From “Digger” to Dreamtime: Making First Words into a Bedtime Story Book

Sleepytime Stories

Using “digger” and “fire engine” to build a "Sleepytime Stories" bedtime story

GOODNIGHT, Little Fire Engine NEE-NAW NELL

First Word

Every parent remembers their child’s first word. Some children say “mum.” or “dad”. Some say “no” Our son - now thirty-three and definitely an adult - said “digger.” Let’s hope that isn’t embarrassing information - but told with good intentions.

A Note on Families

Families come in many shapes - single parents, blended families, grandparents, aunts, uncles, foster carers, older siblings, two mum's two dad's and every combination in between. In picture books, the bedtime moment belongs to whoever provides comfort and safety. When I refer to “parents”, I really mean the caring adult who helps the child end their day feeling held, soothed and secure.

The short version!

Every parent remembers their child’s first word. Some say “Mum”, some say “Dad” 0ur son said “digger”. In this blog I'll show how those early obsessions with diggers, fire engines and other machines can become the raw material for a bedtime picture book. From emotional arcs and page plans to onomatopoeia and illustration, here’s how to turn one small word into a full 32-page goodnight story.

Bedtime stories are for every family.

So back to "Digger" and "Fire Engine".

Of course, it makes perfect sense. Like most toddlers, he was mesmerised by anything with wheels, gears, lights or noise: tractors, lorries, cement mixers, buses, and especially, loud diggers and, noisy red - fire engines. If he heard a siren even faintly in the distance, he would freeze mid-step, wide-eyed, and begin with, “Nee-naw! Nee-naw!” with gleeful abandon and of course we joyously joined in.

What this was of course was handing me the building blocks of a story.

Children tell us what matters to them long before they can tell us why it matters. 

The trick for any children’s writer is to listen.

In a way, this is the same impulse behind enduring characters like Thomas the Tank Engine and Fireman Sam.

Children don’t just love these characters because they are trains or firemen. They love them because these worlds feel ordered yet adventurous, safe yet exciting. The machinery of childhood, diggers, cranes, trains, fire engines, gives children a sense of the world being manageable, organised, and navigable. A train follows tracks. A fire engine knows what to do. The digger has a job and finishes it well.

A bedtime story built around a favourite machine taps into this exact comfort.

Why “Digger” Is the Perfect First Word for a Picture Book

A digger is visual.A digger is noisy. A digger is purposeful. A digger is almost like watching a dinosaur.

And children adore watching purposeful action.

That’s why so many foundational children’s classics picture books use machines as metaphors for internal states.

A train’s timetable is a child’s sense of routine. A fire engine’s bravery is a child’s growing sense of competence. A digger’s messy enthusiasm mirrors a toddler’s day.

A first word like digger is really a story seed. You just have to add more words...and see it grow

The Emotional Blueprint of a Bedtime Story

A bedtime picture book always leans on the same emotional arc:

Energetic - Settling - Calm - Stillness - Sleep

No matter what the character is - a bear, a mouse, a baby, or a piece of heavy machinery - the story must gently diminish in:

• noise

• colour

• movement

• contrast

• complexity

By the final spread, the whole world has exhaled and hopefully gone to sleep...or "another one"..

Look at picture books - here are a couple I like.

Goodnight Moon,

Goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere

By Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd. It was published on September 3, 1947

The Snowy Day,

Written and Illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats

I Am Perfectly Designed

Karamo Brown’ Illustrated by Anoosha Syed

These are dependable bedtime companions.

So here's how to plan Goodnight, Digger DIG-DIG RED 

and Goodnight, Little Fire Engine NEE-NAW NELL.

Turning a Single Word Into a

Structured Picture Book

Here is a practical, replicable method for transforming one word - “digger” - into a full 32-page story.

It applies equally well to “tractor”, “rocket”, “bus”, “train”, or the ever-heroic “fire engine.” that we loved - Dinosaur, Sharks and Pirates of course and all children’s favourites can work too.

