The gift they keep on the shelf forever
Your child tells a story out loud, and we print it as a real picture book with their name on the cover. For grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, mum or dad, it is the birthday or Christmas present nobody puts in the charity bag. It is a keepsake, $49 for the printed book, with the full 24-page story made before you pay.
Who it is for
Grandma
Her grandchild's voice on the shelf, ready for the next visit.
Grandpa
A book he can read out loud over the phone, page by page.
Aunts and uncles
The gift that beats another toy, every single year.
Mum
Her child as the author, not the audience.
Dad
A bedtime book with his own kid's jokes inside it.
Godparents
Something to keep long after the outgrown presents are gone.
The occasions it fits best
Birthdays
For the grandparent who says they want nothing, and for milestone birthdays where a gift should mean something.
Christmas
The one present under the tree that nobody throws away in January. Start the story in November and it arrives in time.
New baby and big siblings
An older child tells a story about the new arrival, and the whole family gets a copy.
Memorial and milestone years
A story about a person the family loves, in a child's own words, printed and bound.
What lands on the doormat
- An 8.5 inch square paperback, full colour all the way through, 24 pages, printed to order.
- A private message from you, printed on the inside cover, so the gift carries a note as well as a story.
- An About the Author page with your child's name, because they wrote it.
- Copies for the rest of the family at a discount: 10 percent off for 2 to 4, 15 percent off for 5 to 9, 20 percent off for 10 or more. No maximum.
- Once the printed book is ordered, share it with as many people as you like. Download the PDF from your account, or invite readers by email for $1 each and they read it in their own account.
Ordering in time for the day
The story session takes about half an hour and can be split over a few evenings. Books are printed to order, so give it two weeks before a birthday or Christmas to be relaxed about it. You can make the full story today and decide about printing later.
Common questions
- What makes this a good gift for grandparents?
- It is their grandchild's own voice, printed and bound. The words, the characters and the silly bits are all the child's. Grandparents get a book they can read out loud on the phone, keep on the shelf and hand on later.
- How long before Christmas should I order?
- The story session takes about half an hour and the book is printed to order, so allow two weeks before the day to be comfortable. You can make the full story today and pay when you are ready to print.
- Can I order copies for several family members?
- Yes. Copies are discounted as the count goes up: 10 percent off for 2 to 4 copies, 15 percent off for 5 to 9, and 20 percent off for 10 or more. There is no maximum.
- Can I add a private message inside the cover?
- Yes. A parent writes a private message that is printed on the inside cover, so the gift carries a note as well as a story.
Start their story tonight
Make the full 24-page story first. Pay $49 when you want it printed and posted.