A personalised book about superheroes

Having a superpower is perhaps the most common daydream children have: flying, turning invisible, talking to animals or running faster than the bus. A book about superheroes lets your child pick their own power and use it to help others. The lovely thing about the genre is that it's always about what you do with what you can do. Your child gets to be strong and brave, and at the same time discover that the most important power is sometimes noticing someone who needs help.

A superhero book can take place in a big city or on your child's own street. Your child can stop a train that's rolling too fast, rescue a kitten from a tall tree, help a giant who has lost his glasses or discover that the grumpy neighbour is simply lonely. Every power has a downside that makes the story more interesting: someone who can turn invisible might miss being seen. Even a hero sometimes needs help, and it can come from an unexpected direction, like a little brother or a pigeon.

The most important question to ask your child is which power they want. Let the answer steer the book. What's the hero called, and what colours is the costume? Perhaps there's already a cape from a party or a favourite top that can become the outfit. The family can be the helpers, and a pet makes a loyal sidekick. Something that really happened, like the time your child comforted a friend who had fallen over, can become the book's heroic deed. There's also a ready-made idea, Superhero for a Day.

For the youngest, a cape, a flying whoosh and a thank-you from someone who was helped are enough. Pre-schoolers want clear problems and clear solutions, and ideally a villain who turns out to be rather nice. Six-year-olds can handle the hero doubting themselves for a while before things turn around. A ten-year-old is often most gripped when the power isn't enough and the hero has to think their way out instead.

After reading, talk about the people who help others for real: the ambulance driver, the cook who makes lunch at school, the neighbour who clears the snow from someone else's path. Then ask what your child has done this week that was a little bit heroic. An old pillowcase or a towel and a clothes peg make a cape in a minute.

You fill in the child's name, age and what they like, and upload a photo. The story about superheroes is written for your very own child, and the thirteen pictures and the cover are drawn from the photo in the style you choose. Brothers and sisters, parents, grandparents or the pet can come along, up to five characters. If you would like to include something that has happened lately, a trip or a lost tooth, just write it and it is woven in.

The eBook is ready a few minutes after payment. Read it, change the text and ask for new pictures until you are happy. Then order it as an A4 hardback book, printed and sent to your door, or straight to the child as a gift. Do add the audiobook or the colouring pages. Start creating the book or read more about the prices. Would you like to see a finished book before you decide? Browse our example books.