6 Best Personalized Baby and Kids’ Books, Tested by 2 Families

At first sight, I had an intuitive feeling that Librio’s “Welcome to the World” would be my favorite of the bunch, and it was. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful. I would frame some of these images to hang in my son’s room if possible. While the images are vibrant, they also have a calm simplicity, so they don’t overstimulate little ones during storytime. Librio really hit the mark and created a book that delighted all three of my kids. My 5-month-old was smiling and smacking the book, fully engaged. What’s more, my toddler and five-year-old also loved the images, excitedly pointing out all of the animals throughout the book. The writing is equally impressive. The child is the star of the show at the heart of the storyline, but there’s also a strong message for parents. (I actually got choked up while reading it.)

“Welcome to the World” has ample personalization options to make you feel like this book is truly tailored to your little one. You can specify your child’s name, gender, language, skin tone and hair color, and even choose an adorable cuddly animal outfit they’ll wear. To make the story unique to your family, you can choose the hero’s parents—a single mom or dad, two moms, two dads or a mom and a dad. As Librio puts it: “Every family can feel welcome in this world.” The number of choices for each customization category was just right—not too many to trip you up, and not too few to box you in. The personalization process felt fluid, inclusive, simple and fun. Plus, the website is very attractive and easy to navigate which is an added bonus.

Although the price point seems high for a picture book, it’s definitely worth it. The pages were matte and thick, like a high-quality magazine. If you want the book to have the best chance of lasting, I would opt for the hardcover option rather than the softcover. No matter which you choose though, Libro offers a timeless book with an enduring message of love for your little one. Children of all ages can return to this story and feel how special they are. This will be a meaningful and beautiful addition to my son’s keepsake box.

Age rating: 0 to 3 years | Personalization options: Name, gender, skin tone, hair color, outfit, parents | Number of pages: 27

“My Family is Amazing” is a top-notch personalized baby book for several reasons. I love how you can customize it by adding family photographs—plus, the small size is perfect for tiny hands to grasp. In fact, my 5-month-old was able to hold it all by himself, unlike large picture books. Infants can turn each page and see the familiar faces of their loved ones alongside short declarations about their special, helpful, strong, fun and loving family. Since the writing is simplistic, older siblings can read the book to their younger sisters and brothers. To further personalize the book, you’re encouraged to write a caption or anecdote about each photo you upload.

My 5-month-old was excited when he saw this book. He’s well-acquainted with board books by now, so he smacks the pages with excitement and actively turns them as we read. Although it isn’t a text-heavy book, the short declarations served as great springboards for discussion with my toddler and 5-year-old. Each page poses an obvious question. In response to “Our family is helpful,” I asked my kiddos, “How is our family helpful?” It made my children feel empowered as they listed examples of how they are contributing members to our family’s special magic. Plus, my youngest revels in listening to his older brothers speak, so it was a win for everyone.

One of my favorite things about personalized books is seeing my child’s name in big bold letters, and this book doesn’t provide that. However, the flip side is that it becomes a book for the whole family, not just one child. The customization process was more time-consuming than other books, where you simply designed a character or entered a name. If you have the time and energy to dive head-first into your photo library, go for it! All in all, this book serves as a wonderful keepsake to capture a moment in time for your family. Though your little one may not understand the words of a story just yet, they’ll still be able to enjoy the faces of loved ones throughout.

Age rating: 0 to 5 years | Personalization options: Dedication, eight photos, optional captions | Number of pages: 13

If you’re looking for a personalized picture book with an interactive element, you can’t go wrong with “Where Are You?”, Wonderbly’s best-selling search-and-find book. Everything about it, from the illustrations to the materials, is thoughtfully designed. The unique book depicts six alternate universes and sets the scene for the engaging story to unfold. “It does an excellent job tying together different scenes with a kid who discovers a portal that creates different versions of herself. My daughter could see herself as a chef, doctor, pop star and more, and she got a kick out of every version,” our product tester Korin shared. The search-and-find pages were challenging enough that Korin’s 4-year-old took a moment to find herself, but not so tough that she gave up. In fact, Korin told us that her daughter flipped through it daily when testing.

In terms of personalization, this book is super-smart. Wonderbly included a custom illustration of Korin’s daughter on the cover and nearly every page. Her little one appeared as a new character in different “portals” in the book’s signature comic book style. “I also liked how [my daughter] didn't look exactly the same in the search-and-find sections. In the chef one, for example, she can be seen in the kitchen working hard, which is slightly different from how she appears on the introductory portal page,” she explains. This unique feature keeps kids on their toes and engaged during repeat reading sessions.

To experience the magic of this custom kids’ book for yourself, you can preview all 36 pages before purchasing. The cover and interior pages are also made of thick cardstock that holds up to daily handling, so you can count on it for many storytimes to come. “Wonderbly clearly put thought into it, and my daughter's reaction to it shows that. The book will likely last a long time and I would definitely buy it for someone else,” Korin praises. At face value, the price tag may seem steep, but this book is in another league.

Bonus: Use code BUMP20 when checking out for 20 percent off one book.

