For grown-ups
Birthday gifts

Personalized birthday books that make them the hero

A birthday gift they open once and remember for years: a storybook where the birthday child is the star on every page.

Toys are forgotten by the next birthday. A personalized book - their face, their name, a story written for their age - becomes the one they ask for at bedtime, long after the party.

Great birthday gift picks

The Best Birthday Ever - personalized children's book coverIsabella's Best BirthdayOur pick

A joyful celebration story where your child turns another year older, surrounded by wishes, laughter, and a sprinkle of birthday magic.

Ages 0-8

From $14.90
Superhero - personalized children's book coverLeo the SuperheroOur pick

Your child discovers an extraordinary power - and an even bigger heart.

Ages 4-8

From $14.90
Free preview before you pay Add a dedication - "For them, with love" Ships straight to their door

Before you choose

A party table with twenty-five presents and an audience is the one room where nothing quiet survives four seconds. We wrote down the worst moment to hand a book over, and what to do instead

Comparing your options?The best personalized children's books, side by side

Shopping for a specific someone?

A book for a sonA book for a daughterA book for a grandsonA book for a granddaughterA book for a nieceA book for a nephewA book for a friend's child

Or shop by age

Books for babies and toddlersBooks for 3 year oldsBooks for 5 year oldsBooks for 8 year olds

Other occasions

All occasions
New babyNew siblingFirst day of schoolPreschool graduationPotty trainingLosing a tooth

Common questions

What is a good personalized birthday gift for a child?

A personalized storybook starring the birthday child - their likeness and name woven through an age-appropriate adventure, printed as a keepsake hardcover.

Can I add a birthday message?

Yes - every book has a dedication page, so you can add a birthday note ("For Maya, on your 5th birthday") that prints inside the book.

How far ahead of the birthday should I order?

Count back from delivery, and note that the clock starts when you approve the book rather than when you pay. Printed books reach the UK in about six days, the United States in nine to ten, Canada in nine to eleven and Australia in nine to fourteen. If the party is sooner than that, the digital edition is ready the moment you approve it.

Is the story written for the age they are turning?

Yes - you pick the age and the writing is pitched for it, so the same adventure reads differently for a three-year-old and an eight-year-old. Choose the age they are turning rather than the age they read at.

What if the character does not look like them?

You see the cover and a full chapter before paying, and you can redraw the character until it is right. Nothing is printed until you approve the finished book - and the photograph you uploaded is deleted at that point.

Will it actually look like them?

  • Reference portrait: Deep brown skin, tightly coiled hair, age 5The illustrated character kept from it: Deep brown skin, tightly coiled hairDeep brown skin, tightly coiled hair
  • Reference portrait: Fine, fair, barely-there hair, age 1The illustrated character kept from it: Fine, fair, barely-there hairFine, fair, barely-there hair
  • Reference portrait: Straight black hair with a fringe, age 7The illustrated character kept from it: Straight black hair with a fringeStraight black hair with a fringe
  • Reference portrait: Curly ginger hair and freckles, age 4The illustrated character kept from it: Curly ginger hair and frecklesCurly ginger hair and freckles
  • Reference portrait: Round glasses, age 6The illustrated character kept from it: Round glassesRound glasses
  • Reference portrait: Long braids with beads, age 8The illustrated character kept from it: Long braids with beadsLong braids with beads
  • Reference portrait: A visible hearing aid, age 5The illustrated character kept from it: A visible hearing aidA visible hearing aid
  • Reference portrait: A baby with no hair, 6 monthsThe illustrated character kept from it: A baby with no hairA baby with no hair

Skin tone, hair texture and freckles all carried through - including the cases most generators get wrong. See it up close

See inside a finished bookWhat happens to the photoHow we compare

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Make them the hero of their own birthday story.