A personalised book about the savannah

The savannah is the land of the big animals. Lions, giraffes, elephants and zebras – many of the animals children first meet in board books live right here. A book about the savannah lets your child see them up close, in their own grass and at their own waterhole. The open landscape leaves room for long treks and wide views. And there's a great deal to discover in how the animals live together: who keeps watch, who shares, who needs help when the drought comes.

On the savannah your child can walk with a herd of elephants towards water, help a baby giraffe find the courage to drink for the first time or count zebras from a hot-air balloon. Perhaps the rain arrives after a long drought, and the whole savannah wakes up. Your child can sit with meerkats keeping watch on a termite mound, or track a lion through the dust without the lion noticing. On another evening your child sleeps in a tent, hears lions roaring far away and tries to guess which other animals are awake.

Ask which animal your child likes best. Is it the lion, the hippo or the little gazelle? That animal can be your child's companion through the whole book. If you've seen giraffes at a zoo, or your child has a cuddly elephant, mention it. A brother or sister can be the photographer with a camera round their neck, and a grandad who always knows the way can be the one driving the truck. If you've made a long journey together, it can become the journey to the savannah.

Small children enjoy recognising the animals and hearing the sounds they make. Between three and five, a whole day on the savannah fits well, from dawn to sunset. School-age children can have a story with a drought or a poacher to be stopped, and ten-year-olds have the stamina for a longer trek where the animals must work together to survive.

A giraffe has the same number of neck bones as a human: seven. The difference is that the giraffe's are much longer. Measure your child's neck with a tape measure and wonder together how long it would be if it were like a giraffe's. Then make the sounds of the savannah together: the elephant's trumpet, the lion's roar and the hyena's giggle. Talk about which animals eat grass and which eat other animals, and about why zebras have stripes – nobody knows for certain, and there are several ideas to think about.

You fill in the child's name, age and what they like, and upload a photo. The story about the savannah is written for your very own child, and the thirteen pictures and the cover 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.

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 hardback book, printed and sent to your door, or straight to the child as a gift. Do add the audiobook or the colouring pages. Start creating the book or read more about the prices. Would you like to see a finished book before you decide? Browse our example books.