Yes. There are three ways: a template personalized book, where your child's name (and sometimes a chosen look) is added to a ready-made story, an AI photo book, where an app turns a photo of your child into pictures, or a custom picture book, where an illustrator draws your child as the hero of a story written for them. A custom book takes longer, but the character, the story and the art are made for your child alone.
A template book changes a few details in an existing book, an AI photo book is generated by an app, and a custom book is drawn from scratch. Here is how they compare:
| Template personalized book | AI photo book | Custom picture book | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Story | Same story for every buyer; name inserted | Chosen from the app's stories | Your own story (you write it, or adapt a family story) |
| How your child looks | Chosen from preset options, if any | Generated from a photo | Drawn as a unique character based on your description |
| Pages | Fixed | Fixed by the app | You decide; a 32-page book has about 14 spreads |
| Art | Shared by every copy of that template | Made by AI, page by page | Drawn for your book only |
| Time | Usually fast | Usually fast | About 4–6 weeks per book with us |
| Publishing | A gift copy | Varies by app | A gift copy, or a book you publish on KDP or IngramSpark |
Every illustration in our books is 100% human-made; see how AI and human illustration compare.
A template book is a quick gift. A custom book suits families who want a story that is truly theirs, with a character that looks like their child on every page.
A custom book starts with the character, then the story pages, then final color. These are the steps we follow:
The illustrator needs enough detail to draw your child the same way on every page. Send:
For a full quote checklist, see what to send an illustrator for a quote.
My Grandpa is a VIP shows how a story about a grandparent and a grandchild becomes a full picture book. We illustrated it in detailed 2D for author Linda Wiener: the project started from the author's text outline, followed by 28 sketches and 29 final illustrations, plus the cover and interior layout. The author approved the full storyboard before final art, and every page was drawn by hand. See the My Grandpa is a VIP case study.
Both work. You can order printed copies as a family gift, or publish the book so anyone can buy it. If you want to sell it, we deliver KDP/IngramSpark-ready files. For a hardcover, see our guide to self-publishing a hardcover picture book. We work in three sizes: 8.5" x 8.5", 8.5" x 11" and 8" x 10".
Yes. Template personalized books add your child's name to a ready-made story. A custom picture book is drawn with your child as the main character, in a story made for them.
Yes. AI apps can turn one photo into a book quickly. A custom book is drawn by an illustrator from your description, so every page is 100% human-made.
Yes. A clear description of age, hair, eyes, skin tone, clothes and personality is enough to start a character design. You then approve a free colored sample before the book begins.
Our standard timeline is about 4–6 weeks per book.
Yes. The look is fixed on a character sheet before page art starts, and every sketch is checked against it in the storyboard before final color.
You do. Clients get full ownership of the art by default, and the contract states this clearly.
Yes. Each person or pet gets its own character design in the same style, so the whole family looks like it belongs in one book.
Tell us about your child and your story, and we'll draw a free colored sample of the main character. You can also book a free 30-minute video call. For costs, see our illustration pricing page.
Ready to see your story in color?
