IlluStory Make Your Own Story Kit
Reviews of IlluStory Make Your Own Story Kit
1.) We love them!
Reviewed by: Sally Leawood, KS USA
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Our son has written 2 books with Illustory already! He loves seeing the words that he writes typed onto the pages (by the company) and the drawings he does come out beautifully printed on the book. He is so excited and proud of himself when he shows his friends, family and teacher his publications! The book even comes with an About-the-Author page just like real published books! Everything that you need to write and draw is provided in the kit and the instructions are very easy to follow. In just a few weeks you get back a real hardcover book! The experience was so terrific, we plan on having him write a book each year so he can see how much his writing changes year after year. And just as soon as his new baby sister is old enough, we'll start her writing books with Illustory too. The books are a great family keepsake. We love them
2.) Move over Harry Potter!
Reviewed by: Mother of a future author! Philadelphia, PA
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Thank you for carrying this terrific product. My kids love to read and one day my son told me he wanted to write his own book someday. I saw this kit and thought I would give it to him to try. The process was simple. He wrote his story, added pictures and we dropped it in the mail in the postage paid envelope (which was great-by the way) that was included in the kit. My son actually forgot all about it and about 2 weeks later our mail carrier knocked at our front door with a package addressed to my son. I can't even describe the look on his face when he took out his book. He looked at every detail and couldn't wait to show everyone his masterpiece. He has written several books now and I enjoy seeing his progress unfold. I highly recommend this kit to any parent that has a child even remotely interested in reading or writing. What a value!
3.) This kit is TERRIFIC!!
Reviewed by:
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Quite simply this is the coolest toy I have ever purchased. My children love writing their stories and drawing their pictures and then having it all published in a real harback book with their words typed on the page. They are so proud of their books--they show them to everyone who comes to the house! The instructions were easy to follow and the quality of the finished book is exceptional! We do a new book every six months or so and order extra copies and give them to the grandparents. Our library is becoming quite large. It makes a neat birthday gift too. Thank you for making such a wonderful product.
4.) A fun and educational gift!
Reviewed by: LibraryPiper Cleveland, OH, USA
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As a teacher, I had to buy this gift for my seven-year-old niece. She loved making her own book, and the finished product that they send you is very professional looking, like a book that you would purchase from a store. They even included some tips and activities to help children write their stories, including diagrams for pre-planning and brainstorming. My niece loves her book and shows it off to everyone - she even took it to school and got to read it at storytime. This is a great educational activity that really gets children to be creative, and they love it. Buy it for all of your favorite kids!
5.) best kids creativity item ever!
Reviewed by: MistyMae Redlands, CA USA
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Illustory is really awesome! Last year we did it for the first time and it turned out so cute! We gave one for a gift and kept one. It is a little costly but worth it! Def. send in a pic of your little writer because that is so neat how they write "About the Author" and your little one's face is in the book just like a real author and they describe his or her likes or dislikes. This cost extra but really made the book. I def. recommend this. You will see how your child gets better at writing each year if you do it yearly like we are doing.
6.) Great!
Reviewed by: Dale Scott Council Grove, KS United States
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We bought this for our 10 year old grandson last Christmas and he LOVED it. He is interested in animals and he wrote a book about 'dangerous' animals. He had a great time doing it. The finished product is great. His parents had another copy of the book printed by the seller and sent it to us as a gift. We will always cherish it!
7.) This is fabulous!!
Reviewed by:
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My daughter received this as a gift. She LOVED creating her story. We had lots of fun together with the planning and the layout and she really enjoyed being able to express her creativity so freely. When the final product, a hardbound copy of her story arrived, she was so excited. Now we read her story often and it is so neat to know that the words and illustrations are her own. We also bought this as a gift for my friend's son (his sixth birthday) and he loved it as well. My daughter recently asked me if we could get another kit so she can make another story. I definitely will get this for her again. It is a wonderful gift and also a great keepsake for years to come.
8.) Tremendous book for the budding artist
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This an outstanding idea, and a great gift idea for the young artist in your family. You can make any book you want, comic, picture, or story book. Lots of choices, colors, and the printing costs for multiple copies is a real deal.
9.) EXTREMELY GREAT PRODUCT!
