Walking through the first day
“Liam starts kindergarten at Oak Hill Elementary in August. His teacher is Ms. Rivera. Dad walks him in, he hangs his dinosaur backpack on a hook, and Mom picks him up at 3. A book that walks him through the whole day.”
Personalized first day of school books
A personalized first day of school book starring your kid.
Starting preschool or kindergarten is a big deal when you're four. Make a book that walks your kid through their real first day: the backpack they picked, the walk to the door, their teacher's name, and pickup at the end. You tell us the story, and we turn it into an illustrated hardcover.
Free to preview. You only pay once you love it: $39 for one book, or $25/month.
Why a book helps before the first day of school
Little kids worry less when they know what's going to happen. A story that shows their actual day, in order, gives them something to rehearse with. Reading it a few times before school starts makes the real thing feel familiar.
Generic starting-school books are about a bear or a raccoon. Yours can say the true, specific things: who drops them off, where they hang their coat, and that Mom is the one waiting at pickup.
First day of preschool and kindergarten story ideas
Pick one, mix a few together, or write your own. A paragraph or two is plenty.
Nervous about preschool
“Ruby (3) is starting preschool three mornings a week and has never been away from us. She's worried we won't come back. A story about a brave first day that ends with a big hug at pickup.”
The first day adventure
“Make it up: on his first day of school, Ezra finds out the classroom hamster can talk, and together they give the new kids a tour of the whole school.”
Big kid, new school
“We moved this summer, so Ava (7) is starting second grade somewhere new. She misses her old friends. A book about her first day and the first new friend she makes.”
How it works
- 01
Tell us the story
Add your family once, with photos if you have them. Then write the story in a paragraph or two, the way you'd tell it to a friend.
- 02
Preview every page
We write and illustrate a 12-page picture book in the art style you pick. Edit any line or redraw any picture before it prints.
- 03
A hardcover arrives
Approve it and we print a hardcover storybook and ship it free anywhere in the US.
Tips for a first day of school book
- Use real details: the school's name, the teacher's name, the color of the door. If you've visited, mention what they saw.
- Tell the day in order, from breakfast to pickup. Kids find a predictable sequence reassuring.
- Include a feeling or two that isn't happy, like 'Liam's tummy felt wobbly,' and show it getting better. It tells your kid those feelings are normal.
- Start a few weeks before school begins so there's time to preview, print, ship and read it together a few times.
School is full of stories
Once your family is set up, every next book takes a paragraph: the first lost tooth at school, the class field trip, or a made-up adventure with the class hamster.
Families who keep going get a new hardcover each month for $25, about anything real or anything your kids dream up. Skip a month or cancel whenever you like. Or just make this one book. That's fine too.
First day of school book questions
Can the book include my child's real teacher and school?
Yes. Use their real names in the story. Teachers aren't drawn from photos unless you add them to your family profile, so they'll appear as a friendly teacher character.
Is this good for preschool, kindergarten, or older?
All of them. For preschool, keep it short and focus on drop-off and pickup. For kindergarten and up, you can include more of the school day.
Can I see the book before I pay?
Yes. We write and illustrate the whole book first, and you review every page. You can edit any line or redraw any picture. You only pay once you approve it.
How much does a personalized book cost?
$39 for one hardcover book, with free US shipping and no subscription. Or $25 a month for a new book every month, if you want to keep going.
Can we make more books after this one?
Yes. Your family profile is saved, so the next book only takes a paragraph. It can be about any real memory or any adventure your kids make up. Order books one at a time for $39, or get a new one every month for $25. You can skip a month or cancel anytime.
Make the book that makes the first day feel familiar.
Free to preview. Hardcover books start at $25, shipped free in the US.
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