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Your Story · A book only you can give

Your story.
Their own book.

Turn a memory, a family joke, or a wild idea into a hardcover starring your child. See the cover and first three spreads free.

Jonah Gives It a Turn on a mint-and-coral striped knit scarf on a cream sofa beside a plain brown football.
Photo used to draw the child in this bookThe photo
Grandpa lent Jonah his lucky scarf. Jonah threw his first spiral and it wobbled…

$59.9932 full-color pages · 8.5 × 8.5 in hardcoverFree US shipping · printed in the USA
Start your free preview →
  • You approve every page before it prints
  • Full refund within 24 hours of checkout, before you approve the print
  • $6.99 Free US economy shipping, delivered by about Mon, Nov 16
  • Change any word or picture after checkout

The preview is free. No card needed.

Explore the sample booksGame day: Jonah Gives It a Turn

FallSchoolGame dayChristmas
How the preview works

Write a few lines and add one clear photo of your child. We write the story and paint the cover and first three spreads. Read them, then pay $59.99 only if you want the whole book.

What prints

A 32-page, 8.5 × 8.5 in full-color hardcover with a matte cover and the title on the spine. Printed in the USA.

Shipping and refunds

We print each book to order and ship it free in the US by economy post. Most arrive by about Mon, Nov 16. Changed your mind? Ask for a full refund within 24 hours of checkout, as long as you have not approved the book for print yet.

Across our children's book shops, online and in store:

1,000+
books shipped
4.7★
from 500+ reviews

From your words to the page

What you write ends up in the book.

The names, the little details, the thing they always say. Every marked line below came from the brief, and you can find each one in the book.

The briefA moment worth celebrating
Your story idea

Grandpa took Jonah to last Sunday. Grandpa let him wear his old lucky scarf, the mint and coral striped one he's had forever, and Jonah yelled every time our team ran the ball. When we got home they went straight to the backyard and Jonah threw his first spiral. .

A detail to include

Another detail 2

Our team wears mint green and coral

Another detail 3

The first spiral wobbled but Grandpa caught it

Spread 14 of the sample book Jonah Gives It a Turn: Grandpa catches Jonah's first spiral, wobble and all. Jonah's arms shoot up, and the scarf bounces. “You got it!”
Spread 14 Caught, wobble and all. The lucky scarf, bouncing.
Spread 1 of the sample book Jonah Gives It a Turn: Jonah watches a football spin above the big stadium. Grandpa settles the old mint and coral striped lucky scarf across Jonah's knees.
Spread 1 The book starts in the stands.

Look inside

Inside a sample book.

Jonah Gives It a Turn: the cover, the first three spreads and spread 14, where the brief pays off. Your free preview is the cover and first three spreads of your own book. We paint the rest after you order, and you can still change any page before it prints.

The brief

Grandpa took Jonah to his first big football game in the stands last Sunday. Grandpa let him wear his old lucky scarf, the mint and coral striped one he's had forever, and Jonah yelled every time our team ran the ball. When we got home they went straight to the backyard and Jonah threw his first spiral. It wobbled the whole way but Grandpa caught it.

Cover of the sample book Jonah Gives It a Turn
The brief

Grandpa took Jonah to his first big football game in the stands last Sunday. Grandpa let him wear his old lucky scarf, the mint and coral striped one he's had forever, and Jonah yelled every time our team ran the ball. When we got home they went straight to the backyard and Jonah threw his first spiral. It wobbled the whole way but Grandpa caught it.

Cover of the sample book Jonah Gives It a Turn
Spread 1 of Jonah Gives It a Turn: Jonah watches a football spin above the big stadium. Grandpa settles the old mint and coral striped lucky scarf across Jonah's knees.
Spread 2 of Jonah Gives It a Turn: On Sunday, Jonah grips the seat at the first big football game. The ball looks tiny from the stands.
Spread 3 of Jonah Gives It a Turn: Jonah watches the ball turn over the whole field. 'Can I throw my first spiral to you?' Grandpa squeezes Jonah's hand.
Spread 14 of Jonah Gives It a Turn: Grandpa catches Jonah's first spiral, wobble and all. Jonah's arms shoot up, and the scarf bounces. “You got it!”

Cover. In the free preview.

Free preview: cover and spreads 1–3Spread 14 of 16. Finished after you order.

The full book continues: 16 spreads, 32 pages, with the story between the opening and spread 14 and the ending after it.

Yours to change until it prints

  • After you pay, change any word or picture. Each change redraws that page, and you get 100 redraws.
  • Nothing prints until you approve the book.
  • You still have 24 hours after you approve to change things. Then it goes to print.
  • Full refund within 24 hours of checkout, if you have not approved it yet.
Start your free preview →

Where your words land

Spread 14, up close.

A page near the end of Jonah Gives It a Turn. Each number marks something that came from the brief.

Spread 14 of the sample book Jonah Gives It a Turn: Grandpa catches Jonah's first spiral, wobble and all. Jonah's arms shoot up, and the scarf bounces. “You got it!”

Made for this season

A story from this season.