Reviewed by: M & R Pueblo West Colorado
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We ordered these for our children for last year's Christmas, it was about the best thing they've ever recieved! It challenged them to come up with their very own story, using thier imagination and when the books arrived, they were so proud! They gave a copy of their books to thier teachers at school and copies to thier Grandparents. We will be ordering more of these for the kids and also to have on hand for birthday parties, or other gift giving occasions involving kids. I highly recommend these.
10.) This is a treasured keepsake
Reviewed by: Patricia Fay the Finger Lakes Region, New York
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Get one of these kits for each of your children!They love to write their own stories, draw pictures and send it all in to receive a hard cover book that you (and they) will always treasure! My 5 yr. old is working on hers now!The quality and ease is excellent.
11.) Love this product!
Reviewed by: Tami Bradley Wildwood Crest, NJ United States
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My 7 year old received this as a Christmas present. She was so excited to write her own book, we added the about the Author page and she wrote and illustrated the story. We bought one book for our family and the second book we dedicated to her school teachers and gave it to the school on Teacher Appreciation Day with a note that we wanted the book to be placed in the library. Now all of my daughters friends and others can check the book out of the library and they love it!
I highly recommend this as a gift to anyone.
12.) GREAT GIFT IDEA!
Reviewed by: J. Dobson Los Angeles, CA
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My 7 year old niece loved this gift. She made a book about her family with illustrations and everything. You can pay more to have an "about the author" page with a photo. And you have to pay more if you want the illustrations to look like a real book. The book she made was soooooo cute and she was extremely proud of it. She's turning 8 this year and she wants me to get her another one. That's why I'm on Amazon right now.
13.) The Perfect Gift
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This is one of the greatest gifts my 5 year old daughter ever received. It kept her occupied for hours, not to mention the days when she likes to go back and read it. It was so interesting, that my 7 year old nephew helped her create the book. They drew a line down the middle of each page so they each had a side. Then they just created their masterpiece-no arguing-just sharing and imagining together. I now give this as a gift to anyone around the ages of 5-7 years.
14.) Inspiring for Young Authors
Reviewed by: Lori Ypsilanti, MI United States
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We bought this for my son, who loves to write books of his own. When he received the finished version of this book, he was so proud and wanted to write more books. The finished product makes a great gift for grandparents and other loved ones. It also inspires a love of reading and writing in children. What a wonderful do-it-yourself project for children!!!
15.) Super fun, educational keepsake
Reviewed by: Dani's Mom Luling, LA United States
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I bought this kit for my 6 year old daughter. She couldn't wait to start drawing. She dictated the story for each page and drew extra "love notes" on the remaining pages, and even deticated it to her Nan Nan. We opted to add the "About the auther" with a photo! My daughter did get impatient waiting for the book to come back,.. but since Katrina the mail has been very unreliable. Finally, her package arrived and she LOVED it! We rushed it right over to her Nan Nan. It is a perfect little book, that will be cherished forever. I've already bought 2 more!!
16.) A fabulous idea!
Reviewed by: AB1761 Stockton, CA United States
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I bought this for my 8 year old niece last Christmas. It was a HUGE hit with her and everyone who has come in contact with her finished masterpiece. Everyone wants to know where I got it. This really helped my niece become more sure of herself and she now loves to write!
17.) Wonderful product
Reviewed by: Mom of Four Washington United States
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Wonderful product. We bought this as a gift for my son's 7th birthday as a fun incentive to get him a little writing and spelling practice. He loved to make his own books at home with computer paper and the stapler, so a real book was a huge hit. He thought this was great because it is a real bound book with his own words and pictures. His book will be a cherished keepsake and I'm sure it will be great fun to look at when he is grown.
18.) AWESOME
Reviewed by: Krissie Michigan
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This was a gift to our 5 year old son for his birthday and the finished product is going under the Christmas tree for grandparents this year. What a wonderful and creative idea. My son had so much fun creating his story and we spent a lot of quality time together in the process.
19.) Pride in a Hardcover
Reviewed by: alexgrace9497 NJ United States
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My sister bought this book for my five-year-old daughter. I thought she was too young for it, so set it aside for about 6 months. While it took quite some time to lay out the story, it was worth every second. She really loves her book, took it to school and went to each of the classrooms to read it. One teacher called me and asked for the information so that she can do it with her entire first grade class. It's a great idea and was a great gift!
20.) Write and Illustrate for your grandchildren
Reviewed by: Diane Sultzbach Boston, MA
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I know this is meant for children, but I decided to buy it for myself. I am writing stories about my childhood that I am sending to my grandchildren. It is a wonderful way for them to get to know a little about me and have something to keep to remember me by. I love it.