STEP 1: Identify the routines hidden in the object

Every machine has an equivalent to a child’s nightly rituals:

Once you map this, you already have your story arc.

Identify the Routines Hidden in the Object

Every machine has an equivalent to a child’s nightly rituals:

Child’s routine	Machine equivalent
Tidy toys	Store tools / finish the last job
Supper	Refuel / recharge
Bath	Carwash / hose down
Pyjamas	Safety checks / polishing
Bed	Garage / shed / hangar
Stories	Sharing the day with friends

STEP 2: Build the 32-Page Framework

All traditional picture books follow the same structure.

Here’s how to apply it to your machine story:

P.1 - Half Title

Minimal text. Can set the mood.

PP.2 - Copyright / Tip Page

Small vignette if you wish.

PP.3 - Full Title Page

A small illustration: the digger/fire engine finishing its last job.

PP.4–5 - Spread 1

The day’s final big job. Action, brightness, energy.

PP.6–7 - Spread 2

Saying goodnight to friends.Introduce other machines.

PP.8–9 - Spread 3

“Tales from the day.”Lively but short.

PP.10–11 - Spread 4

Refuel (the supper moment).

PP.12–13 - Spread 5

Wash time (equivalent of a bath).

PP.14–15 - Spread 6

Drying and calming.

P.P16–17 - Spread 7

Safety checks (teeth-brushing equivalent).

PP.18–19 - Spread 8

Rolling home (the walk to the bedroom).

PP.20–21 - Spread 9

Settling into the garage/firehouse.

P.22–23 - Spread 10

Lights dimming.

P.24–25 - Spread 11

Night whispers.

P.26–27 - Spread 12

Very quiet now.

P.28–29 - Spread 13

Almost asleep.

P.30–31 - Spread 14

Final whisper line:“Goodnight, little digger…Goodnight.”

P.32 - Endpage

A tiny closing detail: a moonbeam, a tool on a hook, or a snoring dog.

This 32-page is the skeleton of your book - the emotional geometry.

Why Fire Engines & Diggers Make Ideal

Bedtime Heroes

If Thomas the Tank Engine taught us anything, it’s that children respond intensely to:

• clear roles

• visible jobs

• predictable patterns

• gentle humour

• moral simplicity

Likewise, Fireman Sam endures because his world is reassuring:problems are solved quickly, danger is removed, and the town returns to calm.

Your machine bedtime books echo this emotional scaffolding:

• Every day ends safely.

• Every mess is cleaned.

• Every job is finished.

• Every friend is accounted for.

• Every machine returns home to sleep.

These are the internal rhythms that a toddler craves.

STEP 3: Find the Machine’s Character Personality

A machine should feel like a child:

• Digger - messy, enthusiastic, eager helper

• Fire engine - proud, brave, slightly showy

• Train - punctual, friendly, routine-driven

• Tractor - calm, dependable, gentle

• Helicopter - excitable, hover-proud

• Rocket - speedy, upright

Once your machine has a personality, the story writes itself.

A digger will always get muddy. A fire engine will always arrive dramatically with a screech and a”nee naw” A tractor will always take its time and grunt.

This is emotional logic, not mechanical logic - and emotional logic is what pictures books are built on.

STEP 4: Use Repetition and Onomatopoeia

Children anchor themselves in rhythm:

• DIG-DIG

• NEE-NAW

• CHUG-CHUG

• BEEP-BEEP

• WHIRR-WHIRR

Say it early, repeat it often, then quieten it by the last spreads.

This is how you move the child, physically and emotionally, toward sleep.

STEP 5: Let the Illustrations Do Half the Work

In a picture book, you’re not writing descriptions - you’re writing space for illustrations.

A good illustrator will:

• soften the palette as the story calms

• dim the lights gradually

• slow the posture and angles of the machine

• shift from broad landscapes to intimate close-ups

• taper contrast and saturation across the book

A good bedtime picture book is a visual lullaby from front cover to back.

The Backstory: Why This Matters

Children sometimes keep a toy fire engine, a digger, or a soft toy stuffed bear or a doll as a constant companion, a helper, a friend. This can be be helpful for brave imaginative play: rescuing imaginary cats, putting out invisible fires, saving toy figures from chaos.

This isn't simply playing, it's rehearsing the emotional patterns that would shape a child's inner world:

• effort

• mess

• pride

• bravery

• teamwork

• bedtime calm

In a sense, Goodnight, Digger DIG-DIG RED and Goodnight, Little Fire Engine NEE-NAW NELL are examples of a kind of love letter to that early certainty children have- the certainty that the world can be understood if it has wheels and a job to do.

Machines become metaphors for coping. Bedtime stories become metaphors for safety.And the whole picture book becomes, quietly, a parent’s reassurance:“You did your best today. You can rest now.”

STEP 6: End with a Whisper

A bedtime picture book must end with a line that can be whispered through the dark:

“Goodnight, Little Fire Engine…Goodnight, Nell.”

Not a bang. Not a twist. Not a joke.

Just a gentle turning of the page toward sleep.

Your child won’t remember the words - but they’ll remember the feeling.

And that, ultimately, is the craft of the picture book.

Add some text

GOODNIGHT, Little Fire Engine NEE-NAW NELL

FRONT MATTER

Page 1 - Half Title Small vignette:

Page 2 - Copyright / Imprint Page Spot art: a muddy tyre print or toolbox.

Page 3 - Full Title Page Little Fire Engine NEE-NAW NELL finished her last job under a warm sunset.

MAIN STORY

(14 spreads: pp.4–31)

PP 4-5 Spread 1  -

The Last Call

All day long she nee-naw’d bright, Zooming left and zooming right. But now the amber sky turns red…Time for NEE-NAW NELL to head to bed.

PP 6-7 Spread 2 -

Final Help

One last rescue - quick and kind. A kitten stuck? She doesn’t mind. A gentle lift with steady tread…“Well done, Nell,” the Fire Chief said.

PP 8-9 Spread 3 -

Goodnight, Crew

“Goodnight, Big Ladder,”“Night, Rescue Van,”“Sleep well, Water Tanker,and Hose-Reel Stan!”All of them tired, all of them still - Resting beneath the firehouse hill.

PP 10-11 Spread 4 

Tales of the Day

They share quick stories, soft and low -The splashes, scrambles, winds that blow. The smoky calls, the speedy run…Now evening hushes everyone.

PP 12-13 Spread 5 -

Refill Time

Nell rolls back to her firehouse bay, Where lantern lights show her the way.A gentle glug-glug fills her tank. She gives a yawn. She gives thanks.

PP 14-15 Spread 6 -

Wash and Shine

Into the wash with a swish-swash-spin, Bubbles racing chin to chin.Foamy sparkles slide and spread Over brave, bright NEE-NAW NELL’s red head.

PP 16 -17 Spread 7 

Steam and Dry

Warm-air fans go whirr-whirr sweet, Drying tyres and resting feet.A tiny purr escapes her grill - A sleepy sound, completely still.

PP 18-19 Spread 8 -

Safety Check

Helmets hung and hoses rolled, The evening air grows soft and cold.A polish bright on her brass bell…Bedtime’s coming, NEE-NAW NELL.

PP 20-21 Spread 9 -

Rolling In

Quiet streets and moonlit beams Welcome Nell to drifting dreams.Slow wheels hum a steady tread As she glides toward her firehouse bed.

PP 22-23 Spread 10 -

Snuggled Low

She backs into her cosy space, A gentle warmth across her face.Her siren fades from bright to gold -A brave day done, a story told.

PP 24 - 25 Spread 11 -

Lights Dim

The great red door rolls gently down,Muffling every sound in town. Her headlights lower, soft instead -Sleep is calling, NEE-NAW NELL.

PP 26-27  Spread 12 -

Night Whispers

The firehouse roof begins to sigh As stars drift slowly through the sky.“Tomorrow’s calls,” the breezes tell…“But now… rest softly, NEE-NAW NELL.”