A pumpkin patch, a new friend, a first spiral, a morning of cookies. Pick one to see the book we made from it.

FallSchoolGame dayChristmas
Jonah Gives It a Turn on a mint-and-coral striped knit scarf on a cream sofa beside a plain brown football.

Jonah Gives It a Turn

The briefA moment worth celebrating
Grandpa took Jonah to his first big football game in the stands last Sunday. Grandpa let him wear his old lucky scarf, the mint and coral striped one he's had forever, and Jonah yelled every time our team ran the ball. When we got home they went straight to the backyard and Jonah threw his first spiral. It wobbled the whole way but Grandpa caught it.

The free preview from this brief

Spread 1 of the sample book Jonah Gives It a Turn: Jonah watches a football spin above the big stadium. Grandpa settles the old mint and coral striped lucky scarf across Jonah's knees.Spread 2 of the sample book Jonah Gives It a Turn: On Sunday, Jonah grips the seat at the first big football game. The ball looks tiny from the stands.Spread 3 of the sample book Jonah Gives It a Turn: Jonah watches the ball turn over the whole field. 'Can I throw my first spiral to you?' Grandpa squeezes Jonah's hand.
Start a game day story →

What arrives

A hardcover you can hand down.

  • The title, with their name, on the spine.A slim hardcover with a cream spine. It sits on the shelf with the rest of their books.Drawn from the Jonah Gives It a Turn sample art.
  • Close view of a printed page corner: watercolor kitchen, snowy window, and the line 'first snow keeps falling.'
    32 full-color pages, printed in the USA.Matte pages and big, clear type, easy to read aloud with a child on your lap.
  • 8.5 × 8.5 in, sized for a lap.Open, it is 17 inches across, with plenty of room for the pictures and the words.Drawn from the Jonah Gives It a Turn sample art.

Every family's book is different

Ten briefs, ten books.

A pale oak shelf with Theo and the Smiling Pumpkin and Lily and the Star Cookies face-out and three books stacked spine-out: Jonah Gives It a Turn, Owen and the First Fish, Rosa and the Sock Island.
  • Cover of the sample book Theo and the Smiling PumpkinTheo and the Smiling PumpkinA lopsided pumpkin on the hay ride home.
  • Cover of the sample book Diego and the Golden MazeDiego and the Golden MazeA paper map, a red barn, and the way out of the corn.
  • Cover of the sample book Henry and the Maple LeavesHenry and the Maple LeavesThe biggest leaf pile ever, and cider with Pop.
  • Cover of the sample book Priya Makes RoomPriya Makes RoomA new friend and a purple crayon.
  • Cover of the sample book Anika and the SneakerAnika and the SneakerOne sneaker, a muddy chase, and the bus with seconds to spare.
  • Cover of the sample book Jonah Gives It a TurnJonah Gives It a TurnA wobbly first spiral, caught.
  • Cover of the sample book Lily and the Star CookiesLily and the Star CookiesStar cookies on the first snowy day.
  • Cover of the sample book Owen and the First FishOwen and the First FishA first fish at the lake with Grandma.
  • Cover of the sample book Rosa and the Sock IslandRosa and the Sock IslandA cardboard boat, a grumpy cat, and the island of lost socks.
  • Cover of the sample book Lila and the Next PedalLila and the Next PedalLearning to ride without training wheels, falls included.

How it works

Three steps. The first is one sentence.

  1. Tell us what happenedA sentence or two about a real day, or what you want the book to do. Add a detail or a phrase they always say, if you like.
  2. Add one photoOne clear photo of your child. We draw them on every page.
  3. Read the preview, then decideSee the cover and first three spreads free. Order the hardcover only if you love it.
  • Preview before you payThe cover and first three spreads, free. No card.
  • Free US shippingEvery book is printed to order and mailed free.
  • 24-hour refundChanged your mind? Get a full refund within 24 hours of checkout, before you approve the book.

Questions

Before you start

How much do I have to write?

One sentence is enough. Tell us what happened, or what you want the book to do. Names, places and a favorite phrase help. Everything else is optional.

Who writes the story?

We do. You give us the moment and the details only your family knows, and we write and illustrate all 32 pages around them.

What do I see before paying?

The cover and the first three spreads, with your child in them. If it is not right, stop there and pay nothing.

Can I change it after I pay?

Yes. After checkout we finish every page, and you can change any word or picture. Each change redraws that page, and you get 100 redraws. Nothing prints until you approve the book, and you have 24 hours after that for last changes.

When does it arrive?

We print each book once you approve it and mail it free in the US by economy post. Order today and most books arrive by about Mon, Nov 16.

What if I change my mind?

Ask for a full refund within 24 hours of checkout, as long as you have not approved the book for print yet.

What happens to the photo?

We keep it private and use it only to draw your child. We never sell it or use it to train models, and you can delete it anytime.

Start with one sentence.

Write what happened, add one photo, and read the first pages before you decide. $59.99 for the 32-page hardcover, shipped free.

Start your free preview →

The preview is free. No card needed.

No card needed$59.99 if you orderStart free preview →