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Personalised holiday books for kids

A personalised holiday book for kids gives your child a story with a familiar face at the centre of the travel plans ahead. Picture to Story creates a 32-page picture book from one photo of your child, with 15 illustrated story spreads shaped around the details you choose. Tell us their age, preferred art style, the kind of adventure and a few small details that matter to them. You can choose from storybook watercolour, animated film (3D), bold cartoon or coloured pencil, then see the cover before paying. The result can be a useful read before a trip, something to pack for quiet moments away, or a keepsake to return to afterwards. Digital books are ready about 10 minutes after ordering, while paperback and hardcover copies are posted with shipping included.

See 20 story ideas
Cover of “Ava and the Missing Rainbow”, a personalised picture book starring Ava

First holiday and travel book ideas

Pick one to see the story, how the first page could read and who it suits. Each one starts with your child’s photo.

Ages 1-4Your child's Seaside SuitcaseYour child packs a little suitcase with beach-day favourites, then travels towards the coast with the sea getting closer and closer. At a new place to stay, your child finds a cosy spot for bedtime and wakes ready for a sandy day ahead.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolourAges 2-5Your child's First FlightYour child packs a small bag, travels through the airport and finds a seat on the aeroplane with a tiny paper gull for company. As the plane rises, your child looks down at the patchwork land and clouds below.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolourAges 2-7Your child Visits Family Far AwayYour child sets off on a long journey across the sea to visit family who live far away, carrying a drawing and plenty of questions. At the other end, familiar faces, family stories and a shared table make the distance feel smaller.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolourAges 2-6Your child and the Ferry CrossingOn the day of the crossing, your child boards a big ferry, follows the wake from the deck and meets a chatty gull who knows the shoreline ahead. As the harbour grows small and a new coast appears, your child discovers that the journey itself is part of the holiday.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolourAges 2-6Your child's Big Train HolidayYour child heads off on a train holiday, from the bustle of the station to a prized window seat in a bright carriage. As the train rolls onwards, your child watches towns, fields and the sparkling coast pass by before arriving ready for holiday exploring.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolourAges 3-7Your child Camps Under CanvasOn your child's first camping trip, a tent, torch and sleeping bag turn the leafy campsite into a place to explore before supper. When bedtime arrives, your child discovers that the soft night sounds and a moth at the tent door make sleeping under canvas feel cosy.Jungle Safari · Storybook watercolourAges 1-4Your child Sleeps Somewhere NewWhen your child stays away from home for the first time, a little suitcase holds all the important bedtime things: pyjamas, a favourite book, soft socks and Bunny. In a quiet ocean-side room, your child finds that familiar routines can come along too.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolourAges 2-7Your child's Road Trip MapYour child sets off with a hand-drawn map that turns every service stop, snack break and landmark into a jungle waypoint. By the time the car reaches its destination, your child has filled the map with brilliant things spotted along the road.Jungle Safari · Coloured pencilAges 3-7Your child's Passport AdventureYour child checks a small passport, spots the departure board and follows the signs through the airport. After waiting, watching planes and finding a seat, your child flies overseas ready to see a new place.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolourAges 4-8Your child Goes Island HoppingYour child sets off from a small harbour on a bobbing boat, visiting one sunny island after another. At every stop, your child spots a new kind of beach, boat or bird and gathers clues for the skipper’s island map.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolourAges 2-6Your child Finds the Holiday PoolYour child arrives at a sunny holiday pool and spots a friendly stripey octopus float waiting by the shallow steps. With family close by, your child explores the water one small splash at a time before joining a cheerful poolside game.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolourAges 0-2Your child's Little Travel DayYour child sets off on a little holiday travel day with family, a favourite cuddly toy and a comfy pram close by. Between looking at the busy world, having a feed and taking a nap, your child arrives ready for a gentle new-day adventure.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolourAges 4-8Your child's First City BreakOn a crisp winter city break, your child wakes in a hotel room high above the traffic and follows a bright blue pigeon through busy streets. Together they find grand buildings, quiet museum rooms and a favourite view before returning to the window as the city lights come on.Snowy North Pole · Storybook watercolourAges 4-9Your child Takes a Night TrainYour child boards a night train in pyjamas, settles into a cosy sleeping compartment and watches the world slip past the window. By morning, your child wakes to a changed landscape and steps onto a brand-new platform, ready to explore.Snowy North Pole · Storybook watercolourAges 3-7Your child Explores the Rock PoolsOn a seaside day, your child follows the tide’s trail to the rock pools and discovers small creatures hiding among shells and seaweed. By looking gently and carefully, your child learns that every pool has its own busy little world.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolourAges 2-6Your child and the Caravan KeyYour child arrives at a seaside holiday park with the caravan key and a big question: which bunk will feel like theirs? By unpacking a few familiar things, meeting Pip the little keyring gull and making choices around the caravan, your child turns a snug new space into a holiday home.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolourAges 3-8Your child's Snowy HolidayYour child packs a suitcase full of warm layers for a wintry break, then heads out to make fresh footprints in the snow. After a chilly walk among frosty trees, your child returns indoors for a snug, warm ending together.Snowy North Pole · Storybook watercolourAges 2-5Your child Has a Tent in the GardenWhen your child helps put up a little tent in the garden, an ordinary evening becomes a cosy jungle-camping practice night. With a sleeping bag, a torch and a watchful grown-up nearby, your child listens for gentle night sounds and settles down under the canvas.Jungle Safari · Storybook watercolourAges 4-9Your child's Mountain LodgeOn a family break in the hills, your child follows woodland paths, spots changing clouds and finds small signs of the wild outdoors. When the weather turns, your child heads back to the warm lodge with a pocketful of discoveries and a story to tell.Snowy North Pole · Storybook watercolourAges 3-7Your child Goes on a Coach TourYour child climbs aboard a coach for a busy day of sightseeing, finding the perfect window seat among the travelling group. As the coach rolls along, your child spots harbour boats, tall hills and a colourful market before sharing stories of the day on the way home.Under the Sea · Storybook watercolour

