Who is the birthday book for?
It is for a child turning two, three, four, five, or six, told as the story of the year they just had. It is usually made by parents, and often by grandparents, aunts, and uncles who want to give something other than another toy.
The questions change with the age you pick, so the milestones fit the year your child actually had.
What can I personalize in the birthday book?
Their name, the age they're turning, the cover theme and illustration style, plus the details of their year: what they're obsessed with, favorite foods, personality, new things they learned, their nickname, the phrase they say all the time, and the funniest moment.
Small, specific details are what make it land. The stuffed elephant named Peanut beats a sentence about loving animals.
Do the illustrations really look like my child?
The characters are drawn from the photo you upload, so the child in the book is created to resemble your child rather than a generic cartoon with their name attached. A clear, well-lit photo without hats or sunglasses gives the best result.
You can preview the book before you pay, and you can redraw an illustration or swap the photo if it is not right.
Can family be in the book too?
Yes. Upload a photo of the birthday child alone or with family, then tag who's who. Parents and siblings you tag appear on a few pages alongside the birthday child.
Can I create a new book every birthday?
Absolutely — that's the idea! Many families create a new book each year, building a collection that captures their child's entire early childhood. By age 6, you'll have a shelf of memories.
What details should I share for the best story?
The more specific, the better. Instead of 'she likes animals,' tell us 'she carries a stuffed elephant named Peanut everywhere and tries to feed it real food.' Those details make the story magical.
Can I preview the book for free, and how much does it cost?
Creating and previewing your book is completely free — no account and no card needed. You read the whole book, page by page, and only pay if you want to keep it.
A premium hardcover is $44.99 and the instant digital PDF is $14.99. Standard shipping is included in the hardcover price — the price you see is the total you pay. There is no subscription, and the version you approve is the version we print.
How soon will it get delivered?
Printing takes 4–5 business days, then the book ships. Orders to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and India typically arrive in 8–12 business days from the day you order. For other destinations the estimate for your address is shown at checkout.
The digital PDF has no printing or shipping wait — it is delivered electronically shortly after purchase, which is the one to choose for a last-minute gift.
What size and quality is the printed book?
The hardcover is approximately 8.5 × 8.5 inches, printed on premium matte paper and bound as a keepsake meant to survive being read at bedtime for years.
What happens to my photos?
They are used only to illustrate your book. We do not sell them, we do not show them to anyone else, and we never use them to train AI models.
Photos uploaded before you create an account are deleted automatically within 7 days. Once you have an account, uploads are held with your book so you can come back and finish it or order a reprint, and deleting your account deletes them. Email hello@celebrateally.com at any time and we will remove them sooner.
What if I need to cancel, or something is wrong with the book?
Email hello@celebrateally.com with your order number and we will sort it out.
Cancelling: if your book has not entered production yet we will cancel it and refund you in full. Once it is at the printer we may not be able to stop it, but always ask and we will check.
Damaged or misprinted: tell us within 30 days of delivery with a photo and we will reprint it free or refund you. You do not return the damaged book.
Never arrived: if 30 days have passed since you ordered, choose a free reprint or a full refund — your call, no questions asked.
Not happy with it: because you approve the finished book before paying, a printed book cannot usually be returned over a change of mind. But if the personalization or illustrations disappoint you, contact us within 30 days of delivery and tell us what to improve — we will correct it and send a replacement free, and if we cannot make it right we will refund you in full. You keep the original book either way.
Can I order more than one book?
Yes. You can order several copies of the same book — useful when grandparents want one too — and you can create as many different books as you like from one account. Each book is priced individually at $44.99 for a hardcover or $14.99 for a PDF, and each one is previewed and approved separately.