21.) Your little author will have a ball with this!
Reviewed by: Shabby Chic Lover Buffalo, NY
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My 8 year old daughter is not the princess/fairy/doll type of girl. She'd much prefer to write a short story, complete with her own illustrations. After having a few completed masterpieces sitting about the house, my daughter lamented that she wished she could have it published 'like a real book'. So my search began, and ended, with this product. She received it as a Christmas gift, and almost immediately began working on her story (titled 'I'm a Superhero!'). Following the simple, clear instructions in the package, we were able to send off our manuscript for publication. It did take a little bit to receive the completed product back; in fact, I even emailed the manufacturer to inquire about it as I was worried it may have gotten lost. Never fear, though, it arrived shortly afterward, and my daughter was thrilled with the hardcover book which she had written, illustrated and designed (by choosing the book color, fonts, etc.) I love the 'About the Author' page too, and it's so worth it get it printed with your child's picture. Imagine her face when she sees it! We even purchased a second one to give to her on her birthday, and this time we tried the internet option. The advantage here is that you can make the text of each page as long as you want, instead of the rather restrictive 20-word limit per page on the mail-in version. The drawback, though, is that the drawings will not have that kid-drew-it innocense since the illustrations are also made on the computer. Having done both versions, I think we'd stick with the internet version from now on, so she can write more and more complex stories as she gets older. For a child who loves to write and draw, what better gift could they receive than the ability to publish their very own hardcover book? Something that they - and you as the parent - will cherish for years to come!
22.) What a great product!
Reviewed by: Lmurdock Long Island
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I can't say enough about Illustory! My daughter is 6 and in Kindergarten and loved to make stories on paper stapled together. So, Santa brought her an Illustory kit and we did it together as she can't write many of the words yet. So, she drew all the pictures and told me what she wanted to story to say. We got our book in the mail yesterday, and she was so thrilled to see her story bound like a real book! The quality was great, and it even had the dedicaton page and an "about the author" page with her picture (which I provided). We even ordered an extra copy for grandma with a dedication to her! I highly reccomend this kit!
23.) Great to Teaching Reading and Writing
Reviewed by: Nancy G Princeton Junction, New Jersey
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This is a great opportunity to engage your child in an uninterrupted discussion about a particular topic. Your child will learn to organize his/her thoughts on paper; thus creating a story. These are excellent skills for beginning readers and writers.
I am using this opportunity for my 6-year old son to create a book for my husband's 40th birthday. He has to think of a title and the sequence for a story entitled, "Why I love my dad". It was also my gift of choice for Chanukkah and Christmas to other 5 and 6 year olds.
24.) Great idea for kids!
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This product rewards any child's effort and will become a treasured family keepsake. IlluStory is a great way to get children excited about reading and writing.
25.) My 6 yr old LOVED this
Reviewed by: molly123marshall Florida
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My 6 yr old daughter loved this gift. The kit was simple and easy to understand. She wrote her own story one day, and we mailed it the next. There were no additional charges, not even for shipping, because we only wanted 1 book. The turn-around time was reasonable - I think around 4 weeks. The final product was beautiful and very solid. She ran around the house saying, "I'm an author! I can't believe it!" We will definitely buy this product again in the future and we recommend it to others.
26.) Great parent/child project
Reviewed by: LA Morgantown, PA USA
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I have bought this for three different girls ages 6-8. They have all enjoyed creating their own book. It also comes out really nice when it is printed. A wonderful little activity for a girl or boy in that age group.
27.) Excellent product.
Reviewed by: JB
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This is an excellent product for children to be creative, understand process and become confident. I love this product and give it as birthday gifts.
28.) Create a book
Reviewed by: Wendy G. Wallio
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This is great for those creative stories that your children write. The story can be illustrated and will be a lasting keepsake for your family. I highly recommend this.
29.) Love it!
Reviewed by: Mom of two girls Hopewell Jct, New York United States
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I purchased our first Illustory four years ago. My two daughters used it to make a book for my husband's birthday - "Why I love Daddy". It is a keepsake he will always treasure. My 9 year old daughter received another one for Xmas and created a book "My favorite animals". It's so nice to have something she can look back at when she is grown. The completed books are very well made, and the images are transferred perfectly. I just ordered one for my 5 year old goddaughter. I highly recommend this product!!
30.) Wonderful for a budding writer!
