Publishing Benji the Bear’s Bedtime Stories

Fundraising campaign by Elzet Blaauw
  • US$190.00
    raised of $395.00 goal goal
48% Funded
9 Donors
Raised offline: $210.00
Total: $400.00

No more donations are being accepted at this time. Please contact the campaign owner if you would like to discuss further funding opportunities

Show more
Show less

UPDATE: Scroll to the bottom of this page to see the latest pre-order prices for ebook and paperback.


Help me publish Benji the Bear's Bedtime Stories, a collection of 22 bedtime stories about Benji the Bear.

Background

Inspired by the example of others, we started reading stories to our baby boy (Benji) before bedtime when he was just a baby.

After we started this habit, we found out that a 70-year study on human development done in the UK has shown that parenting is extremely important to a child's well-being, even trumping the negative effects of poverty which the study also highlighted. Two things which were specifically mentioned are reading to children every day and regular bedtimes. (Read the article or watch the TED talk.)

Our habit and all the little, special things in our son's life were the inspiration for writing these stories. The love for reading, children and their well-being is the inspiration for putting them together into a collection so that you can create some more special moments with your little ones.

Content

The stories follow Benji the Bear during the first year of his bear life - which covers the first few years of a human's life!

You will love reading and rereading these stories about bath time and bed time, spending time in nature, family, milestones and so much more to your little one.

The collection will include at least one colour illustration per story.

To give you a taster of what is to come, here is the first story. You can also sign up to receive four more stories here: http://eepurl.com/dCuLnj.

Benji's Story Time


“Daddy, it’s story time!” Benji calls out, running to Daddy Bear on the couch. Benji is squeaky clean after his bath and he is wearing his pyjamas.

“Then go fetch your story book, my boy,” Daddy Bear laughs.

Benji takes the story book out of the book case and climbs onto Daddy Bear’s lap.

Every evening Daddy Bear reads a bit more from Benji’s bedtime storybook.

“Once upon a time, not so very long ago, there lived a little bear in a great, green forest. He lived with his mommy and his daddy who loved him very, very much.”

Benji listens attentively to Daddy Bear’s voice while looking at the pictures. It is his job to turn the pages when Daddy Bear says so.

“And that is all for tonight,” Daddy Bear says when the story is done.

“Can’t we read another one?” Benji asks, just like he does every evening.

“We are stopping here for now so that there are stories left for all the evenings to come,” Daddy Bear explains.

Benji feels good knowing that there are still many evenings of stories with Daddy Bear.

He closes the book and says, “OK, so that there can be another one for tomorrow evening.”

As Daddy Bear carries him off to bed, he nestles his head again Daddy Bear’s chest, thinking about the little bear in his bedtime storybook. He can’t wait to hear another story tomorrow evening.


Pre-order prices (rewards)

The rewards on this site function as pre-order prices for the ebook and printed paperback. See the breakdown below.

The different bundles for the paperback listed here are the best pricec you will ever pay - because it is cost price! I may in future do promotions on the ebook, but the paperback will never be this cheap again.

So make your donation (i.e. place your order) before 7 January to get these great prices.

US Dollars (GoGetFunding)

Item
Price after 7 January Donation / Pre-order price
Ebook $4.99 $3
1 Book $11.99+ $10
2 Books $23.98+ $18
5 Books $59.95+ $40
10 Books $119.90+ $75

South African Rand (EFT or cash)

If you are South African, you can contact me at elzetkirsten at gmail dot comto donate offline in South African Rand. Because I save on Paypal and conversion fees, this option is the more affordable one for South Africans.

Item Price after 7 January Donation / Pre-order price
Ebook R60 R30
1 Book R140 R110
2 Books R280 R200
5 Books R700 R450
10 Books R1 400 R840
Recognition as a funder

If you donate on or before 14 December, you will be listed in the book as a funder who made this project possible. Thank you! You are amazing!

Ebook + paperback combo

If you donate more than $3 / R30, you will automatically also receive a copy of the ebook.

Shipping / postage

All amounts exclude shipping.

