Personalised children’s books are made in five steps: the story and artwork are created once; the child’s name is set into the text; their likeness is added from preset options, by an illustrator or, increasingly, with AI image tools working from a photo; a person checks the pages; and a single copy is printed on demand and posted.
How is a personalised book made, step by step?
Every personalised book follows roughly the same five steps, whoever makes it.
- Write and illustrate the story once. The text and scenes are finished in advance, with places for the child’s details.
- Add the name. The child’s first name is set into the text and cover.
- Add the likeness. From preset avatar parts, by an illustrator, or from a photo using AI image tools.
- Check every page. Ideally a person, not just software, checks the name, faces and pictures.
- Print one copy on demand. A digital press prints, binds and trims the single book, which is then posted.
How is the story written so any name fits?
Writers plan where the name appears and test it with short names, long names, names with apostrophes and names that change the rhythm of a sentence. Illustrators leave the main character changeable, so the rest of each scene stays the same in every copy. A good publisher reads the book aloud with several very different names before it is released.
How do they put my child’s face in the book?
There are four common methods, and each has trade-offs.
| Method | How it works | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name only | The text changes; the hero is generic | Fast, no photo needed | The child isn’t in the pictures |
| Preset avatar | You pick hair, skin and clothes; layers are combined | No photo needed | Looks like “a” child, not “your” child |
| Hand-illustrated | An illustrator draws the child from photos | Very personal | Expensive and slow |
| AI from a photo | AI image tools draw the child from a photo in the book’s art style, then the character is placed into each scene | Real resemblance, quick, affordable | Needs a clear photo; results can vary, so a person must check them |
How is Hudhud made?
Hudhud, a UK personalised Islamic storybook, uses the AI-from-a-photo method, with a person checking the result. In brief:
- A fixed master book. The story and every scene (the bedroom at night, the Ark, the fire, the parted sea and the rest of the journey through the stories of five Prophets) are made once and not redesigned per order. The Prophet stories draw on the Qur’an and Tafsir Ibn Kathir.
- Your child’s character from one photo. AI image tools draw your child as a storybook character in the book’s style, from one clear photo of their face. Our privacy policy names the provider.
- You see the character before you pay.
- A person checks every page before anything prints: the name, the likeness, faces and hands, and that each scene looks right.
- Printed on demand in the UK as a 31-page, 250 × 200 mm landscape paperback on thick coated paper, then sent with free tracked UK delivery.
Why does a person need to check the pages?
Because software makes mistakes that a parent would spot instantly. AI image tools in particular can drift from the likeness, add an extra finger or change a hairstyle between pages, and a name-merging system can break a line awkwardly. A human check of every page catches these before printing, which is the step that most decides the quality of the finished book.
How are personalised books printed?
They are printed on demand: one copy at a time on a digital press, only after an order is placed. Traditional offset printing only pays off for long runs of identical books; digital printing makes a single unique copy practical. The file is printed, bound, trimmed and packed for that one child. Printing in the UK, as we do, keeps the delivery leg short.
What happens to my child’s photo?
Read the privacy policy before you upload. For our books, per our privacy policy:
- The photo is used only to draw your child for their book, and only our small team can see it.
- If you don’t order, the photo and drawing are deleted within about a day; if you do, the photo is deleted once the pages are made, at most 7 days after upload.
- It is never used for advertising, never shared publicly and never used to train anyone’s AI. The AI provider’s business terms say it does not train on the images, and it may keep them for up to 30 days for abuse monitoring.
How long does a personalised book take?
Usually one to two weeks in the UK from order to doorstep. Each book is made, checked, printed, bound and posted individually.
| Stage | What happens | For our book |
|---|---|---|
| Before you pay | The likeness is drawn and previewed | You see your child’s character |
| Making and checking | Pages are made and checked by a person | Every page is checked before printing |
| Printing and delivery | Printed on demand, then posted | Standard: free, roughly 7–9 working days; Express: +£4.99, printed first and a few days sooner |
How do you get the best result?
- Use a clear, recent photo of your child’s face, in good light. Birthday snaps and school photos work well.
- One child in the photo, facing the camera, without sunglasses or a hat covering the hair.
- Check the spelling of the name, especially names with several spellings.
- Choose the right age group so they are drawn at the right age.
- Write the dedication slowly. It’s the part grown-ups reread years later.
For the different types of personalised book, see what is a personalised storybook?, and for whether one is worth it, personalised vs ordinary books.
Sources and further reading
Frequently asked questions
How are personalised books made?
The story and artwork are created once; then, for each order, the child’s name is set in and their likeness added, a person checks the pages, and a single copy is printed on demand and posted.
Do personalised books use AI?
Many photo-likeness books now use AI image tools to draw the child from a photo. Hudhud does: your child’s character is drawn from one photo with AI image tools, and a person checks every page before printing.
How do they put my child’s face in the book?
Methods vary: preset avatars, hand illustration, or AI image tools working from a photo. At Hudhud, your child is drawn as a storybook character from one clear photo and placed into the book’s existing scenes.
How are personalised books printed?
They are printed one copy at a time on digital print-on-demand presses, rather than in large print runs. Hudhud is printed in the UK.
What photo should I use for a personalised book?
A clear, recent, well-lit photo of your child’s face, ideally facing the camera, with only them in it. Birthday and school photos work well.
Is my child’s photo safe?
Read the privacy policy before uploading. Hudhud uses the photo only to draw your child, never for advertising or AI training, and deletes it once the pages are made, at most 7 days after upload.