Word & Worth

01 Publishing

Stories for big feelings.

Gentle books for children ages 3 to 6, and the grown-ups beside them. Firefighter Obe is available in English, Dutch and French, in paperback and hardcover.

Cover of Firefighter Obe: a red firefighter helmet on a blanket tent in a sunlit meadow

Firefighter Obe

Stories for Big Feelings: About Strength, Change, and Two Homes

When a child’s world is split between two homes, feelings can get very big. And the grown-ups beside them are often tired too.

Three gentle stories and quiet practices, made to be read slowly, together. Obe meets fear in the dark, changes that are hard to understand, and the experience of having two homes — and learns something important: “Two homes do not mean less love. Love can live in two places.”

The back of the book offers caregivers clear, accessible notes connecting the stories and practices to research in emotional development, co-regulation, and mindfulness-based approaches.

You are safe.
You are allowed to feel.
You are not alone.

Ages
3 to 6, and the grown-ups who read with them
Pages
82
Formats
Paperback and hardcover
Author
Jelle Smets

Buy the English edition

HardcoverISBN 9781067536817

Amazon.caAmazon.comAmazon.co.ukAmazon.de

Brandweer Obe

Verhalen om te voelen: Over kracht, verandering en twee huizen

Voor momenten waarop gevoelens te groot worden — een zacht boek om samen weer tot rust te komen.

Drie korte, zachte verhalen voor jonge kinderen en hun ouders of verzorgers. Brandweer Obe komt situaties tegen die voor veel jonge kinderen herkenbaar zijn: spanning in het donker, veranderingen die moeilijk te begrijpen zijn, en gevoelens die groot kunnen aanvoelen in een klein lichaam.

Met korte, zachte oefeningen en, achter in het boek, een heldere uitleg voor ouders en verzorgers over emotionele ontwikkeling en co-regulatie.

Je bent veilig.
Je mag voelen wat je voelt.
Je bent niet alleen.

Ages
3 to 6, and the grown-ups who read with them
Pages
82
Formats
Paperback and hardcover
Author
Jelle Smets

Koop de Nederlandse editie

PaperbackISBN 9781067536824

Amazon.nlAmazon.com.be

HardcoverISBN 9781067536831

Amazon.nlAmazon.com.be

Pompier Obe

Histoires pour les grandes émotions : Sur la force, le changement et deux maisons

Quand les émotions deviennent trop grandes, ce livre propose simplement de s’asseoir avec elles — ensemble.

Trois histoires douces, accompagnées de pratiques calmes. Obe traverse la peur dans le noir, le changement difficile à comprendre, et le fait d’avoir deux maisons. Sans chercher à trop expliquer, les histoires laissent de la place aux émotions.

Le livre contient aussi des pages destinées aux adultes, avec des repères clairs et accessibles.

Tu es en sécurité.
Tu peux te sentir comme ça.
Tu n’es pas seul·e.

Ages
3 to 6, and the grown-ups who read with them
Pages
82
Formats
Paperback and hardcover
Author
Jelle Smets

Acheter l’édition française

BrochéISBN 9781067536855

Amazon.frAmazon.com.beAmazon.ca

ReliéISBN 9781067536848

Amazon.frAmazon.com.beAmazon.ca

Inside the book

Read slowly. Pause. Breathe together.

01

The stories

Three short, soothing stories follow Obe through fear, change, and the feeling of having two homes — and show that feelings can be named, held, and softened.

02

Quiet practices

Simple, guided practices help children and caregivers slow down, breathe, notice the body, and return to calm together.

03

For grown-ups

A short, gentle explanation of the research behind the stories and practices, in clear, accessible language.

A glimpse inside

Six pages from the English edition.

Page from Firefighter Obe: words children can return to again and again
01Words children can return to again and again
Page from Firefighter Obe: meet obe, learning to understand big feelings
02Meet Obe, learning to understand big feelings
Page from Firefighter Obe: helps children name what they feel
03Helps children name what they feel
Page from Firefighter Obe: simple tools for overwhelming moments
04Simple tools for overwhelming moments
Page from Firefighter Obe: guides caregivers in what to say and do
05Guides caregivers in what to say and do
Page from Firefighter Obe: calming exercises for real-life moments
06Calming exercises for real-life moments
Illustrated page that reads: Let’s take one calm breath together.

For parents & educators

Not about fixing feelings. About staying with them.

How the book supports co-regulation, how to read it together — and review copies for counsellors, schools, childcare networks and libraries.

A note on the art

Every word of the text is written by Jelle Smets. The illustrations were created with Adobe Firefly and edited by Jelle to fit each page and each moment in the story.