How we build our stories

Every book has a skeleton. AI writes the story, but rules written by hand decide what it may write. Here is what those rules are, in plain words.

Cover + 8 pages, eight jobs

  1. We meet the hero in their everyday world.
  2. A hard situation appears. The hero notices the feeling and feels it in the body.
  3. We see the first reaction: freezing, hiding or rushing. This is where the child reading recognises themselves.
  4. Someone they trust comes close and simply stays. No advice, no fixing.
  5. The hero takes a breath, weighs two paths and chooses one on their own.
  6. The first try is hard but it works. Not a miracle, a small real step.
  7. They see that their choice touched someone else.
  8. They say what they can do now (“I learned to calm down”, not “I am brave”). The last page draws no moral; it asks the reader a question from their own life.

What it rests on

Emotional-skill topics follow the CASEL framework. Physical habits follow Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (1977); habits that need a decision follow Duhigg’s habit loop (2012). In Digital Literacy, each book is built around a single “if-then” plan. Which topic belongs to which framework is listed in the FAQ.

What it does not replace

GentleStories is not a therapy or diagnostic tool. If your child has struggled for a long time, please talk to a specialist. A story is a way to start the conversation.