Personalised birthday book What is the birthday child called?
Just a name is enough. The birthday child becomes the hero of the story.
A double page from a birthday book
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 makes a good birthday book
In short: At Sagalino the birthday book is written from your description, with your child as the hero, over 14 double pages in one of 21 illustration styles. You read the whole story for free before you pay. The eBook for £4.50 is ready about half an hour after you buy, so it still works on the morning of the birthday; the hardcover arrives in up to 13 working days after you approve the finished book.
A birthday book works best when it's about this year: the age your child is turning, what they love right now, the friend they talk about every day. Next year it will be different, and that's what makes the book a keepsake of the age.
The party can be in the story. Friends, brothers and sisters, grandparents, the dog: up to 5 characters can appear. A cake that goes wrong, a treasure hunt in the garden, a wish that comes true in an unexpected way: you describe the idea, and the story is built around it.
For every age. For a two- or three-year-old, a short story with lots of repetition works well; for a six-year-old, a proper adventure; for an eight-year-old, a story with a mystery they can solve before the hero does.
From godparents and grandparents too. A birthday book is a present that doesn't need to know shoe sizes or which toys are already in the cupboard.
You read the whole story for free before you decide. The eBook is ready about half an hour after you buy, even on the morning of the birthday. The hardcover is delivered to 214 countries and territories, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States and Canada; in Europe and North America it arrives in up to 13 working days after you approve the finished book.
Which personalised book makes the best birthday present depends on what matters to you: reading the whole story before paying, whether a photo is needed, how quickly it arrives. Our comparison puts Sagalino and 7 other brands side by side, with the source of every figure.
The birthday book at a glance, September 2026
- On the day itself
- The eBook, £4.50, as a PDF about half an hour after you buy.
- Hardcover
- £37.90 + £5.90 delivery to the United Kingdom, 21.6 × 28 cm, 14 double pages.
- Delivery time
- Up to 13 working days after you approve the finished book, within Europe and North America. 214 countries and territories in all.
- Before you pay
- The whole story over all 14 double pages, the hero's portrait, the first scenes and the cover, for free.
- Age
- From the first birthday to ten and beyond. Language and sentence length adapt to four age groups: up to 2, 3 to 5, 6 to 9, and 10 and over.
- Characters
- Up to 5: the birthday child, friends, brothers and sisters, grandparents, pets.
- Photo
- Optional. A short description of each character is enough.
Three story ideas
- On the morning of their birthday, the child finds a map with a first clue, and the treasure hunt leads through the whole day.
- The birthday cake goes wrong, and the child and their friends have to save the party.
- A birthday wish comes true in a way nobody expected.
Still looking for what to write in the card? 38 messages for a child's birthday, sorted by occasion and tone, free to use.
See also Christening, Godparent gift, Letter from Santa. And to read on, all illustration styles and frequently asked questions.
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 the child's age be in the story?
Yes. Tell us the age and what your child loves right now, and the story is written for this very birthday.
Can friends and family appear too?
Yes, up to 5 characters: friends, brothers and sisters, grandparents, pets.
Is the book ready for the birthday?
The eBook is ready about half an hour after you buy, even on the morning of the birthday. The hardcover is printed once you approve the finished book and delivered to 214 countries and territories, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States and Canada; order it in good time.
What age is a personalised birthday book for?
From toddlers to children well into primary school. The story adapts to the age you give: shorter and with more repetition for the youngest, a real adventure for older children.
The birthday story, read for free first
Preview in 6 to 8 minutes. Free. Photo optional.
Create a birthday book