Age rating: 4 to 10 years | Personalization options: Name, character, dedication | Number of pages: 36

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Having someone new join the family can be tough on older kids. Luckily, i See Me! created a book to help this big transition. This personalized story gently emphasizes the message that being an older sibling is an important role while highlighting the power of family and friendship along the way. “My daughter loved this book, and she really enjoys pointing out the images of herself and her little sister in it. The theme reinforces the importance of being a good big sibling, as well as being a lifelong friend, which is incredibly sweet,” Korin shared. Moreover, the mom of four told us that this book has led to unexpected bonding moments between her 4-year-old and one-year-old. “[My daughter has] even sat her little sister down to show where she is in the book for together time I didn't force,” Korin said.

This custom storybook also comes with a medal that the big sibling can wear—and Korin’s 4-year-old daughter did so with pride. The mom of four told us: “I wish I had it when her little sister was born!” Furthermore, she appreciates that this book is tough enough to withstand younger siblings, thanks to a hard cover and sturdy stock pages. The binding is also strong, but not so rigid that kids will have to pin it down to read the book.

The only downside is that this book doesn't allow parents to create a protagonist that represents their child like some others do. However, there are characters with different hair and skin types on each page, allowing children to imagine themselves in the story. Korin said this lack of customization wasn’t an issue for her kids. “My daughter assigned characters to herself and her sister with no problem. On each page, she would point both of them out, along with her name. The names of both girls also appear on several pages and in illustrations, like a flower face,” she explained. Overall, this book would be a great asset for expectant parents or those dealing with sibling squabbles to help reinforce the importance of family.

Age rating: 0 to 6 years | Personalization options: Sibling names, one photo, dedication | Number of pages: 20

Bedtime is a special ritual, but it can be challenging for parents and little ones alike. Thankfully, this personalized book is designed to help your child wind down for the evening and drift off to sleep. The story is simple and dreamy, featuring whimsical illustrations of animals such as owls, bears, frogs and birds as they perform a goodnight parade for your child. “The story for this book is really sweet, breaking down all the things in nature that could be happening as they drift into dreaming. […] Each spread has a new scene, which my daughter loved exploring,” Korin told us. The mom of four appreciated that the colors used throughout the story were slightly dark which fit nicely with the bedtime theme.

The personalization for this book is creative, and Korin appreciated that it wasn’t over the top. Her one-year-old’s name was included in the story and spelled out in spots like a bird’s song or on a vine, for instance. While this book doesn’t include a personalized character, Korin’s little one didn’t mind. She got excited when hearing her name in the story, although she wasn’t so ramped up that she had trouble settling down for the evening. “My daughter's attention span is pretty short, but she sat through this book several times at bedtime,” Korin added.

Another aspect that stood out to Korin during testing was this book’s deceptive sturdiness. She says it looks thin at first glance, but the cover is made from a strong stock and the interior paper is glossy and thick. As a result, Korin hasn’t experienced any wear and tear issues with this book, even though her one-year-old likes to flip through the pages on her own. In short, Korin says she would recommend “Goodnight Little Me” to families adding to or creating a new bedtime routine. “It’s a sweet experience that my daughter really enjoys. I like having a consistent book that makes her feel special and reinforces that it's time for bed,” she praises.

Age rating: 0 to 6 years | Personalization options: Name, dedication | Number of pages: 20

If your little one is working on early spelling and reading skills, Wonderbly’s “The Little Boy or Girl Who Lost Their Name” is a great choice for your family. As the book’s name implies, the story is centered on a quest to find the missing letters of your child’s name. Along the way, the protagonist will meet quirky characters who each hold a clue. Korin and her one-year-old were fans of the unique storyline. “The theme is consistent, and it's a fun, new adventure I'd never heard of before,” Korin praised. She also loved the personalization options, which set this book apart. You can customize your child’s adventurer, and for each letter of their name, pick a character that represents a different moral you’d like them to learn. Plus, you can preview all 22 pages to see how well all the elements work together before purchasing.

Wonderbly states that this personalized book is suitable for kids up to 8 years old, and Korin says she would recommend it specifically for children 3+ years or older. “My [one-year-old] really liked the book, but she couldn't sit still through the whole thing. So, we just broke it up and read it at different times of the day or came back to it the next day. She liked flipping through the pages independently and loved pointing out the different characters,” the mom of four shared. To accommodate repeat readings, this book has a heavy card stock cover, thick interior pages and high-quality binding, all of which Korin appreciated.

It’s worth noting that while personalization elements are sprinkled throughout the book, they aren’t as center-stage as some others we tested. Korin told us that her daughter’s name appeared in the introduction, along with an image of her character. While the main character shows up on each page, her name isn’t featured again until the end of the story when all the letters are found. “The way it fits into the story is seamless, but it's worth pointing out that there isn't a ton of personalization. If you want to see your child's name on every page, this isn't the book for you,” Korin explains. That being said, the one-of-a-kind storyline makes it a fun gift for those starting to recognize letters.

Bonus: Use code BUMP20 when checking out for 20 percent off one book.

Age rating: 0 to 8 years | Personalization options: Name, character, dedication | Number of pages: 22