Questions about personal children’s books

A personal book is made for one child. At the simplest, their name is printed into a ready-made story. In a fully personal book the child is drawn as the hero on every page, and the story is written around the subject, lesson and age you choose. Our name book guide explains the difference.

Yes. The pictures are illustrated with the help of AI from the photo you upload, in the style you choose. You then check every page, and can rewrite any text or ask for any picture to be redrawn before you order a print.

There are 120 story subjects in eight themes, from dinosaurs, space and mermaids to a new baby, potty training, moving house or being afraid of the dark. Browse a selection on our story ideas page.

One clear photo of your child is enough. Each extra character (a sibling, a grandparent, a pet or a favorite toy) needs a photo of its own.

Pick the photo where your child's face is largest and sharpest, and crop it so only they are in the frame. A bright photo without sunglasses, a low hat or a heavy filter gives the best likeness. Our photo guide has more tips.

It is used only to illustrate the book. The AI services that draw the pictures may not use it to train their models or keep it for their own purposes. It is stored securely, never sold, and deleted when you ask.

Choosing the options takes a few minutes. After you order, the eBook is ready to read in about 15 minutes, and a link to it arrives by email.

Every book is written and illustrated from scratch after you order, so there is nothing to preview beforehand. That is why the first step is the eBook at $7.99, which you can change page by page before deciding on print.

Ask for that picture to be redrawn. You can also rewrite the text of any page, so the book is right before anything is printed.

25 languages, including English (US and UK), Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish and Hebrew. A finished book can also be copied or translated into another language.

The eBook is $7.99. The printed hardcover is $44.99 plus shipping, because the eBook payment is deducted. Prices here are in US dollars; the store shows your local price before you pay. See the pricing page.

A large 8.3 x 11.7 inch hardcover with a matte laminated cover, printed to order after you have checked every page.

Printing takes 3 to 10 working days, plus shipping to your country. For a birthday or holiday, allow at least 3 to 4 weeks, and more in December.

Custom Picture Books ships hardcovers to many countries, with shipping charged per order by country. Inside the EU, shipping is free from 2 hardcovers. The cart shows the exact cost before you pay.

Yes, as long as you have a clear photo and the parents are happy for you to use it. Grandparents, godparents and aunts often do. Our gift guide has ideas by occasion.

Yes. The eBook is ready in about 15 minutes and can be shared by private link, so it works even on the day. The hardcover can follow later.

Yes, a separate line of A4 photo-story books for ages 0 to 2, ordered as print, where you see the drawn cover first. Read more in our baby books guide.