Who it’s for
Thimblewick Lane is a collection of gentle bedtime stories for children aged about 3 to 7. They’re written for parents, grandparents and carers to read aloud, and they’re designed to work for families anywhere in the world, in simple, clear English.
All the characters are animals, and the stories are calm on purpose. Nothing scary happens. Each one has a tiny problem, friends who help each other, and a soft, sleepy ending.
How to use them at bedtime
- Get cosy first. Dim the lights, tuck in, and put screens away (or turn the brightness right down if you’re reading from a phone).
- Read slowly and softly. Each story takes about ten minutes at a gentle pace. When you see “…”, take a little pause.
- Join in with the sounds. Little ones love the “clink, clink” of the buttons and the “pat, pat, pat” of feet on the pebbles.
- Breathe along with Lighting the Lamps. At the end of every story, Grandpa Odo lights five lamps. Take one slow breath together for each lamp, then say goodnight to each shop.
- It’s fine to stop early. If your child falls asleep before the end, that’s the story doing its job.
- Read them again. Children love familiar stories, and the stories follow on from each other, so you can read them in order.
How the stories are made
The stories are written with the help of AI writing tools. Every story is then read, edited and checked by a person before it’s published, to make sure it’s gentle, kind and suitable for young children.
Coming soon: the podcast
A Thimblewick Lane podcast is on its way, with the same stories read aloud, so you can listen together on nights when you’d like a rest.
Say hello
We’d love to hear what your little ones think. Visit the Contact page to get in touch.