Why a Secret Missions book is special

A mission file with your child's name on it

The flashlight beam jitters across the wall. A floorboard creaks. Somewhere in the house, a coded note is waiting behind a picture frame, and only your child knows the password. This is the world this book opens: shadowy hallways, folded maps tucked into shoeboxes, invisible ink that only shows up under a reading lamp. Every page smells faintly of adventure, of torch batteries and old paper. For the parent or grandparent handing this book over, the reveal is half the gift. You watch small fingers trace a name on the cover, the same name that just got recruited by headquarters. The silence that follows, that held breath before page one, is the moment you came for. Curious what else is possible? Have a look at our example books to see how other missions unfolded.

How your child becomes the secret agent of this mission

Your child crouches behind a hedge in a dark coat with the collar turned up, a notebook of symbols in one hand, a tiny earpiece tucked under familiar hair. The face under the cap is unmistakable: the same eyes, the same smile you know from the uploaded photo, reinterpreted in a warm illustration style. A dog with a cardboard badge trots alongside, or a best friend waits at the end of the alley with a walkie-talkie. The AI uses that photo together with the chosen name, age, and favorite details to redraw your child as the lead agent, and up to four more characters (siblings, friends, even the family pet) can join the squad. The story fits the age range you pick, from whispered bedtime missions for little ones to twistier cases for older readers. See more personalization options on our features page.

What this story makes room for

A good mission invites questions. Who left the note? Why this code, why this route? This book sparks that kind of quiet curiosity, the kind that has a child pausing over a page, whispering a theory to the pillow. It offers moments of bravery on a child-sized scale: opening the next door, deciphering one more symbol, trusting a clue. The illustrations give room for close looking, the plot gives room for guessing out loud. There are no promises here about what your child will become. There is only the invitation: a story shaped around them, a role worth stepping into, and the small, real pleasure of being the one the mission was written for.

Who this book is for

This is a gift for the parent, grandparent, godparent or aunt who wants something more personal than another toy. It fits children from roughly 3 to 10 years old, with story length and tone adjusted per age band (3-5, 6-8, and older readers who like a knottier case). Think birthdays for a child already building pillow-fort lookout posts, a back-to-school surprise for a cautious new first-grader, or a long-distance hello from a grandparent who wants to say: I see who you are. It also works beautifully for siblings who play detective together, since up to five characters can share the mission.

How the secret mission lives on after the last page

The book closes, but the mission doesn't. Suddenly there's a homemade ID badge taped to a T-shirt, a notebook filling up with invented symbols for "milk" and "bedtime" and "dog". The laundry basket becomes a dead drop. A coded chalk mark appears on the garden path. You find a sticky note under your coffee mug that just says EYES ONLY. These are the echoes this story tends to leave behind: small, funny, homegrown rituals that belong entirely to your household. No guarantees, just the kind of play that naturally follows a book built around one specific child. The eBook is yours for $7.99 and ready in your account within about two hours, with a hardcover upgrade available for $34.99 extra once you've checked everything. Curious? Start your own book and see where the first clue leads.

An example story

The envelope had been there since dinner, tucked under the fruit bowl, and nobody else seemed to notice it. Your child waited until the house went quiet. Now, with the hallway light off and socks pulled up high, the young agent slid the paper free. TOP SECRET, it said, in letters pressed so hard the pen had nearly torn through. Inside: a tiny map of the living room, a red cross behind the bookcase, and three words underlined twice. Trust the dog. Down the stairs, one careful step at a time, skipping the third one because it always groans. The kitchen tiles were cold. On the windowsill a jar of moonlight waited, or at least that's what it looked like, and beside it a second note folded into the shape of a paper boat. The little detective reached for it, heart thumping once, twice, and read the first line. The mission, it turned out, had only just started.

Design a unique book especially for every child

check_circle Your personal children's book for £6.99

check_circle Your hardcover book ordered within 2 hours

check_circle Each book contains 26 pages full of reading pleasure

check_circle Edit the texts and illustrations easily afterwards

check_circle Customise your book in 25 different languages

check_circle Include up to 5 characters in a single story

check_circle Create colouring pages from your book illustrations

check_circle Have the story read aloud as an audiobook

Create a children's book

Reviews

Photos and reactions from customers about their personalised children's book.

"I chose a glossy look bigger print so 5yr grandson can read it
He loves it looks so like him too"

Sally Blackshaw

"We love these books! My kids feel so special when they get one. So far, we've gotten 4 PDF books and ordered 3 hard copies. I'm so glad I can edit the book before receiving it. One of them went the wrong way. It was supposed to be about the 1-year-old baby with grandparents and mama as extra. The book was all about mama. So I gave her that one and made another one, redirecting the focus.
This photo is of the second book. Phillip absolutely loves it. Takes it everywhere ❤️
I've even recommended this to a friend, she just sent for her hardcopy!✨️✨️"

Suzie Hibbert

"Teddy was really happy with his story"

Dean Hulme

"I absolutely loved the finished product. I loved the fact you got to read the book before deciding to purchase it and it is amazing how accurate it comes out to real life by just giving a few little details. I am recommending them to anyone who will listen 😂"

Deirdre Lynn

"Incredible!! My son has loved his personalised story book so very much. He keeps pointing at his book saying “look daddy…It’s me!” He’s takes it to bed with him every night & he keeps on begging to take it to his nursery. He’s desperate to show all his friends & nursery workers. It has made him feel so special."