PP 28 - 29

Spread 13 Goodnight

Her engine sighs a sleepy hum…No more rushing left to come.The firehouse murmurs, calm and still:“Goodnight, Little Fire Engine…Goodnight, Nell.”

PP 30 31 Spread 14

The Firehouse Chorus

Nell's engine sighs a sleepy hum…No more rushing left to come.

Then all her friends, in whisper-sound, Call goodnight from all around:

“Goodnight, Big Ladder - fold up tight.”“Goodnight, Rescue Van - soft lights tonight.”“Goodnight, Water Tanker - gentle dreams.”“Goodnight, Hose-Reel Stan,”

whisper the beams.

Goodnight work,

Goodnight play,

Goodnight friends -

we’re done today.

The chorus floats through lantern glow, A quiet place where engines slow.

Title: GOODNIGHT, Digger DIG-DIG RED

32-page / 14-spread manuscript

(The story begins on pp.4–5 and ends on pp.30–31.)

FRONT MATTER

Page 1 - Half Title Small vignette: a spade or a tiny lantern.

Page 2 - Copyright / Imprint PageSpot art: a muddy tyre print or toolbox.

Page 3 - Full Title Page GOODNIGHT, Digger DIG-DIG REDLittle Red finished his last job under a warm sunset.

MAIN STORY

(14 spreads: pp.4–31)

Spread 1 (pp.4–5) -

The Last Big Job

All day long he dig-dig-dug, Scooped the earth and shifted mud.But now the golden sun turns red…Time for DIG-DIG RED to head to bed.

Spread 2 (pp.6–7) -

Final Lift

One last bucket, firm and neat. A gentle scoop, a tidy sweep.He tips the soil with steady tread -“Well done today,” the Builder said.

Spread 3 (pp.8–9) -

Goodnight, Friends

“Goodnight, Tilly Tipper Truck,”“Night, Whirly Crane - good job, good luck!”“Sleep well, Big Bulldozer Fred,”calls tired, yawning DIG-DIG RED.

Spread 4 (pp.10–11) -

Tales of the Day

They share small stories, soft and low -The bumps they felt, the winds that blew.The biggest splash, the muddiest run…Now evening hushes everyone.

Spread 5 (pp.12–13) -

Supper Time (Refuel)

Red rumbles back to his cosy bay,Where lantern lights show him the way.A gentle glug-glug fills his tank -He gives a yawn. He gives a thank you..

Spread 6 (pp.14–15) -

Wash & Rinse

Into the wash with a swish-swash-spin, Bubbles racing chin to chin.Foamy sparkles slide and spread All down DIG-DIG RED’s bright head.

Spread 7 (pp.16–17) -

Steam & Dry

Warm-air fans go whirr-whirr sweet, Drying tyres and resting feet.A tiny hum escapes his grill -A sleepy sound, completely still.

Spread 8 (pp.18–19) -

Check-Up Time

Bolts are tightened, treads are rolled.The evening air grows soft and cold.A polish bright on lights of red…Bedtime’s coming, DIG-DIG RED.

Spread 9 (pp.20–21) -

Rolling Home

The quiet yard and moonlit beamsWelcome Red to drifting dreams.His wheels go slow with steady treadAs he glides toward his garage bed.

Spread 10 (pp.22–23) -

Snuggled In

He backs into his cosy space, A gentle warmth across his face. His headlights fade from bright to gold -A big day done, a story told.

Spread 11 (pp.24–25) -

Lights Low

The great yard door rolls gently down,Hushing every sound in town.His engine softens, hums instead -Sleep is calling DIG-DIG RED.

Spread 12 (pp.26–27) -

Night Whispers

The workshop roof begins to sighAs stars drift slowly through the sky.“Tomorrow’s jobs,” the breezes said…“But now… rest softly, DIG-DIG RED.”

Spread 13 (pp.28–29) -

The Yard Chorus

His engine sighs a sleepy hum…No more digging left to come.

Then all his friends, in whisper-sound,Call goodnight from all around:

“Goodnight, Tilly Tipper - tip-lights low.”“Goodnight, Whirly Crane - gentle winds blow.”“Goodnight, Big Dozer - dreams ahead.”“Goodnight, Mini-Mixer,”softly said.

Their voices drift in lantern glow,A quiet place where engines slow.

Spread 14 (pp.30–31) -

Final Goodnight

The world outside grows calm and still; The moon hangs over Digger Hill.His beam fades down to ember-red…A big day done, a cosy bed.

The yard breathes softly, warm and red:“Goodnight, Little Digger…Goodnight, Red.”

Goodnight work,

Goodnight play,

Goodnight friends -

we’re done today.

Page 32 - Endpage

Tiny spot art:A lone spade, or a sleepy dog curled beside Red’s wheel.

Where we are

Where We’ve Arrived With Our Two Bedtime Books

We’ve taken two very small seeds - a child’s first word (“digger”) and a child’s favourite machine (“fire engine”) - and shown how they can grow into fully formed picture-book stories.

We’ve built:

• Two complete 32-page manuscripts

• Two emotional arcs built on the taper of bedtime

• Two distinct voices, each with their own world, rhythm and cast of friends

• A consistent series style that can scale into tractor, train, rocket and more

• Two “goodnight choruses” that echo one another beautifully

• A writing method rooted in memory, comfort, and predictable routine

Both GOODNIGHT, Digger DIG-DIG RED and GOODNIGHT, Little Fire Engine NEE-NAW NELL now feel like they live inside the same universe - the same story rhythms, the same winding-down curve that parents instinctively recognise.

We’ve created something deceptively simple:a pair of bedtime stories that behave exactly the way good bedtime stories should - busy at the beginning, warm in the middle, and soft as a whispered “Goodnight” at the end.

These are no longer sketches. They are books.Now they need to look like books.

And that leads naturally to the next step.

INTRODUCTION TO THE NEXT BLOG:

How to Start Thinking About the Illustrations

If writing a picture book is like composing a lullaby, then illustrating a picture book is like dimming the lights in the nursery.

You’re not just drawing machines.You’re drawing calm.

Every bedtime story - whether it features a digger, a fire engine, a train, a goat, or a toddler in a stripy sleep suit - depends on one principle:

GOODNIGHT, Little Rocket WHOOSH-WHOOSH REX - The Last Mission

The Last Mission: All day long he whoosh-whooshed high, Zipping fast across the sky. But now the golden sun turns red…Time for WHOOSH-WHOOSH REX to head to bed.

The pictures must wind down just as gently as the text.

That is the secret.

In the next blog, I’ll explore how an illustrator (or an author working with one) begins shaping the visual world of a bedtime book:

• How to pick the colour palette for sunset - dusk - night.

• How to design expressive machines without tipping into cartoon mania.

• How landscapes, shadows and light soften across the spreads.

• How to pace movement vis ually so that the final pages feel still.

• How recurring shapes (circles, arcs, soft lines) can calm a child.

• How to give each machine a face without giving it a literal face.

• And how the final page - that tiny hush of a picture - becomes the visual equivalent of a whispered goodnight.

I'’ll look at both Digger DIG-DIG RED and Fire Engine NEE-NAW NELL as well as GOODNIGHT, Little Rocket WHOOSH-WHOOSH REX and explore and show how to build their worlds so that they belong together: three cousins in the same bedtime universe, each with a personality, each with a glow that carries the child toward sleep.

Now that the words are on the page, it’s time to think about the pictures - the style, the light, the colour, the movement, the mood.

This next blog is my guide to making the illustrations as gentle, proud, sleepy and reassuring as the stories themselves.

Well, if you’ve reached the end of this nocturnal ramble without nodding off, you’re made of sterner stuff than I am.

The digger has retired, the fire engine has extinguished itself, and the rocket has folded its wings with a sigh of relief...