If you would like to include shipping, please contact me at elzetkirsten at gmail dot com so that we can arrange shipping separately.

International shipping is available at $8 - $12. If you live in the US, it may be cheaper for you to order the paperback via Amazon's print-on-demand service once the book is listed there, as you can then get shipping for free.

South African postage options are available for R99 or less.

Additional donations

Have you already donated and want to "top up"? No problem! You can do so here via GoGetFunding or offline to me directly in South African Rand. Your pre-order will be determined based on the total amount you gave.


Mailing list

If you are not yet on the Benji the Bear mailing list, remember to sign up here to get updates: http://eepurl.com/dCuLnj.

There will be some go-live promotions coming up too.

Rewards

Ebook of Benji the Bear's Bedtime Stories

0 Backers

1 Paperback of Benji the Bear's Bedtime Stories (excludes shipping)

5 Backers

2 Paperbacks of Benji the Bear's Bedtime Stories (excludes shipping)

2 Backers

5 Paperbacks of Benji the Bear's Bedtime Stories (excludes shipping)

0 Backers

10 Paperbacks of Benji the Bear's Bedtime Stories (excludes shipping)

0 Backers

Organizer

  • Elzet Blaauw
  •  
  • Campaign Owner

Donors

  • Anonymous
  • Donated on Jan 07, 2019
  • Well done Zettie. We’re so very proud of touy

$20.00
  • rahul gupta
  • Posted On Dec 16, 2018
  • Hi everyone. it is a request please visit my campaign and help me.

  • Anonymous
  • Donated on Dec 14, 2018
$50.00
Dec 19

Ebook live on Amazon!

Update posted by Elzet Blaauw at 05:23 am

The ebook is now live for pre-order on Amazon! Check it out here.The paperback is currently in review with Amazon.Remember, until 7 January, here at the campaign is still the best place to get your ebook or paperback!

See update
0
Dec 07

More bang for your buck

Update posted by Elzet Blaauw at 02:18 pm

After getting more detailed quotes, our overall goal came down from $600 to only $395! And the cost of a physical copy of the book came down from $50 to $10. Great news!

See update
0
Nov 23

Benji is now in colour!

Update posted by Elzet Blaauw at 01:49 pm

Go check out the page! It has been updated with the first colour illustrations!

See update
0
Nov 19

We reached our goal for 30 November - on 16 November!

Update posted by Elzet Blaauw at 06:10 pm

Our overall goal is to reach $600 to publish this book in ebook and print format.However, the goal for 30 November was to raise $80, which will enable us to publish the ebook in time for Christmas.On 16 November we reached and passed this goal when we received an online

See update
0

Donors & Comments

9 donors
  • Anonymous
  • Donated on Jan 07, 2019
  • Well done Zettie. We’re so very proud of touy

$20.00
  • rahul gupta
  • Posted On Dec 16, 2018
  • Hi everyone. it is a request please visit my campaign and help me.

  • Anonymous
  • Donated on Dec 14, 2018
$50.00
  • Elize Kirsten
  • Donated on Dec 13, 2018
  • Baie sterkte vir die laaste trek, Zet!! Looking forward tremendously to "Benji the Bear's Bedtime Stories"!!

$20.00
$20.00
  • Nicole Coetzee
  • Donated on Nov 16, 2018
Amount Hidden
  • Almarie Blaauw
  • Donated on Nov 15, 2018
  • Well done Elzet, I am very proud of you

$5.00
  • Ronell Barkley
  • Donated on Nov 14, 2018
  • So exited with you for this book!!!!

$10.00
$20.00
  • Anonymous
  • Donated on Nov 12, 2018
$10.00
Show more donors

Followers

7 followers
Undamuje Chivala
Mathildi Heydenrych
Calvyn Kirsten
Hannes van der Merwe
Almarie Blaauw
Devique Barkley
Elize Kirsten
US$190.00
raised of $395.00 goal
48% Funded
9 Donors
Raised offline: $210.00
Total: $400.00

No more donations are being accepted at this time. Please contact the campaign owner if you would like to discuss further funding opportunities