Friday 16 December 2011

Where's Eddie (It's Your Story personalised book review)

My little vain man Eddie loves looking at his own photos. You can say, it is a love from the first sight.
I have been thinking of ordering a personalised book for Eddie for quite a while, so when The Independent sent me an email discount for It's Your Story site, I jumped at the chance.
Ordering on www.itsyourstory.co.uk couldn't be easier, you choose a book, add a jpeg with a photo of your child and a few personal details like a child's name and which words you want to add.
I have chosen a book with a title "Where's ...?" (insert the name of your child). It is a lovely story by Holly Acland about a mischevious little one who is too excited about the arrival of Christmas, wakes up too early and cannot go back to sleep. There are 28 pages in the story, with your child's name appearing ten times and his photo - nine times.
The illustrations are by Rebecka Hagerfors, they are bright, cheerful, colourful and appealing to the young person.

The book arrived promptly, and we have already enjoyed reading it with Eddie. He was delighted to see his own image in the book.



There are quite a few reviews of personalised books done by Mummy bloggers who seem to praise to heaven the freebies that they were sent. They tend to forget one thing: the price. The question remains: would they still give the standing ovation to the product if they had to pay for it?
At £17.50 plus postage of £2.50 this is not a cheap book for a child. I could spend as much on one of the Folio Society editions that are bound in the high-grade materials.
The paper is of good quality, the illustrations are fun, but it is still a paperback. Quite pricey for a paperback.
The book could also benefit from more detailed editing: some of the images would have been better flipped to the other side to be more aligned with the image. Also, I think two or even three different photos of the same child would be the best option. One image is rather limiting and repetitive.



It seems I have chosen the right book for Eddie as the little boy's companion in the book is his teddy bear, and Eddie is  obsessed with teddies. This is one of the few words he can say. He points to the book, saying with excitement "Bea, bea".
This is one of my favourite illustrations in the book.





Pros: a good story, funky illustrations and your child's delight to see his own face in print.
Cons: too pricey, paperback edition and use of only one photo in all illustrations

Will I use It's Your Story again? Yes, if the price is right.

1 comment: