Personalized book
A personalized book is a book that is created specifically for someone, containing personalized text, customized illustrations, or variables, based on the characteristics of that person. Personalized books have long been popular gifts for children, where adults feel they are giving something unique to the child. With technology advances personalised books can be customized, ordered, printed and shipped within a week. Although most personalized book companies provide hard copy physical books only, there are a few companies who also offer some or all of their titles in downloadable soft copy.
Types of Personalization
Text Variables
All personalized books offer text variables – that is, the purchaser can customize the text of the book (such as the hero's name). The majority of personalized book companies offer this as the only variable, as it is the easiest and fastest element for the producer to customize. Create-a-book was one of the first companies[1] to do this on a large scale, founded in 1981 by John Hefty. He patented a binding machine that made it quick and easy to bind pre-printed illustrations with personalized text pages. Illustrations are created and sold in bulk, while the distributors print the personalized text pages and then bind them in with the pictures.
Illustration Variables
This approach allows the purchaser to not only customize the text, but the illustrated hero’s unique features and colorings as well. In the case of Penwizard,[2] character-creator software is incorporated into the website that allows the user to customize an avatar of their child by selecting between many different variables – name, skin tone, hair color, eye color, etc. That avatar is then populated into the book illustrations as the star of the story, and their name is written into the story. Penwizard [3] offers a wide range of titles such as Peppa Pig, Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom and In The Night Garden. These books are printed on demand, as every one is unique.
Photo Insertion/Photo Adaption
Another, more complex type of personalization incorporates photo insertion/manipulation. A user-submitted photo of the “hero” is uploaded and inserted into the illustrations of the book, such as Pixel Pole,[4] MyFairyTaleBooks,[5] Kid Hero Stories,[6] Shutterfly, and Identity Direct.[7] Unlike text-only personalized illustration books, no pages of these books can be mass-produced as each illustration is unique.
Personalized eBooks
With the rise in popular use of tablets and smartphones, a few personalized book providers are beginning to offer some or all of their titles in electronic format (eBooks). Benefits of eBooks are lower book costs and faster production / turn around time. Little Heroes,[8] KD Novelties,[9] and Zoowun Books [10] all offer a range of titles with text variables. Kid Hero Stories uniquely offers a personalized book service, where customers receive a new eBook story every week, (incorporating text variables and photo insertion).
Online
Online purchasing of personalized books facilitates fast and convenient shopping for parents, family and friends.
Personalized books also promote reading, education, and literacy to children. Presenting children with a book about themselves will grab their attention and encourage them to read more often. This style of book can further boost self-confidence in children who read stories about their own courageous adventures.