Personalized hardcover picture books · Ages 2 to 8

Your child, the hero of their very own book.

Upload a photo, tell us what they love and pick an adventure. We draw your child into every page of a real hardcover book, printed and shipped to your door. The perfect gift from parents and grandparents alike.

Start their story See the stories
Approve every page first Real hardcover Ships to US & Canada
Illustration of a smiling boy riding a friendly green dragon over a fairy-tale valley at sunset
Drawn from one photoSame face, same smile, on every page.
How it works

From one photo to a book they will keep forever

Upload a photo

One clear, smiling photo of your child is all we need.

Tell us what they love

Their name, age, favorite color and best friend. Bring their dog or cat along too.

Pick an adventure

Dragons, rockets, pirate ships or a brave first day of school. Six stories to choose from.

Approve, then we print

Flip through every page first. Once you approve, we print the hardcover and ship it.

Character sheet showing the same cartoon boy in three poses
Step one: the character

First, we turn your child into a storybook character

Before a single page is drawn, our illustrator creates your child's own cartoon character in several poses. Every illustration in the book is drawn from that character, so they look like themselves from cover to cover.

  • Hair, eyes, skin tone and smile kept true to the photo
  • Favorite outfit, glasses or hair bow on request
  • You see the character before the book is finished
Choose the adventure

Classic stories, starring your kid

Your child's name, pet and favorite things are woven into every page, and your child is drawn into every picture.

Illustration for The Dragon Hunter

The Dragon Hunter

A brave knight sets out to find a dragon, and finds a friend instead.

Illustration for Captain of the Stars

Captain of the Stars

A rocket, a lost alien and a race home before the stars go out.

Illustration for Treasure of Turtle Island

Treasure of Turtle Island

A map, a ship and a sea turtle who knows where the treasure is.

Illustration for First Day Hero

First Day Hero

New classroom, new friends, and one very brave first day. A gentle story for big milestones.

Illustration for The Dino Ranger

The Dino Ranger

Deep in the jungle, a ranger helps a baby dinosaur get back to its herd.

Illustration for The Enchanted Forest

The Enchanted Forest

A glowing path, a wise old owl and a secret only kind hearts can see.

Bring the whole crew

Add their dog or cat and they come along on the adventure, on the page right next to your child.

Get early access
Inside the book

26 pages made just for them

Plus a hardcover with your child on the front.

2
Title & dedication
Their name in the title, plus your own message to them
14
Illustrated scenes
Full-color pictures with your child as the hero
6
Story pages
Read-aloud text between the big moments
2
The End & All about me
Their age, favorite things and character poses
2
Draw your own
Pages for them to draw what happens next
The finished hardcover book standing on a table
The book

Storybook Hero Hardcover

$44.99 + shipping
  • 8.5 x 8.5 inch hardcover, glossy printed cover
  • 26 full-color pages on premium paper
  • 14 illustrations of your child, pet welcome
  • Preview and approve every page before printing
  • Printed to order and shipped with tracking, or straight to the gift recipient
Get early access
Questions

Good to know

How does it work?

Upload a clear photo of your child, tell us their name, age and a few things they love, and pick a story. Our illustrator draws your child as a cartoon character and puts them in every scene, and their name, pet and favorite things are woven into every page. You see the whole book before anything is printed.

What ages is it for?

Ages 2 to 8. The stories are written to be read aloud, and older kids love reading a book where they are the hero.

Can our dog or cat be in the book?

Yes. Add your pet's name and a photo, and they come along on the adventure.

Do I get to see the book before it prints?

Yes. Every page is sent to you for approval first. You can ask for changes, and nothing is printed until you press Approve.

What is inside the book?

A 26-page hardcover picture book: a title page and a dedication with your own message, 14 full-color illustrations of your child in the story, story pages, an "All about me" page, and two "draw your own adventure" pages at the end.

What size is it?

A square 8.5 x 8.5 inch hardcover with a glossy printed cover, printed on premium paper and bound to last through a lot of bedtimes.

Is it a good gift?

It is one of our favorites for grandparents, aunts and uncles. Add a dedication from you, and we ship it straight to the family.

What happens to my child's photo?

It is used only to draw your child's character for your book. We delete the photo 30 days after your book ships, or sooner if you ask. We never sell it, never share it, and never use it in ads without your written permission.

How long does it take?

Your preview is usually ready within the hour. After you approve it, the book is printed in about 3 to 5 business days, then ships with tracking.

Who is behind Storybook Hero?

Storybook Hero is a brand of Lukas Labs LLC, a small family business in Phoenix, Arizona. Your card statement will show a Lukas Labs charge marked STORYBOOK.

Be the first to make one

We are putting the finishing touches on the book builder. Join the early-access list and get first access plus a launch discount.