Reviewed by: If Mama Augusta, Georgia
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Ordered the kit so my 7 y.o. son could transform a story he wrote into a keepsake book. He loved the process and the final version is exceptional. It is possibly the first step on a long and successful career.
Lucy Adams, author of If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny
31.) mom for educational fun
Reviewed by: hawkw Metairie, LA
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I bought one for my 7 year old daughter who absolutely loved it, so I bought one for my 6 year old son. She loves showing it off with family friends and even at school. My son is just starting to work on his but is excited after seeing her finished product.
The hard book cover seems durable but only time will tell if it says in good condition, so I gave that catagory a 4 star.
I have since bought my now 8 year old daughter more of these and she still loves it. It never gets old for her.
32.) Great for Memories and for NOW!
Reviewed by: SemiMental Fool Maryland
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My son is now working on his second book - after last year's success, we will be doing a book every year (he's 6 now). The book takes time to do properly, and certainly needs an adult's help at this age, but the end result is more worthwhile than virtually any other gift he's gotten. The look on his face, seeing his name and story and pictures put together in the beautifully bound book... I'll never forget it, and I never have to. It happens every time he reads HIS book! Highly recommended
33.) I did this over 15 years ago, and I still have it
Reviewed by: Laurie Arkansas
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back when I was an aspiring author, my parents bought me one of these for my 7th birthday. It was probably my all time favorite childhood gift, and I still have it somewhere. I look back and laugh over the funny things I wrote and my terrible artistic skills. It was about a girl whose mother left her in an orphanage that locked her in the attic.I can't wait to give one of these to my own daughter in a few years! :)
34.) writing for the young person
Reviewed by: Ruthann Marshall Akron, Ohio USA
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I bought this book for my grandughter that is 10 years old and loves to write stores. It was a wise pick for me , as it is right at her age level. Easy to understand , Easy to follow directions . For any child that loves to write stores, or to encourage a child to write it is a great book.
35.) A Complete Joy!
Reviewed by: Author/Reviewer - Florida USA
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Being an author and reviewer when my grandchild asked for this kit as a present I was thrilled. It's always nice to see a child want to follow in your footsteps. Was it worth the money? You bet it was.
Inside is everything that was needed for her to use to create her first book. The instructions were easy to follow and she got right to work.
What a great book was made. Her illustrations were exactly as she drew them and she was thrilled to see her very own story come alive. She loves being able to share it with others and it has given her great pride to see she has a book just like her Grammy.
This is well worth your money and will bring a lot of joy and happiness to any child that receives it. I am proud to recommend this product.
36.) terrific product
Reviewed by: audrey white mtns
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With this kit you or your child(ren) can write up to 12 pages of text, each with its own illustration, send it off to the company, and receive a professionally printed hardbound book in a few weeks. There are even options to get gift books, each with its own unique dedication page! An 'About the Author' section really personalizes the experience.
Everything you need is in the kit -- instructions, paper (including practice sheets) and pens. There's even a postage-paid envelope, so when you're finished writing you can just drop it into a mailbox. We could not be happier with this product. It was fun and easy, brought out the kids' imagination, and the product we received was beautifully finished.
Highest recommendation.
37.) Great fun for parents and children
Reviewed by: constant reader Tucson, AZ, USA
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Illustory is a wonderful way to preserve childhood memories. It's easy to use and comes with everything you need to write and illustrate a simple story. My six year old son and I had a blast putting it together & can't wait to see the final product (the bound book).
38.) Great Keepsake
Reviewed by: Mom of 3 San Antonio, TX
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I have had each of my children make their own book using the IlluStory kit. They love to look back at their art work and story year after year. It is a great keepsake. We now give them to friends for birthday presents so that they can make their own books too.
39.) Son loved this!
Reviewed by: Tammy L. McClain Coshocton, OH
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My ten year old son got this for Christmas from his grandparents...he LOVED this so much! Not only the fun of creating his own story (which of course was based around Star Wars), but the anticipation of receiving his book, to finally getting it and reading it to us as a family and then taking it to school (which he ended up reading to his school's second grade classes cause they thought it was so cool). There were kid's in his school that thought he was famous...he thought it was cute. Anyway I highly recommend this toy...very educational, kids get to use their imagination and have a finished product to share and cherish for years to come. Can't go wrong here...in fact I may end up getting some kits for my other boys.
