Father's Day and Mother's Day books

A personalized book about Dad or Mom, from the kids.

Dad's terrible jokes. Mom's Saturday-morning dance parties. Make a Father's Day or Mother's Day book about the things your kids love doing with them, starring the whole family, drawn from your photos. 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.

An open Tadpole Tales hardcover storybook starring a family

A Father's Day or Mother's Day gift from the kids

Most 'daddy and me' books swap in a name. This one is about your dad: the way he makes pancakes, the songs he gets wrong, the bike rides on Sunday. It's from the kids, but it's really about him.

It's the kind of gift that gets read at bedtime for years, and the one a grown-up kid finds on the shelf and remembers exactly what Saturday mornings felt like.

Story ideas for a book about Dad or Mom

Ask the kids what they'd put in. Their answers make the best stories. A paragraph or two is plenty.

What we love about Dad

“Ella (5) says Daddy is the best at piggyback rides, building pillow forts and making 'dinosaur eggs' (scrambled eggs with ketchup). A Father's Day book about a day with Daddy.”

Mom and me

“Every Saturday Ava and her mom go to the farmers market, buy one weird vegetable and figure out how to cook it. A Mother's Day book about their Saturdays.”

Dad the superhero

“Make it up: Dad is secretly Captain Cardigan, and only the kids know. When the neighborhood's ice cream truck gets stuck, Dad and the kids have to save the day.”

A first Father's Day or Mother's Day

“This is Sam's first Father's Day. Baby Nora is four months old and only falls asleep on his chest while he hums the same made-up lullaby. A book about their first months together.”

How it works

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 03

    A hardcover arrives

    Approve it and we print a hardcover storybook and ship it free anywhere in the US.

More on how our custom picture books are made →

Tips for a Father's Day or Mother's Day book

  • Interview the kids. Ask 'What's Dad's best joke?' or 'What do you and Mom do that's just yours?' and use their exact words.
  • Whoever is making the book can do it without the guest of honor seeing. Make sure Dad or Mom is in the family profile with a photo first.
  • Use the name the kids call them: Daddy, Papa, Mama, Mommy. It's the word they'll point to.
  • Father's Day is in June and Mother's Day is in May. Start a few weeks ahead so there's time to preview, print and ship.

The first of many family stories

Once your family is set up, every next book takes a paragraph: a birthday, a camping trip, or a made-up adventure the kids dream up with Dad.

Families who keep going get a new hardcover each month for $25, about anything that really happened or anything your kids dream up. Skip a month or cancel whenever you like. Or just make this one book. That's fine too.

See pricing →

Father's Day and Mother's Day book questions

Can I make a book about two dads or two moms?

Yes. Your family profile is your family. Add both parents with the names your kids use, and the story can be about one or both of them.

Can the book be from a baby or toddler?

Yes. A first Father's Day or Mother's Day book from the baby is a sweet one. Write it from the parent's point of view, about their first months together.

Can I send it as a gift?

Yes. When you approve the book, mark it as a gift, add a short message that's printed inside, and ship it to any US address.

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.

Guides for parents

Make the book that says what the kids can't quite put into words.

Free to preview. Hardcover books start at $25, shipped free in the US.

The Tadpole Post

Not ready for a book yet?

Get free story starters, conversation questions, and guides for big moments like this one, straight to your inbox.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime.

What you'll get

  • Bedtime story starters that star your kid
  • Questions that get kids talking at dinner, in the car, and at bedtime
  • Guides for big moments, like a new sibling or a move
  • New Tadpole Picks lists: the books, toys, and gear we'd hand to a friend
  • Member-only offers, now and then

Free for families

Get the Tadpole Post.

New Tadpole Picks lists, guides for big moments, and bedtime story starters that star your kid, straight to your inbox.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime.