How to Personalize Your Child's Books

Personalizing a book with your child's name, favorite color, or other information is a wonderful way to not only get your little one interested in reading, but make them a part of the reading experience themselves. There are several options available to parents who want a personalized book for their child, from ordering classic, personalized favorites online to designing and printing books themselves. With a little bit of research, you can find the best option for you and your child.

Ordering a Personalized Children's Book Online
There are several online stores which offer personalized children's books. One of my favorites is My Child Book (www.mychildbook.com), which have virtually every classic book you could ever want. One of their most popular lines is their selection of Disney favorites, which have been renamed to "My Adventures with (book name)" - your child can get lost in a forest and saved by Snow White, or hang out with Simba. These books cost about $30.00 and take 4-6 weeks to arrive.

Another great option is I See Me (www.iseeme.com), which has very personalized books: "My Very Own ABC's", which has animals explaining the ABC's with rhymes and includes personalization throughout; "My Very Own Name" includes the same animals as the ABC's book, and spells out your child's name in rhyme. When they are finished, they celebrate and have a lovely party. "My Very Own Fairy Tale" - mostly designed for girls - has fairies spelling out the name of your child, whom they have chosen to be their new princess. All of these books are beautifully illustrated and offer a truly personalized book for your child. These books cost about $30.00 and arrive in about 3 weeks.

Creating Your Own Personalized Children's Book
If you are crafty, or just want to include elements in your books that aren't available from the online vendors, you can easily create your own book. I've tried this with home publishing software, but didn't end up with a professional-looking book. Looking for another alternative that would give me a "real" book, but one that I could design, brought me to Lulu Publishing (www.lulu.com). Lulu Publishing allows you to design your book directly on their website with powerful and easy-to-use software - you can even use pictures of your child in your book! Each book costs $19.53, and you can have it bound in a variety of sizes and styles. This option really allows you to have the best of everything - ultimate control over your design, a truly personalized experience, and a professionally bound and printed book.

Any of these options will give you and your child hours of fun and a keepsake they can treasure for years to come!