40.) This is a Must for All Children
Reviewed by: Kaydee Tucson, AZ USA
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I bought this for my daughter when she was 7 years old. She wrote and illustrated a story on the paper provided using the included markers, and we sent it off in the POSTAGE PAID envelope as the directions indicated. A BEAUTIFUL hard-cover story-my daughter's story-came back to us. My daughter was so proud. Now we have a wonderful keepsake of her writing as a 7 year old. This kit is educational, fun and meaningful. I am buying it again for my daughter now that she is 8, and when my 4 year old son learns to write I will buy one for him too. And, I will buy this item again and again. It makes the perfect gift. It is well worth the price. And, what a wonderful way to encourage a child's creativity. This is a quality product. I'm glad it's out there!
41.) Best present ever!
Reviewed by: pooljump DFW, TX, USA
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This is by far the best gift I have ever given my daughter. She loves her book so much and loves to read it to other people. We had copies made for her grandparents and they treasure her book also.
42.) Great Gift for kids 5 and over.
Reviewed by: Ashley R Hewlett , NY
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I just purchased my 2nd illustory gift. These are great, b/c kids love to make their own REAL books. They can always save it as a memory. It is just the best gift idea ever. I'm sure I will buy another one next year too!!!
43.) Illustory
Reviewed by: mom of 3 girls TN USA
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This is a wonderful product! I've bought one for each of my older girls (ages 10 and 8) for the last 3 years at Christmas time. They love to write their own story, draw the pictures with it, and then see it put into a real book. We also have ordered extra copies of their books for grandparent gifts! Very happy with this!!!
44.) Great for kids of all ages
Reviewed by: E. McCann NJ
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My 8 year old son received this as a gift. He had so much fun making up a story with his own pictures. The hardest part was waiting for the hard back book to come in the mail! He loved it!!
45.) Love this!
Reviewed by: kellybrwn7 Cleveland OH
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Got this for my 6-yr old daughter's birthday. It was easy for us to do together. The great fun was getting the completed, hard-bound book back in the mail! She was so proud to be an author! She even took it to school to show her class. It's a great gift & a great keepsake.
46.) A great gift
Reviewed by: M. Charles (NoplaceND)
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I had gotten this for my daughters 7th birthday, she was always finding bits of paper around the house and trying to write stories on them. She absolutely loved the gift. I had her start writing the story out on regular paper and then I helped her get it going when she was done. I made sure to count all her words and after we got the story down on the papers I told her that all she needed to do was draw a picture of what was happening in the story on that page. She did a great job. I finished filling out the paperwork and sent it in. I received an e-mail letting me know that they had gotten the story and that her book would soon be here. When she got the book she said was very pleased with how her book turned out. There were no miss spelled words and the pictures looked great! It looks absolutely beautiful, she brought it to school and everywhere. I plan on getting another illustory for her this year as well.
On the topic of miss spelled words...there is a box that you can check to have them keep the spelling the way it was written (in the case that your kid wrote it out and spelled something in a very unique manner and you wanted to keep it that way forever!)
47.) A great project
Reviewed by: Mom of 3 Connecticut
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I bought this kit for my daughter and she used it to make a Chritsmas gift for her grandmother. She had a wonderful time creating the story, and the end result was really nice. The price is reasonable given it includes shipping and the finished book. Since we were giving a gift, the extra charges for additional copies and rush shipping were worth it to us. Overall, a great deal for my second grader.
48.) Inspire Your Child
Reviewed by: Terri San Jose, CA
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My son was very excited when he received this as a Christmas gift. He loves to read and draw and is quite imaginative. I thought this would be a fun project for him. I let him create his story and illustrate at his own pace. It certainly wasn't something we completed in one sitting. He really enjoyed the process. Once we sent it out, we received his bound book about a few weeks later(a lot faster than anticipated).
My son was over the moon and thanked me profusely when he received the final product. It looks great! Nicely bound with wonderful reproductions of his artwork and accurate text. He is so proud of his work. He took it to school to read to his class and we've read it at home just about every day since he received it. He is especially tickled by the "About the Author" feature at the back of the book with his photo and personal information - just like in a real book.
I can't say enough about how much we enjoyed this project and what a great creative, educational and self-esteem building experience it has been. He's dying to do another one... how can I say no?
49.) GENIUS!
