A book in which the older child is the hero, and the baby a supporting character, turns that round for the length of the story. Twenty minutes in the evening, the story is about them. It's as simple as that.
Timing matters too. Read before the birth, the book prepares your child for what's coming. Read afterwards, it confirms their new place. Both work.
For grandparents and friends, it's often the answer to a last-minute question: what do you bring for the child who isn't the baby? If you like, both children can be in the same story, even the whole family: up to 5 characters. The older child's name on the cover, the baby beside them.
Three story ideas
- A book about everything the older child can do that the baby can't yet: climbing the stairs, writing their name, falling asleep alone.
- The day the baby comes home, seen through the big sister's or big brother's eyes.
- A mission only the older child can carry out, because nobody else knows the secret.
See also Christening, Godparent gift, Letter from Santa. Also worth reading: Tantrums, When a child hits. And to read on, all illustration styles and frequently asked questions.
Three steps to your book
No risk: you read the whole story before you pay anything.
- 1
Describe
30 seconds
Tell us about the main character in a few words: name, looks, what they love. No photo needed.
- 2
Read for free
6 to 8 minutes
We prepare the story, the hero and the cover, and you read everything for free before you decide.
- 3
Give
eBook £4.50
Love the story? After you buy, you confirm your characters, then we paint every page in about half an hour. You can order the hardcover at the same time or later, and the eBook price is fully credited.
Simple and clear
No subscription, no hidden costs, and the preview is always free.
eBook · on screen and as a PDF
£4.50
14 illustrated double pages, ready about half an hour after you buy.
Hardcover · printed in the EU or the US
£37.90+ £5.90 delivery to the United Kingdom
Quality printing in the EU, or in the US for US orders, and the price of your eBook is fully credited.
You read the whole story for free first, and only pay if you love it.
Good to know
Should we read the book before or after the birth?
Both work. Before, it prepares your child for what's coming. After, it confirms their new place in the family.
Does the baby appear in the story?
Yes, as a supporting character. The hero stays the older child, and that's the whole point of this book.
Since the birth, our older child wants a bottle or to be carried again. Can a book help?
A book doesn't replace everyday attention, but it gives the older child twenty minutes at the centre, with no competition. If these steps backwards go on or weigh on your child, talk to your GP, public health nurse or health visitor.
Can both children be in the book?
Yes: enter both names, and up to 5 characters in total. The story is told from the older child's point of view.
You read the story first, and pay afterwards
Preview in 6 to 8 minutes. Free. Photo optional.
Create a book for the older child