PersonalisableClassic Tales

Personalise ‘Dot and the Kangaroo’ Storybook

Lost in the Australian bush, Dot befriends a gentle kangaroo, hears the voices of native animals, and follows their clues towards two joyful homecomings.

Create a child-friendly version of Dot and the Kangaroo starring the children you love. Personalise Dot, Willy Wagtail, Mother, and Father and choose a reading level designed for ages 0-4, ages 5-7, and ages 8-11.

Story lesson

Kindness grows when we listen to other living creatures, care for their homes, and help one another find the way back to safety.

About the book

About our child-friendly Dot and the Kangaroo story

Dot and the Kangaroo is a warm, child-friendly adaptation of Ethel C. Pedley's classic Australian bush story. Magic berries let lost young Dot understand the remarkable native animals who help guide her home.

First published in 1899, Dot and the Kangaroo pairs an adventurous homeward journey with an enduring appeal for kindness towards Australian wildlife. This edition preserves its best-known characters, bush settings, humour, and double reunion while updating harmful material for modern family reading.

Classic Tales · Designed for ages 0-4, ages 5-7, and ages 8-11 · Dot, Willy Wagtail, Mother, and Father can be personalised · Themes include Friendship, Compassion, and Australian wildlife

A scene from Dot and the Kangaroo

Illustrated scene 1 from Dot and the Kangaroo

This scene shows the original story edition. Personalised books recreate the illustrations around the selected characters.

Meet the characters

Dot and the Kangaroo characters

Meet the original cast of Dot and the Kangaroo and discover which roles are best suited to personalisation—and why.

Character reference sheet showing the cast of Dot and the Kangaroo — Use the guidance below to see which characters are best suited to personalisation and why.

Dot

Ideal for personalisation

A curious, kind-hearted five-year-old who becomes lost, learns to listen to bush creatures, and helps her kangaroo friend on the journey home.

Why: Dot is the central child viewpoint character, appears throughout the story, acts with courage and compassion, and can naturally be replaced by a child.

Kangaroo

Cannot be personalised

A gentle mother kangaroo who shelters Dot in her pouch while searching for both Dot's home and her own missing joey.

Why: Her kangaroo form, powerful hopping, and maternal pouch are essential to carrying Dot and to the paired reunion with her joey.

Kookaburra

Cannot be personalised

A bold, cheerful bird who watches over Dot, removes a snake from the cave, and later speaks for friendship at the animals' council.

Why: His swooping bird behaviour, distinctive laugh, and role in safely removing the snake depend on his kookaburra form.

Platypus

Cannot be personalised

An eccentric, scholarly creek-dweller whose elaborate advice sends Dot and the Kangaroo in search of Willy Wagtail.

Why: The humour and story function depend on the Platypus's distinctive mixed physical features and aquatic creek home.

Koala

Cannot be personalised

A drowsy, opinionated tree-dweller whose comic conversation gives Dot a quiet pause during the search.

Why: The role's gum-tree home, climbing, nocturnal habits, and koala-specific humour make the animal form essential.

Bittern

Cannot be personalised

A brisk wetland bird whose booming calls stop the pursuing dogs and whose practical advice helps Dot revive the exhausted Kangaroo.

Why: The rescue depends on the Bittern's hidden marsh habitat, deep booming call, and knowledge of water beneath the reeds.

Willy Wagtail

Can be personalised

A lively, well-travelled bird who recognises Dot and guides her and the Kangaroo along the final route to the cottage.

Why: A customer animal can safely and naturally fill the friendly guide role with modest adaptation to how the guide travels and signals the route.

Mother

Can be personalised

Dot's loving mother, who keeps searching, cares for the lost joey, and welcomes both families home.

Why: She is a safe, affectionate adult family role, though her appearance is concentrated in the homecoming rather than the full journey.

Father

Can be personalised

Dot's devoted father, who searches for her and helps turn the family property into a safe haven for bush creatures.

Why: He is a caring, safe adult family role with a positive conservation outcome, though he appears mainly at the beginning and homecoming.

Joey

Cannot be personalised

The Kangaroo's young joey, whose disappearance motivates her journey and whose return completes the story's second homecoming.

Why: The role must be the Kangaroo's own joey and return to her pouch, so replacing it with another animal would break the essential relationship and action.

Learning and connection

What children can learn from Dot and the Kangaroo

Introduces Australian animals and habitats through memorable story encounters.
Encourages empathy, friendship, and care for wildlife and shared environments.
Supports conversations about staying calm, staying put when lost, and accepting practical help.

Character personalisation

Who can be personalised in Dot and the Kangaroo?

After entering your characters, assign them to one of the supported roles below. Their photo is used to recreate the character artwork for the new customer book.

Dot

A curious, kind-hearted five-year-old who becomes lost, learns to listen to bush creatures, and helps her kangaroo friend on the journey home.

Willy Wagtail

A lively, well-travelled bird who recognises Dot and guides her and the Kangaroo along the final route to the cottage.

Mother

Dot's loving mother, who keeps searching, cares for the lost joey, and welcomes both families home.

Father

Dot's devoted father, who searches for her and helps turn the family property into a safe haven for bush creatures.

Adaptation source

Where Dot and the Kangaroo comes from

Adapted from Ethel C. Pedley's public-domain 1899 story using the supplied complete-text page. This MyStoryWorld.app edition softens danger, removes outdated racist material, and preserves the Australian bush journey, animal friendships, conservation theme, and double homecoming.

Source: Dot and the Kangaroo, Ethel C. Pedley (Project Gutenberg Australia eBook 0900681h.html, text of the 1899 English-language work)

Personalisation

Make Dot and the Kangaroo uniquely theirs

Add your child, choose the details, and we'll create a story written and illustrated around the characters you choose.

1. Add your child or charactersInclude your child and any friends or family.
2. Choose who plays each roleStart with one character. Ideal roles: Dot; optional: Willy Wagtail, Mother, and Father.
3. Choose their reading ageSelect ages 0-4, ages 5-7, and ages 8-11.
4. We create their storyMyStoryWorld.app writes and illustrates the adventure around your choices.