Personalized books, made from something that actually happened.
Create your own illustrated hardcover — for a child, a parent, a partner, anyone.
Whimbel personalized books are written from a memory you describe and illustrated from your own photos, so the people in them look like themselves. One story, one hardcover, made for any age.
How to make a book that is genuinely yours
Most personalized books are one template with a name swapped in, which is why they are forgotten by February. Making your own here starts from the opposite end: you tell us what happened, and the story is written around it, then illustrated from scratch with the real people drawn onto every page. Whatever the occasion — a first birthday, a grandparent, a partner, a teacher, no occasion at all — the same thing is true of all of them. The specific pages below go deeper on each.
- Written from your memory, not selected from a set of templates
- Everyone in it is illustrated from one photo each and looks like themselves
- Any age and any relationship — babies, children, adults, grandparents
- Premium casewrap hardcover, free worldwide shipping
Why it matters
A name printed into somebody else's story is a novelty. Your own story, drawn properly, is an heirloom.
$7.99 to preview. $44.99 for the hardcover — preview deposit deducted.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create my own personalized book?
You describe one real memory, upload one clear photo of each person you want in it, and the story and illustrations are built from there. The digital preview is ready in about 10 minutes and you see the whole book before deciding to print.
What is the difference between this and a photo book?
A photo book lays out pictures you already have. This writes a story and illustrates it from scratch, so the people are drawn rather than photographed. If what you want is your photographs arranged well, a photo book is the better product and we would rather say so.
Can I make a custom book for an adult?
Yes. Nothing here is limited to children — the story is written for whoever it is about. There is a page dedicated to books for adults if that is what you are after.
How many photos does it take to make a book?
One per person. A single clear, well-lit photo is enough for someone to be illustrated consistently across every page.
What does a personalized book cost?
The digital preview is $7.99 and shows you the finished book. The hardcover is $44.99 with the preview credited against it, and shipping is free worldwide.
Related reading
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Sorted by how far away they live rather than by price, with every figure linked to the page it came from.
Gifts for Grandparents: Grandparent Gift Ideas, by Occasion
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Anniversary Gift Ideas: What Actually Works, and What the Research Says
Organised around the finding that a short, unfamiliar shared activity does more for a relationship than a familiar one.
First Birthday Gift Ideas: What a One-Year-Old Actually Uses
Chosen against what a one-year-old is actually doing, using the AAP's own toy guidance — and with no invented average spend.
Long-Distance Grandparenting: What Actually Closes the Gap
Contact is not the shortage — 76% of grandparents already name technology as a primary channel. Shared context is.