Best Personalized Books for Kids, Reviewed by a Mom of Four

In the world of personalized kid’s books, this story really shines. Everything about this book, from the illustrations to the materials, is thoughtfully designed. The book’s graphics are unique, and the storyline—based on a kid who discovers a portal that creates alternate versions of herself—smartly ties together different scenes. Our tester (aka my 4-year-old) could see herself as a chef, doctor or pop star and she got a kick out of every version. The search and find pages were challenging enough that it took her a moment to find herself, but not so tough that she gave up. One thing to note is that this book is designed for kids aged 4 and up, so anyone younger than that may have trouble keeping up.

In terms of personalization, this book is super-smart. Wonderbly included a custom illustration of my daughter on the cover and on nearly every page throughout. My little one appeared as a new character in different “portals” in the book’s signature comic book style. I also liked how she didn't look exactly the same in the search and find sections. In the chef universe, for example, she can be seen in the kitchen working hard, which is slightly different from how she appears in the introductory portal page. This unique feature helps keep kids on their toes! The cover and interior pages are also made of thick card stock that holds up to daily handling. At face value, the $39.99 price tag may seem steep, but this book is in another league.

Age range: 4-10 years | Personalization options: Name, image, dedication

Having someone new join the family can be tough on older kids. Luckily, this book attempts to smooth things over. The personalized story gently reinforces the message that being a big sibling is an important role, while also talking up the power of family and friendship. The book also comes with a medal that the big sibling can wear—and our 4-year-old tester did so with pride. The illustrations are unique, although there are flowers in the book that resemble ones found on the "It's a Small World" ride at Disney World, earning it extra points from our tester. As a parent, I appreciate 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 of this book is that it doesn't allow parents to create a character that represents their child like some others do. However, there are characters with different hair and skin types on each page, allowing children to assign one to themselves. 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 range: 0-6 years | Personalization options: Name, dedication

Librio’s search and find world trip book is packed with illustrations and challenges to keep kids busy. The search and find element shows up on every page, both in the form of pictures of your child and objects to look for, allowing kids to read and re-read this to challenge themselves over time. The book also offers an impressive 750 options for personalization of your child's avatar. Librio’s book has a cover that’s made from heavy card stock and held up to daily handling from our kid tester. The materials are also crafted from 100 percent recycled paper, which is a major plus for eco-conscious parents.

The book’s story is fun and educational, giving kids little snippets of information about different countries that the character visits around the world. While Librio says that the book is designed for kids aged 2 to 7, younger toddlers are unlikely to understand that the avatar throughout the book is supposed to be them (my one-year-old didn’t). Some of the search and find challenges are also tough, and may require a little help from adults or siblings. The upside of that is that children can get a lot of use out of this book. And the personalization blends into the pages nicely, making for a seamless experience.

Age range: 2-7 years | Personalization options: Name, image

The Artifact Uprising Baby Board Book has one of the highest levels of personalization in a children’s book you’ll find. Nearly everything in this book is dictated by you, including the title, photos, dedication and text. The photos in the book are all yours, creating a memento for your child. The book itself has a heavy duty cover, with equally sturdy interior pages that can stand up to regular toddler use. In my experience photo books can be hit or miss, but the printing quality and clarity of Artifact Uprising’s book is impressive.

The pictures look perfectly clear and crisp. This was a favorite of our one-year-old daughter, who enjoyed seeing herself on the cover and pointing out photos of family members inside. Keep in mind that this isn’t really a story book—instead, it's a picture book with some words like "Mom" or "Dad," that you choose (although you could create your own story if you wanted). But the charm of this book is that it's simple enough for toddlers to enjoy without getting overwhelmed. Artifact Uprising lets you choose a custom or preset theme—like people, places or thankfulness—as well as whether you want 20, 30 or 40 pages, with cost increasing the more pages you add. After that, all of the pictures and words are up to you. Just set aside some time to create this book. Between choosing which photos you want to include and deciding on text, it can be a project but it’s well worth the effort.

Age range: N/A | Personalization options: Name, images, text

Bedtime is a special ritual and this personalized book is designed to help your child wind down for the evening. The story for this book is sweet, breaking down all the things in nature that could be happening as they drift off. The illustrations are gorgeous and dreamy, which is fitting for a bedtime book. Each spread has a new scene, which my child loved exploring. The colors are also slightly dark, which seems in line with the bedtime theme.

This book is deceptively sturdy. It looks thin at first glance, but the cover is made from a strong stock and the interior paper is glossy and thick. The personalization for this book is smooth, my child’s name was included in the story as well as being spelled out in spots like a bird’s tune or on a vine. The book doesn’t include an avatar or personalized character, but my little one didn’t seem to notice or care. Our tester also 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. While I See Me! says the Good Night Little book is designed for newborns and up, its lengthy story makes it a better fit for the 2 plus crowd.

Age range: 0-6 years | Personalization options: Name, dedication

If you’re looking for a book that will infuse your child into every page, this isn’t it. But if you want a keepsake book with a classic feel, the Forever Etched Gift Co Personalized Book is worth considering. A popular choice on Etsy, it’s a hardback book that feels high quality. The bindings are stitched in and the whole thing is incredibly sturdy. The illustrations are also sharp and vibrant, with a consistent color palette throughout.

The book itself features classic nursery rhymes like “Little Miss Muffet” and “Jack and Jill” that are short and sweet—a perk for our toddler tester, who has a limited attention span. Our eldest daughter enjoyed flipping through the pages to look at the illustrations, too. Keep in mind that the personalization in this book is limited to just your child’s name on the cover, although it does look nice (and expensive). It also might feel weird to insert your child’s name into classic nursery rhymes. Ultimately, the level of personalization here works, making this book a great baby shower gift or introduction to nursery rhymes for your own child.

Age range: N/A | Personalization options: Name on cover