A series is a set of books about the same characters, drawn the same way. Each new book in a series is written knowing what happened in the earlier ones, so it can carry on rather than start again. Series are open to families on either plan.
How a series starts
A series starts when your child keeps a book they liked. At the end of a book, and on a book's page in their library, there is a "Keep on my shelf" button. When your child keeps a book that has characters and is not already part of a series, that book becomes the first in a new series, named after the book. Other readers never see which books your child kept.
Bringing a character back
On the first step of the book maker, "Who is in your story?", your child may see a "Bring back [name]" button, naming a character from one of their series. If they press it, the new book joins that series: the same characters, drawn to look the same, in a new story. They still choose the place, the theme, the mood and the length.
The button comes from what we have learned your child enjoys, so it only appears when "Learn what they enjoy" is switched on for them, and once we have learned which characters they like. You will find the switch under Readers, then your child, then Safety, in "Learning what they enjoy". What your child likes explains what turning it on means.
A new episode every week
You can have a new episode of a series made each week without your child asking. Once your child has a series, a "Series" card appears on their Books tab listing each one and how many books it has so far.
- Go to Readers, then your child, then Books, and find the "Series" card.
- Under the series you want, turn on "A new episode every week".
- Choose the "Day".
- Press "Save".
Here is how it works once it is on:
- It is off until you turn it on. Nothing is made on a schedule unless you ask for it.
- The book is made overnight. On the day you chose, a new episode is made and put on your child's shelf. Depending on where you live, it may appear the evening before. We email you when it is ready, as we do for any book.
- It is made from the latest choices in the series. The characters, place, theme, mood and length behind the latest book in the series are used again, and the story carries on from what happened before.
- It uses books like any other book. An episode uses 1 book for a reader in the two younger age groups, who get picture books, and 2 books for a reader aged 7 or over, who gets chapter books. The books come from this month's allowance first and then from books you bought; while a payment on your plan has failed, only books you bought are used. The "Series" card says each episode uses one book, which is true of picture books.
- It stops by itself when there is not enough left. In a week without enough books, nothing is made. Nothing is borrowed, nothing is added to your bill, and that week passes without an episode. The switch stays on, so an episode is made the next week there are books to use.
- Some weeks are skipped for other reasons. An episode is not started while an earlier book in the same series is still being made, and the limits on how many books can be started at once, or by one reader in a day, still apply; see When the book maker says not now.
- Your child is never told. They are not told an episode is coming, and they are never told that one was missed.
Stopping weekly episodes
Turn off "A new episode every week" and press "Save". The card confirms "Saved. No more episodes will be made on their own." The day you chose is remembered, so turning it back on later offers the same day.
Only the account holder can change these switches. Your monthly books explains how the allowance works and what happens when it runs out, and Extra books covers adding more.