GO DEEP
Text copyright © 2026 the author Illustrations copyright © 2026 the illustrator All rights reserved.
GO DEEP
In a warm, sunny reef, in the wide, sparkling sea, lived Ollie the octopus, playful and free.
Dot was his friend, a small, brave light. She beeped, "beep-beep" and glowed golden-bright.
They swam. Zoom! They hid. Peek-a-boo! They found shells. Clink! All day, just those two.
They loved adventures, they loved to explore. "Let's go a bit deeper! Let's see a bit more!"
At the edge of the reef, where the sparkle grew thin, they gazed at the darkness and the deep drew them in.
Ollie's three hearts went: thump-thump-thump! "Are you ready?" smiled Dot. "Let's jump-jump-jump!"
Down they swam, down and down, past shimmering fish, past clownfish town.
Down and down, the water turned night. The warm reef above dimmed out of sight.
Blink-blink-blink! A flash in the deep! "Hello! We shine here, where the dark waters sleep."
The deep is full of wonder. The deep is full of WOW! So much light and motion… but… what is this now?
A shadow above… so big, drifting slow… Whoooosh… through the water in a cold, quiet flow.
Ollie went still. His arms curled tight. His colors went dim in the fading light.
Dot floated close. Beep. "I'm right here with you." She glowed soft and steady: "Let's try something new."
"What do you feel?" "I feel scared." "Where do you feel it?" "In my belly, right there."
"Let's breathe in… and breathe out slow. In… and out…" "It starts to go."
The shadow came closer, so gentle, so slow. A great, friendly whale with a soft, rainbow glow. Her eyes were warm, her smile was wide: "Hello, little ones. Come swim by my side."
The whale sang a song, low and long, slow and gentle, steady and strong. "Whales sing to their babies," Dot said. Beep-beep! "They call through the ocean, across the great deep."
"Woohoo!" cheered Ollie. "Hip-hip-hooray! I felt scared, then brave. What a big, big day!"
Dot beeped with joy. Beep-beep-hooray! "You did it, Ollie, you found your way!"
How do you feel, right here today? Happy, sad, mad, or scared in some way?
Put your hand on your chest. Feel it rise and fall. Breathe in… nice and slow… Breathe out… let it all go.
When big feelings come, here is what to know: Name it. Feel it. Breathe… nice and slow.
In the warm, starry reef, little Ollie slept tight, Dot dimmed her light, and the ocean whispered, "Night-night."
Young children experience big feelings in their bodies before they have words for them. This story models a simple, repeatable skill you can practice together: Name the feeling. "I feel scared." Notice the body. "My chest feels tight." Breathe slowly together. When Dot says, "Let's try something new", she shows a healthy way technology — and adults — can support children. Dot does not fix Ollie's feelings. She stays close and practices the skill with him.
The goal is not to remove fear, but to build confidence in handling it. You can use the phrase from the book anytime: Name it. Feel it. Breathe slow. Over time, children learn how to respond to big emotions in a safe and healthy way.