A slow, cozy journey to dreamland where your child says goodnight to the whole wide world.
From $14.90
Which story to pick
How to choose which story to put your child in
Fifty-four stories, and a short way to narrow them down: start from the child rather than the catalogue.
Do not start by browsing. Start with one sentence about the child - what they are into, or what is happening in their life this month - and the choice makes itself. Almost every story here is either an interest or a milestone, and those are the only two hooks that matter.
Start from an interest, if they have a strong one
If a child is currently obsessed with dinosaurs, space, mermaids or football, take that. A four-year-old who is deep in a dinosaur phase will not care that the plot is gentle - they will care that there are dinosaurs, and their own face is in it.
Interests date, and that is fine. Part of what makes the book worth keeping is that it fixes what they were into the year it was made.
Start from a milestone, if something is happening
A new sibling, a first day at school, a lost tooth, learning to swim, moving house, a night they were frightened of the dark. These land harder than an interest, because the child recognises the situation as well as the face.
This is also the case for buying ahead of the event rather than after it. A story about a brave first day, read the week before, does more than the same story read afterwards.
When you know nothing about the child
It happens - a colleague’s new baby, a great-niece you have met twice. Choose a bedtime story rather than an interest, because bedtime is universal and no four-year-old dislikes it. Or use the three-question gift finder, which picks from the real catalogue rather than showing you everything.
A note on age
You do not need to filter by age. The reading level is set from the age you enter during setup, so a story is written differently for a three-year-old than for a seven-year-old. Choose on subject, and let the age look after itself.
Where to start
See all stories
A reassuring story for the big first day, where your child learns that a brand-new place can quickly start to feel just like home..
From $14.90
Your child blasts off on a journey across the stars.
From $14.90
A tender story about your child getting ready for a brand-new role - big sibling - and discovering a heart that just keeps growing with more love to share..
From $14.90
Common questions
How do I pick a story if I do not know the child well?
Choose a bedtime story. Bedtime is universal, so it does not depend on knowing their current obsession, and it is the story most likely to be re-read. The three-question gift finder is the quick alternative.
Should I choose by age?
No - choose by subject. The reading level is set from the age you enter during setup, so the same story is written with shorter sentences for a younger child. Age is handled for you.
Is a milestone story better than an interest story?
Usually, if a milestone is actually happening. The child recognises the situation as well as their own face, which is what makes them ask for it again. If nothing is happening, an interest wins.
Can I change the story after I have started?
Yes. Nothing is fixed until you pay, and even then you see the finished book before it prints and can ask us to regenerate parts of it.
What if they already have a personalized book?
Pick a different axis from last time - if the first was an interest, go for a milestone. Families who come back tend to build a small shelf, one per year or one per big moment.
Other guides
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Know what they are into? That is enough to start.
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