Choosing a story for the trip ahead

Start with the parts of travel your child is most likely to notice: leaving home, being on the move, staying somewhere different or spending time with people they do not see often. Keep the details close to their world rather than trying to include every part of the itinerary. A favourite snack, a comfort item, a type of vehicle or a family routine can make the story feel recognisable. Choose an art style that suits what they usually enjoy looking at, and select an adventure with a clear, simple thread. For younger children, fewer details can be easier to follow. Older children may enjoy a little more of the setting and action around them.

When to read a holiday story

Read the book together a few times in the days before you leave, when there is no rush to get ready. Let your child pause over the pictures and point out details they recognise. You can also bring it along for waiting time, such as before setting off or during a quiet break on the trip. Reading it again after you return gives you a gentle way to revisit what happened, using the illustrations as prompts for conversation. There is no need to treat it as a lesson or a script. It works best as a familiar story that sits alongside your own practical preparation, such as talking through plans and packing what your child needs.

How a personalised book can help

Seeing themselves illustrated in a travel story can give your child a concrete connection to an experience that may otherwise feel abstract. It offers a shared starting point for talking about being away from home, different routines and the people or places they may encounter. Because the wording in Picture to Story grows with your child’s age, the book can be suited to how they currently listen and follow a story. The book is not a replacement for explaining real plans clearly, especially where timings or arrangements matter. Instead, use it as a calm reading moment where your child can ask questions, notice familiar details and enjoy being the main character in a story made for them.

Questions

What is a personalised holiday book for kids?

It is a picture book that stars your child, illustrated from one photo, with story details chosen by you to suit a travel-themed adventure.

How do I make the book personal to my child?

You answer a few questions about your child’s name, age, art style, adventure and little details. You can see the cover free before paying.

What formats are available?

Picture to Story offers a digital book, plus printed paperback and hardcover editions. The digital book is ready about 10 minutes after ordering, and printed copies are posted with shipping included.