The Frustration That Started It All

I was sitting with my daughter during yet another coloring session when I realized we always ended up creating stories together. "Why is this character sad?" "What happened before this scene?" We'd make up silly stories and jokes about every page we colored.

But then bedtime would come, and we'd read someone else's stories. I thought: wouldn't it be amazing if she could read HER OWN words at bedtime?

Traditional coloring books promote imagination - but really? The image is fixed and you just color. Where's the actual imagination in that?

What I Tried First

Every coloring book on the market was the same - pretty pictures with zero storytelling opportunities. Even the "creative" ones just asked kids to color inside predetermined lines. No prompts, no story starters, no way to capture the amazing narratives kids naturally create while they color.

I looked everywhere for books that combined coloring with storytelling - they simply didn't exist.

The Breakthrough Moment

What if I could turn our silly coloring conversations into actual bedtime stories?

It started with my daughter's obsession with the food characters from our flashcards (this is another hack coming! look for its story). She couldn't stop coloring them and kept asking for more. That's when it clicked - what if these characters had actual stories behind them?

My daughter helped me develop the personalities and scenarios. The peas playing football, the cereal trying to escape! - her imagination was endless! I realized we were onto something special.

The Development Journey

Foodie Tales Birth: 

I asked my illustrator to create black and white versions of our flashcard characters. Added tracing elements for early writers and story prompts based on my daughter's wild ideas.

First Publishing Leap:

 As a new business owner, I was terrified of holding stock. Amazon's print-on-demand service let me test our "silly idea" without financial risk.

Monster Tales Evolution: 

Our second book kept the story format but added new challenges - story creation using random items, a "build your own monster" section, and ready-made stories for inspiration.

What Worked: 

Based on early feedback, parents and kids find it more relaxing and connecting. Some prefer to do only the writing part first, then color slowly later - and that's perfectly fine! Kids add their own elements too, like my daughter putting a bow on the broccoli's hair because "she had somewhere fancy to go!"

The Game Changer

Why "Coloring Tales" Are Different:

• Story prompts for each illustration to spark imagination
• Kids read their own created stories at bedtime
• Tracing elements for early writers
• Designed for coloring together, not solo distraction
• Creative challenges and build-your-own sections
• Vocabulary support for early academic years

Unexpected Results: Some kids are even challenging their parents to come up with silly stories or connect random items to make a ridiculous narrative! The roles have flipped - kids are leading the creative process.

Real Family Impact

From My Own Home:

My daughter gets this silly smile every time I read one of her stories at bedtime. Each time, she tries to make the story longer and more complicated. She even asked me to read her story and color the picture accordingly because "there are clues in the story for you, Mummy!"

Early Customer Feedback:

 "Finally, a coloring book that doesn't just keep them busy - it brings us together! We spend way more time on each page now because of all the storytelling."

Future Plans

If sales continue growing, we'll move from Amazon's print service to our own printing for better quality control and pricing. For now, we're grateful this process let us turn our silly ideas into something permanent - books we'll have forever to read, color, and laugh with.

Because imagination shouldn't be limited to staying inside the lines.