A personalised book about a visit to the doctor

At the doctor's, a child's own body suddenly becomes something people listen to, feel and look inside. That can be exciting and a little uncomfortable at the same time. A book in which your child goes to the doctor and knows what's coming – the stethoscope, the light in the ear, the scales – gives them words for what happens and makes it easier to ask questions. It's a good fit before a planned appointment, but also afterwards, when your child wants to tell everyone how it went and what the doctor said.

A doctor's visit in a book can begin in the waiting room and end with a spotty plaster. In between, your child can be weighed and measured, say a long “aaah” while the doctor looks down their throat, and see a light shine into their ear. Your child can swap roles and examine their cuddly toy, or help a brother or sister who is more nervous. Everything is described in small, predictable steps, so that nothing comes as a surprise.

The doctor in the book can explain things with everyday pictures: the stethoscope as a telephone to the heart, the light as a torch for ears. And perhaps your child gets to press the button that raises the couch.

The book helps most when it resembles your own visit. Is it a routine check-up with the health visitor, a sore ear or an arm that needs looking at? If something particular is going to happen, like an injection or a plaster cast, mention it when you make the book. Then the book will show exactly that, calmly and without drama. Tell us, too, who's coming along, what your child wants to hold on to and what's waiting afterwards – a walk, a treat from the bakery or an evening on the sofa at home.

For the very youngest, the book offers body words to point at: ear, mouth, tummy, foot. At pre-school age, your child follows the visit one step at a time. A seven-year-old asks the doctor why, and gets answers that make sense. From ten upwards, the book can hold the worry beforehand and the relief afterwards, with more words for the feelings.

Play doctors at home after reading. Show your child how to find the pulse on the inside of the wrist or on the neck. The heart is a muscle that pumps blood all round the body, and every thump you feel is one beat. Run a lap round the kitchen and feel again – now it's beating faster. Your child can also write a doctor's note for the teddy and stick on a plaster of just the right size.

You fill in the child's name, age and what they like, and upload a photo. The story about a visit to the doctor 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.