Hemel Hempstead dad turns bedtime adventures with his son into new children’s book
“Captain Frank really came from the adventures and imagination I share with my son”
A Hemel Hempstead dad has turned the everyday adventures and bedtime moments he shares with his young son into a new children’s book.
Jake New, from Hemel Hempstead, is the author of Captain Frank’s First Voyage, a beautifully illustrated board book for children aged two to five.
The story was inspired by Jake’s son Frankie and their family dog Isaac, who became the inspiration for Captain Frank and his loyal First Mate.
What began with ordinary moments at home — bath-time adventures, bedtime stories and a young child’s imagination — gradually developed into the world of Captain Frank.
Jake said: “Captain Frank really came from the adventures and imagination I share with my son. Those little everyday moments can feel ordinary at the time, but they’re often the ones you look back on and treasure most.
“I wanted to capture some of that in a story families could enjoy together, while creating the kind of adventure I would want to read to my own children.”
In Captain Frank’s First Voyage, bath time transforms into an adventure at sea as Captain Frank and First Mate Isaac set sail together.
The rhyming story takes the pair beyond the horizon on their first voyage, combining imagination and courage with the reassurance of returning home safely for bedtime.
The book grew into a much bigger project for Jake, who created independent imprint Fathers & Sons Publishing and has spent the past year developing the story, illustrations, production and wider Captain Frank world from scratch.
The first 500 copies of Captain Frank’s First Voyage have now arrived in the UK, marking the beginning of the book’s launch in Hertfordshire and beyond.
Jake added: “Seeing the finished books arrive after working on Captain Frank for so long was a huge moment.
“It started as something deeply personal between me and Frankie, with Isaac alongside us, so having a real book in my hands that other parents can now read with their children is incredibly special.
“My hope is that Captain Frank becomes part of those little moments between parents and children that they’ll one day look back on and remember.”
Captain Frank’s First Voyage is a premium board book for children aged two to five and is the first adventure in a new Captain Frank series. It is written by Jake New, illustrated by Thai Son and published independently by Fathers & Sons Publishing. The book is priced at £7.99.
Captain Frank’s First Voyage is available from captainfrank.online, with more from Captain Frank on Instagram at @captainfrankbooks.