Reviewed by: xoxo Mililani, HI. USA
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The littel girl I bought this for LOVED IT, she is constantly writing these adorable stories on paper and hanging them everywhere for everyone to read, so the thought that she could write her own book she was speechless! & Its awesome because you can get mulitiples made, send them to grandparents, aunts, god parents, etc... Just another great item that lets kids imaginations grow, I loved it.
50.) Best gift ever!
Reviewed by: Wendy Bayer
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This has been my daughter's favorite gift of all time. She drew all the pictures, then dictated the story to me. Her face, when we received a hard-bound real book in the mail was priceless! I'd like to do one of these every year. You can't pick a better gift than this one.
51.) Extremely Satisfied!!!
Reviewed by: Happy Customer!
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Purchased five of the "IlluStory Make Your Own Story Kit" projects for Christmas. Two kits for my own children and three for my nephews. My children were very excited to get started on theirs and we already have the finished product (the actual book) back from the Creations by You company. They LOVE their storybooks that they personally created and I will cherish these forever! Thank you "Creations by You" for coming up with such a wonderful idea!
52.) Time well spent
Reviewed by: A"mama" mom Bozeman, MT
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I bought this product for my six year old daughter for her birthday. We enjoyed every minute creating it. Not only was it fun for her to write and illustrate, she also learned a lot about the creative writing process, especially how to organize her thoughts. The final book turned out very professionally and the turn around time was quicker than we expected. I'm showing off her first publication to all our friends and family.
53.) Best Gift Ever!
Reviewed by: J. Davis Chehalis, WA
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I bought this item for Christmas for granddaughter who loves to draw, and is exceptionally good at it--she is 7 years old. She enjoyed it so much, I have ordered her a second one. I plan to do this about every 6 months, so she can make her own library which she can keep forever. This is a great product, and I highly recommend it. We ordered the upgrade extras that you will learn about when you buy this kit. Grandmothers, this is the perfect present for our precious grandchildren that they will enjoy reading over and over again. It is also a fun way to document their growing talents over the years.
54.) What a clever idea
Reviewed by: Grandma S Tuckerton NJ
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My Granddaughter age 9 had so much fun making up her own story, she is still working on the art and then we will have it printed.
55.) Very nice
Reviewed by: snowball Minnesota
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My nine year old daughter recieved this for Christmas 2007. (today)
I am impressed how well it is set up to help her to write a great story.
In fact, I am going to buy one for my daughter-in-law as her brother recently passed away and I think she could use this as a tool to heal AND create a wonderful book about his life.
56.) IlluStory Make your own Story Book
Reviewed by: D. Parker New Braunfels, TX
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My kids received these for Christmas and they LOVE them!! They are working on the book now and once it is finished, we will mail it in the postage paid envelope and wait for the hardback book to arrive! What a great way to learn about what it takes to write a book (without the rejection!) Great item for anyone really!
57.) Creative Writing
Reviewed by: mystery8792 Northern New York
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This is a great product! It encourages children to use their imagination. I ordered this for my son a couple years ago and he loved it when the actual hard covered book arrived! I gave to my niece as a Christmas gift this season and she had it out of the package and creating her own story once the wrapping paper was ripped off!
58.) IlluStory
Reviewed by: Maloney Hawaii
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LOVE THIS IDEA!! My daughter has already published her 1st book with Illustory and keeps asking for more. It's a great way to have your child put together her thoughts on an event, subject, etc and put on paper, illustrate it with pictures and get a "Real" book mailed back to her. She's already shared it with her classmates and teacher. I highly recommend this!
59.) Love this product!!!
Reviewed by: J. Williamson
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I can't say enough good things about Illustory. We first used this last year with my oldest and the book he made is adorable. I love that it is hard bound just like a regular book is. This year, my oldest and middle child each did a book and they had so much fun making it. We love it!
60.) Great Idea!
Reviewed by: grlsdad3
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This is such a wonderful idea and can be passed down for generations. My daughter can now put some of the drawings she has done together with an interesting story for the family to enjoy. Price is Right!
61.) Wonderful!
Reviewed by: Jen Philadelphia, PA
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This is a wonderful to allow a child to publish their very own book! I loved the product, it was very easy to use and the finished product came quickly in the mail! It was a great experience!!!!
