YourPictureBook.com Photo-Personalized Book {Review & Giveaway}

I've previously mentioned it, but I'll say it again. Around here, we like books.

I have a pile checked out from the library waiting for me right now... that I'll hopefully get to before I have to return them. Both Big Sister E and Little Sister B have bookshelves in their rooms piled high with books that get taken down and re-shelved daily.

From baby board books with only pictures to large, intricate books covered with words, they both love to look at books. Big Sister E will sometimes turn to me while we're playing and say, "I need to go upstairs and read books." With that, she'll leave me and Little Sister B and head to her room to rest and lose herself in the stories that she sees in the pictures. How can I say no?

So what could make a book better for a 3-year-old that is already enamored with them?

I wouldn't say that this book is "better." I would say that it is "beyond the coolest book that we have ever seen or even imagined." Or something like that.

Around 4 years ago, mother of 3, Marile Hendrickson, was reading a book to her daughter that had her name personalized in it. After realizing that her daughter wondered why her picture wasn't in the book if her name was, Marile and her husband set out to create a line of books in which the child could not only hear their name but see themselves in the illustrations. From there, YourPictureBook.com was born.

What makes a YourPictureBook special? Simple. When you send in a picture of the lucky child in your life, their skilled digital artists convert it to appear almost like a painting. The photo blends right into the illustrations in the book, making it seen as if the entire thing was created at the same time. There is definitely a significant amount of time and attention spent on each book ordered from YourPictureBook and the results, which are both beautiful and educational, speak for themselves.


As I knew it would, Big Sister E's face lit up when she saw her Can Count book. For a moment or two, she looked at her picture and then, tentatively, she reached out and touched it. "Who's that in the book?" I asked. She turned and looked at me with a huge grin. "ME!"

First thing in the morning and still in her pajamas. "There's me... and there's me.... and there's me..."

Without fail, every page brought a smile to her face as Big Sister E was able to not only hear her name in the words, but see her own picture in the illustrations. "I'm at the circus!" she pointed out happily. "There's my teddy bear!" She showed me. Whether her image was fully displayed interacting with the characters or blended into the background, Big Sister E's photo was seamlessly part of the story.

Right now there are 3 title choices available at YourPictureBook.com: Can Count, Noah's Ark and Moon Dirt Milkshake. Or, if your child is a budding Picasso, coloring book versions are also available where your child's photo is converted into a black and white sketch amongst the pictures for your little artist's delight.

Ordering from YourPictureBook.com couldn't be easier. Simply choose your favorite photo of your child and upload it to their website, where you also enter the name and dedication you would like displayed in the book. For me, the most difficult part of the process was getting Big Sister E to stand still and smile at the camera, as she tends to turn away or close her eyes whenever I bring it out.

Can't get a head-to-toe photo of your child? Or are you ordering this as a gift and you don't have a full-body picture of the lucky recipient? YourPictureBook makes it easy for you and has versions of their books made for "full body" photos and for "half body" photos so almost any picture will work for their talented artists to create a masterpiece just for you.

If books aren't what you are looking for, YourPictureBook.com also offers a large selection of photo-personalized DVDs and posters that are sure to grab the attention of any child (or Dad would probably think The Incredible Adventures of "Amazing Dad" is pretty cool, too). My nephew loves football, how fun would it be to see his reaction if he was featured as an NFL draft pic?

Yes, Sports Fans, all 32 NFL teams are available.

At the beginning of next year, YourPictureBook will be adding two more great titles to their book collection that, based on their existing selection, will also be wonderful. Even if you don't win this giveaway, I highly recommend YourPictureBook.com as a site to visit for amazing gifts for this holiday season. Plus, who doesn't love a discount? Right now, enter the coupon code mommyshipfree at checkout and receive free shipping! And, thanks to their generosity...

One lucky person will win their choice of any hardcover book from YourPictureBook.com! Just in time for the Holidays!

To enter to win your choice of hardcover book from YourPictureBook.com: Visit YourPictureBook.com and tell me the book title you would choose and which child in your life would be lucky enough to receive it. Please do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile. I have to have a way to contact the winner.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted)
1 Extra Entry (per method) - Follow YourPictureBook on Twitter or become a friend of YourPictureBook on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway. See the list on the top of my right sidebar - there are some really great ones going on right now and coming up!
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Amazing kids' book #giveaway @thxmailcarrier from @YourPictureBook! Their photo in the story is the best gift! http://bit.ly/1qryp4 #Win!

2 Extra Entries per follow method (leave 2 separate comments for each type) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect (see sidebar), subscribe to my RSS feed or subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries (leave 3 separate comments) if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and YourPictureBook.com. Please leave an address where it can be found.
5 Extra Entries (Leave 5 separate comments) if you make a purchase from YourPictureBook.com during this giveaway. Tell me what awesome item you picked!

Giveaway will end on November 9th at 11:59pm CST. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to residents of the Continental US only.

A HUGE thank you to Marile Hendrickson at YourPictureBook.com for providing me with a Can Count book for review as well as any hardcover book for one lucky giveaway winner. Big Sister E loves/cherishes/adores her book and now when I hear, "You NEED to read me THIS," I can be fairly certain as to what she will be holding.