Last minute gift for a child
A last minute gift for a child: a book that is ready today
The eBook is ready as a PDF about half an hour after you buy, so you can give it today. The printed hardcover takes several days and can follow.
From the first sketch to the finished eBook
Read the whole story for free
All 14 double pages, the hero and the cover are yours to see before you buy: you only pay if you love the story.
Photo optional
A short description is enough for a lovely hero. Whether you add a photo is up to you. GDPR-compliant.
Illustration styles to choose from
Many styles from the picture-book tradition, from watercolour to ligne claire, kept from the first page to the last.
What works today and what takes days
What works today: You describe your child and the story, the story is created in a few minutes, and you read all of it for free. Then you buy the eBook. About half an hour later it is ready as a PDF. On a tablet or phone, you open it together with your child and read it aloud.
What takes several days: The hardcover is only printed once you approve the finished book, and it is then delivered by post. For a present that has to be on the table tomorrow, that is too slow.
How to give both: On the day itself, there is the eBook. Alongside it, you write or print a card announcing the hardcover, for example: “Your very own book is coming home in a few days.” The price of the eBook is credited in full against the hardcover of the same story, so you don't pay twice.
The last minute gift at a glance, September 2026
- Today
- The eBook, £4.50, as a PDF about half an hour after you buy.
- Before you buy
- The whole story over all 14 double pages, the hero's portrait, the first scenes and the cover, for free.
- Hardcover
- £37.90 + £5.90 delivery to the United Kingdom, 14 double pages.
- Hardcover delivery
- Up to 13 working days after you approve the finished book, within Europe and North America.
- eBook and hardcover
- The price of the eBook is credited in full against the hardcover of the same story, which then costs £39.30.
- Photo
- Optional. A short description of each character is enough.
- Characters
- Up to 5: your child, brothers and sisters, grandparents, pets.
If the present has to be in your hands tomorrow, only a book from a shop nearby will do. The hardcover is for gifts that can wait a few days.
Prices and delivery times for every country are on prices and delivery, and ideas for the story are on the birthday book page.
Three steps to your book
No risk: you read the whole story before you pay anything.
- 1
Describe
30 seconds
Tell us about the main character in a few words: name, looks, what they love. No photo needed.
- 2
Read for free
6 to 8 minutes
We prepare the story, the hero and the cover, and you read everything for free before you decide.
- 3
Give
eBook £4.50
Love the story? After you buy, you confirm your characters, then we paint every page in about half an hour. You can order the hardcover at the same time or later, and the eBook price is fully credited.
Simple and clear
No subscription, no hidden costs, and the preview is always free.
eBook · on screen and as a PDF
£4.50
14 illustrated double pages, ready about half an hour after you buy.
Hardcover · printed in the EU or the US
£37.90+ £5.90 delivery to the United Kingdom
Quality printing in the EU, or in the US for US orders, and the price of your eBook is fully credited.
You read the whole story for free first, and only pay if you love it.
Good to know
Can I still give a personalised children's book today?
Yes, as an eBook. The story is created in a few minutes, you read it for free, and about half an hour after you buy, the eBook for £4.50 is ready as a PDF. The printed hardcover takes longer.
How quickly does the hardcover arrive?
It is printed once you approve the finished book, and in Europe and North America it then arrives in up to 13 working days. For a gift that has to arrive the same day or the next, the hardcover is therefore not the right choice.
What can I give while the hardcover is still on its way?
The eBook, together with a card announcing the hardcover. The price of the eBook is credited in full against the hardcover of the same story, which then costs £39.30.
Do I have to upload a photo for the book?
No. A short description of your child is enough: hair, eyes, hairstyle, favourite outfit. That saves time when you are in a hurry. You can add a photo if you like.
A book for today, with your child as the hero
Preview in 6 to 8 minutes. Free. Photo optional.
Create a book for today