62.) A Wonderful Way to Get Kids to Write
Reviewed by: E. V. Jones New Hudson, Michigan United States
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This was such a wonderful product. My son had written a story and illustrated most of the pictures. He had difficulty drawing people but we were able to use their website to generate pictures of people for his story. We were also able to use his drawings by scanning them onto the computer then up load them to the website. It was fast, quick and extremely easy. Their website takes you step by step with the process. The best part is when the hard cover book arrived and my son was proud of his accomplishments. This product encourges kids to be creative. Kids get to practice their writting skills (captilizations, punctuation, tenses) and art skills.
63.) I love it!!
Reviewed by: Lian Taylor, LMFT, Psy D Tucson, AZ
Rating:
We bought the first of these for our son when he was 3 1/2 and helped him create his first book. He loved it and would read it to us daily. He's five now and has 'created' 5 additional books (this time without our help). He loves this and has decided that he's going to become a writer when he grows up (after he becomes a pilot). As a result of creating the ILLUSTORY books, he's started keeping a journal (which we thought was a big endeavor for a 5 year old- but he's managing to write in it every day about the perils of kindergarten, of course!) Kudos to the makers of this product for keeping children educationally entertained!!
64.) Great item and worth every penny.
Reviewed by: OregonMama Oregon
Rating:
This is such a great item and worth every penny. We'd love to do these every year and get duplicate copies for our families. This is a great way to capture the different stages of creativity in your children - and rewarding to them when they see their story "published" in a real book. Highly recommended for all ages!
65.) Very cool for imaginative, creative kids!
Reviewed by: Jason Goodell Norfolk, NE
Rating:
I recommend this product highly for it's creative value and the bright look on my daughters face (9 years old) that she created something so cool. This is just a really great product and I wish there would have been something like this when I as a kid.
66.) Creates a great keepsake!
Reviewed by: Montana Mom Missoula, MT United States
Rating:
I bought this for my 6 year old daughter who loves to write stories. She worked on it with her father, we sent it away in the prepaid envelope, and the look of joy that she had when she received her professionally bound book was priceless. It contains the pictures that she drew printed on each page, and the words have been typeset. We even paid the extra $2 or so to have her picture on the author page and that was the icing on the cake. It was a fun project for my husband and daughter to do, but I think that it might have been a little difficult for a 6 year old to do all on her own due to the requirements of staying within certain lines. Otherwise I think this product is AWESOME!
67.) Very Impressed with Illustory
Reviewed by: M. McTickle
Rating:
My 5yo received this kit as a birthday gift. The kit contains about 30 or so pages, each with a designated space for the illustration and lines at the bottom for the handwritten text. It included markers, a postage paid return envelope, directions, and a guide on how to write a story (who are your characters, what is the conflict, how will the story end). To avoid having to pay for additional pages, since only 20 words are allowed per page and the whole story must be 12 pages or less, we storyboarded my DDs story on our own.
This is a big project. My DD spent 4 days, maybe an hour or so each day. I don't know what the average time spent would be, but she put a lot of effort into the drawings. She and I enjoyed the project from start to finish.
I was impressed with the completeness of the kit and the email contact from the company from start to finish. Illustory sent emails when the manuscript was received and when it was shipped. We received the book in less than 2 weeks from when we sent it in though based on the info included, this was a very fast turnaround.
My DD was so pleased with the result. The book is made of the actual pages submitted which surprised me (though I think there is an option to upgrade). Some of the marker bled through to the back of the pages but this didn't bother my daughter or me. The cover is well made and the typewritten story exactly matched the manuscript with no typos. The dedication page and author bio page are great and included free.
I totally recommend this for other new short story writers. When 20 words per page won't cut it anymore we'll probably look elsewhere to create books. For beginners this is an excellent product put out by a great company.
68.) Fabulous
Reviewed by: A. Maldonado Ct
Rating:
My 6 year old daughter got this as a Christmas gift and she and my 8 year old son decided to do it together. He was the author and she the illustrator. It was a great family acivity and the company was wonderful. My son spelled his cousins name differently on 2 pages and they caught it and actually called me personally to check. The finally copy was adorable and it made a wonderful gift for their grandfather who cried when he recieved it. I would definitely do this again!
69.) Fabulous Keepsake
Reviewed by: Z. VAZQUEZ
Rating:
What a fabulous idea. Not only is it a keepsake forever, but the kids love the idea of publishing and illustrating their own book. Our kids, ages 7 and 8, thought it was a magnificent idea. Very creative, educational and just overall awesome. The kids really worked hard as they knew it would be a "forever" book. Three thumbs up if I had three. Great and innovative idea. An excellent keepsake to look back over the years.
