Iraya Personalised book with your child's face, not just their name
There are two ways to personalise a children's book: put the child's name on a generic character, or draw the character with their face. Here is an honest look at how they differ, so you can choose what you're after.
Free preview in about 2 minutes · €39.99 hardback
Personalised “with a name” versus personalised “with a face”
In a book personalised with a name, the text uses your son's or daughter's name and sometimes you pick a character from a few hair and skin options. The drawing is the same for lots of children; what changes is the text.
In a book personalised with a face, the character is drawn from a photo. Your little one recognises themselves on every page because it really is them: their face, their hair, their expression. At Iraya Books their name also appears in the text and on the cover.
An honest comparison
| With a name | With a face (Iraya Books) | |
|---|---|---|
| What gets personalised | The name and, sometimes, an avatar chosen from a list | The name and a character drawn from their photo |
| What you need | Just the name | One clear, front-facing photo |
| Likeness | Generic | Recognisably them; you see it before you pay |
| Range | Usually wider | Eight books, in five languages |
| Siblings or Mama | Depends on the shop | Books with two main characters, each with their own face |
If you don't have a good photo, or you'd rather have a huge range to choose from, a book with the name may be the better option. If what you want is for your little one to see themselves in the book, a book with their face is something else entirely.
Examples: how it looks in each book
These are real pages from our books, made with sample photos:
- Dinosaur Valley: your little one helps a lost baby T-Rex find its way back to its mama (ages 2 to 8).
- The Sock Planet: a trip to the planet where all the lost socks end up (ages 2 to 8).
- The Mystery of the Torn Map and The Magic Button: adventures for two siblings, each with their own face (ages 2 to 10).
- The Day You Arrived: a story in verse for babies aged 0 to 1.
- The Arms That Rock You: Mama and her baby, both with their own faces.
What to know before you order
Because it's made to order, it can't be returned in the usual way; that is why the preview is free: you see their character and the cover before you pay a thing. It costs €39.99, as a 20×20 cm hardback with 33 pages, and every book is checked by a person before it is printed. The photo is deleted after 30 days and is never used to train AI. If you want to know which photo works best, we explain it in personalised book with a photo.
Our books
Dinosaur ValleyAges 2 to 8
The Sock PlanetAges 2 to 8
Super Hero Saves the CityAges 2 to 8
The Princess and Fumarola the DragonGirls aged 2 to 8
The Mystery of the Torn MapSiblings aged 2 to 10
The Magic ButtonSiblings aged 2 to 10
The Day You ArrivedBabies aged 0 to 1
The Arms That Rock YouMama and baby (0 to 1)Frequently asked questions
Will it look exactly like my child?
They are drawn in the style of the book, but with their own features: face, hair, skin tone. It isn't a photo pasted in; it's an illustration that looks like them.
Does it include their name too?
Yes: the name appears in the text of the pages and on the cover.
Can I make one with two children?
Yes, with the books for siblings: each one appears with their own face and name. A photo of the two together works, or one of each.
What if I don't like how it looks?
You pay nothing until you have seen it. If you're not happy with the likeness, you can try another photo.