Under the Waves
from €37.90 incl. VAT + €6.90 shipping · free from 2 books
30 pages, 20 x 20 cm, your child drawn from your photo on every illustrated page.
Hardcover €47.90 · Softcover €37.90
Your child is the first hero, and up to 3 more: brother or sister, mum or dad, grandparent, another grown-up. €8.00 per extra hero
Personalise this book1 day: we create and check your book · 2–5 days: printing · 3–6 days: delivery
Every book is checked page by page before it's printed.
Toes first, then ankles, then knees: trying the sea one small step at a time.
What's inside
- 30 pages, 4 of them colouring pages to fill in
- 20 × 20 cm hardcover (softcover too)
- Thick silk paper (170 g)
- A page for grown-ups: tips and questions to talk about
- Your child drawn from your photo on every illustrated page
What makes it different
- Drawn from your photo on every illustrated page, not a cartoon with a name pasted in
- In a Greek book, the name takes its right form in every sentence (του Γιώργου, τον Γιώργο)
- Every book is checked page by page before it's printed
Watch the title change here and on every book on the site. It stays in this browser tab only.
Helps with
Trying new things
Trying new things: going at your own pace when something feels big, cold or unfamiliar.
The tool your child practises in the story
Toes first
Split a new thing into tiny steps, from the smallest to the biggest, and say "toes first" before the first one. Your child decides when to take the next step, and stepping back is always allowed. It works for the sea, a bath, a new food or a new playground. Near water, always stay within arm's reach.
For grown-ups
What this story is about
The sea feels big and cold, and your child is not sure about it, even though there are stripy fish out there to see. A friendly turtle shares a small secret, "toes first", and your child tries the water in tiny steps, steps back when it is too much, goes back in to rescue a floating bucket and, in the end, chooses to look under the waves. The fear does not vanish: the child is brave with it, and passes the secret on.
Three ways to talk about it
- Name the feeling without hurrying it: "The water felt cold and big. It makes sense you wanted to step back."
- Let your child set the pace. Stepping back is part of the plan, not a failure.
- Notice each small step out loud: "You put your toes in. Then your ankles. You did that."
Three questions to ask
- How did the water feel the first time it touched your toes?
- What did you do when the bucket floated away?
- Is there something new you would like to try with "toes first"?
Practise the tool together: Toes first
Split a new thing into tiny steps, from the smallest to the biggest, and say "toes first" before the first one. Your child decides when to take the next step, and stepping back is always allowed. It works for the sea, a bath, a new food or a new playground. Near water, always stay within arm's reach.
If your child's fear of water or of new things is very strong, lasts for weeks, or gets in the way of play and daily life, it is worth talking to your paediatrician or a child psychologist.
From a photo to the book
One phone photo is all we need. Here is Amara's photo and the cover we made from it.
Invented example: Amara is a made-up child, not a customer. The photo was made for this example; the book was made from it the same way we make yours.
Look inside
Twelve illustrated spreads: the picture on the left, the story on the right. These sample pages show an invented child called Amara.
Amara stood on the warm sand, holding the little red bucket very tight. Inside it: a pair of blue goggles, just in case. Out in the shallows, something flashed. Yellow. Stripy. Gone! "A fish! I want to see it close." But the sea was so big. It went whoosh, whoosh, all the way to the sky.
"Toes first," said Amara, and dipped them in. Cold! Back they came. Little Turtle just waited, blowing little bubbles. Breathe in. Breathe out. "Toes first." This time, the toes stayed. Wiggle, wiggle. The cold turned cool, then almost nice. "I did toes!" Then something tickled.
And there it was: a whole sparkly world! Stripy fish darted by, zip, zip, zip. Sunlight wiggled on the sand. Little Turtle swam past, upside down, showing off. Then one little fish swam right up to the goggles and looked in. Nose to nose! Up popped Amara, splashing and spluttering and laughing. "I saw them! One looked at ME!"
Spread 1 of 3
Inside the book
Twelve illustrated spreads: the picture on the left, the story on the right. This sample uses an invented family to show the illustration style.
Mia stood on the warm sand, holding the little red bucket very tight. Inside it: a pair of blue goggles, just in case. Out in the shallows, something flashed. Yellow. Stripy. Gone! "A fish! I want to see it close." But the sea was so big. It went whoosh, whoosh, all the way to the sky.
Who can be a hero
Your child, and more heroes if you like
Your child is the first hero, and up to 3 more: brother or sister, mum or dad, grandparent, another grown-up.
With a little turtle beside them, your child tries the sea at their own pace.
- Hardcover: €47.90
- Softcover: €37.90
+ €6.90 shipping · free from 2 books
Personalise this book
Styles
Soft 3D
AvailableRounded, softly lit 3D characters with big expressive eyes. Faces stay recognisable: hair, glasses, smile.
Storybook gouache
AvailableMatte, hand-painted colours with visible brush texture and soft edges, like a classic picture book.
Watercolour
AvailableLoose, soft washes of colour with fine ink lines and the texture of real paper.
Pencil and watercolour
AvailableColoured pencil over light watercolour washes, warm and drawn by hand.
Paper collage
AvailableLayers of cut and torn coloured paper, with grain and edges you can almost touch.
Clay
AvailableSculpted from soft modelling clay, like a handmade stop-motion film.
Vintage storybook
AvailableThe look of mid-century picture books: flat shapes, muted colours, a soft printed grain.
Fantasy painting
AvailableRich, painterly fantasy scenes full of glowing light.
Anime-inspired
AvailableClean line art, cel shading and large, expressive eyes.
Pop anime 3D
AvailableCel-shaded 3D with big sparkling eyes and bright, glowing colours.
Bold comic
AvailableThick ink lines, flat bright colours, halftone dots and dynamic angles.
Cute chibi
AvailableTiny bodies, big heads and soft pastel colours.
Formats and prices
Prices include VAT.
+ €6.90 shipping · free from 2 books