STORYWRAPS: Personalized books

Good day everyone! Happy Saturday to you. I want to touch on something that will delight and excite your child when it comes to reading a book. Have you thought of creating a personalized book, one where your child is the star character? These books are not only fun but educational as they inspire your child to learn to read and what a better motivational tool than to read about "yourself!"

These books are perfect gifts for any special occasion or if you just want to make your child feel very, very special. Here are a few websites you can check out and if you get on it right away these books can be under-the-tree ready for Christmas morning. Enjoy!

1. The Lostmyname personalized storybook

British startup Lost My Name has sold more than 1m of its personalized picture books for children since launching its first title two years ago.

The company’s The Little Boy/Girl Who Lost His/Her Name book is ordered by parents from its website, with a story based on their own child’s name, as the main character searches for its letters.

Its sales success persuaded Google’s venture capital arm to lead a $9m funding round in the Hackney-based company in June 2015, with fellow Silicon Valley investors Greycroft and The Chernin Group also chipping in.

“We are a technology company that happens to make physical books,” co-founder Asi Sharabi told the FutureBook conference in London. “We are very proudly keeping the physical book alive.”

Lost My Name recently launched a second book, The Incredible Intergalactic Journey Home, with every copy culminating in a satellite photograph – drawn from Google Maps – of the postcode of home of the child it was bought for.

“As screens become more and more seductive to children, there is an increasing need to inject more magic into books: to find more ways to spark their imagination,” said co-founder Tal Oron.

The company says it has created books for 97,827 different names since its launch, with 64,027 of them only being used once. Oliver and Olivia are the most popular names according to its sales.

However, Lost My Name claims to have seen spikes in sales for children named after popular-culture figures too: such as a boost for sales of “Anna” and “Elsa” books nine months after the release of Disney’s film Frozen.

The startup was founded by “three fathers and an uncle” in 2012, who raised their first funding on the Dragon’s Den television show the following year.

In an interview with the Guardian earlier in the year, Sharabi said Lost My Name wants to focus on “quiet, old-fashioned bonding moment between the parent and the child as they read together, rather than the shouty bells and whistles of apps and screens”.

https://lostmy.name

2. Frecklebox

"We are a company that makes personalized products in San Jose, California. We would love for you to visit and see our factory in San Jose, California where we produce all of our products.

Making children, parents and grandparents smile has been the main goal of Frecklebox.com since we launched in April of 2008 and is part of Progressive Solutions which has been in business since July of 1990.

I am Mark and am the CEO of Frecklebox.com and Progressive Solutions.

We try to do things right and when we have an issue we will try to make it right. Our awesome customer service team is waiting to make you smile at info@frecklebox.com and I am copied on all emails so you can always ask for Mark's attention."

https://frecklebox.com

3. Personalizedstorybooks.ca

"Personalized Story Books are educational, and will help your child to learn to read. They make an excellent gift, and are a fun keepsake. Our personalized books include the child's name, age, hometown, friend's name and more. Our books are bound and with a hard cover that one can be easily wiped clean. We have over 100 titles to choose from. Our personalized music CDs make a unique gift, and we are even able to do custom or unusual names for some of our music CDs."

4. Indentitydirect.ca

"Identity Direct is a world-leading supplier of personalised gifts, school supplies and labels since 1992. We design and create personalised gifts for Kids, Mums and Dads who want something special!.

The most thoughtful gifts are personalised. Whether for Birthdays, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, New Baby, Weddings, Christmas or any other of life’s special occasions we are your source and inspiration for everyone’s perfect gift.

Identity Direct partners with some of the biggest children’s brands in the world – Disney, Marvel, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon, Peppa Pig and Thomas & Friends, combining the uniqueness of personalised gifts with the magic of your children’s favourite characters.

We personalis
e lunch bags, back packs, swim bags, drink bottles, towels, pencils, school essentials, gifts for the home and much, much more. Plus our huge range of practical labels in various shapes sizes and designs ensure that you keep track of everything."