70.) My first published book
Reviewed by: The cook Idaho
Rating:
For the budding artist that is interested in coloring, this is a great keep sake. To publish your own book is really neat. My Grandson thought so too. He was ready to send it in the first day but his Dad wanted to add some words to it about the pictures. Anyway it is a lot of fun that will keep my Grandson happy for years.
71.) Terrific
Reviewed by:
Rating:
This is a great idea. The book comes with an About-the-Author page just like real published books! Everything that you need to write and draw is provided in the kit and the instructions are very easy to follow. In just a few weeks you get back a real hardcover book! Terrific! It is a The books are a great family keepsake. Check also the series Why Some Cats are Rascals, Book 1
72.) Next Best Selling Young Author
Reviewed by: Happy Grandma Michigan
Rating:
My Grandson Brendan, loves to write , and has already won one 'Young Authors" award at age 7. He opened this gift Christmas eve, and amidst all the bedlam that accompanies Christmas Eve At Grandmas , He got out the pens and pages and began making up a story right there and then. He absolutely loved this gift.
73.) Great gift for kids of any age.
Reviewed by: Mom of 5 Sylvania, Ohio
Rating:
I love this product. I have bought 2 in the passed and loved them. It's a great gift to give and the child you give it to have a treasure forever. It shows the creativity of the child. Love, love, love this book.
74.) Great for creative children
Reviewed by: vickigh Long Beach, NY United States
Rating:
Our grandson is nine years old and a great artist and writer. It will be nice to preserve his work to enjoy over the years in a "permanent" way-and perhaps, if he becomes "famous" some day, we will have a record of his early work.
75.) Lot's of fun and a keepsake!
Reviewed by: C. Moore
Rating:
My boy and girl 5 1/2 year olds both enjoyed writing their own story and coloring the pages. They could not wait until it arrived in the mail. I will keep this and give to them when they are older!
76.) Excellent!!
Reviewed by: V. Adams Fresh Meadows, New York United States
Rating:
This product gives a child the opportunity to practice his/her writing skills and use his/her creativity and imagination. I gave this to my nephew and his parents worked with him on it. The bonus is to have it return in hard copy. It can be treasured for years to come.
77.) Great educational Value and Fun!
Reviewed by: Teri Naugatuck, CT
Rating:
Excellent project for kids - My daughter created her book based on our vacation, she will have it for years to come. Highly reccommend
78.) Adult help needed
Reviewed by: Claire's mom Wisconsin, USA
Rating:
I gave this as a gift for my 8 year old neice. I thought it would be great, but it's been 8 months and she still hasn't sat down to write it yet. It needs to be initiated by an adult, and her parents are just too busy. It seems like it would take alot of time and space. Maybe a good rainy Saturday project.
79.) Fantastic Customer Service!
Reviewed by: Lee
Rating:
I chose to create a book online. The program there could use a bit of maintenance and tweaking, but the fast and ultra-friendly customer service more than made up for that. Best customer service I've encountered in a LONG time!
80.) Wonderful Creative Option for Kids
Reviewed by: TX-EX Columbia, MO USA
Rating:
We purchased this for our kindergartener for Christmas. She enjoys creating her own stories and this allowed us to capture that process for a keepsake - mis-spelled words and wild illustrations included. The binding looks great and the colors of the illustrations were bright. The final product was not a disappointment. We plan to have her create a new book at the end of each school year to chronicle her creativity and development -until she gets too old to be willing to do it. I gave it a "4" for fun because it required us to assist with the process - and that decreased her sense of independence in the process. Next year it will be a "5" because we won't need to help her. I purchased several extra kits this week to give as birthday party gifts for her friends. We love that this gift reqires no batteries and is limited only by her imagination.
81.) What a wonderful product!!
Reviewed by: Proud Mother
Rating:
We ordered this kit for our kids last year for Christmas without knowing much about it. Were we ever pleasantly surprised! It is the greatest! It really made the kids use their imagination to write a story and draw pictures to go along with it. Then we mailed the pages in (in the paid envelope that comes in the kit--excellent idea!). When the books arrived, the kids were so excited and SO proud! We had to order extra copies because they wanted to give one to their teachers (for the library) and to their Grandparents. We will definitely be ordering more of these kits. And they would be great for birthdays or other gift giving occasions. A five star recommendation!!
82.) Perfect gift
Reviewed by: Busy Boys' Mom WA, USA
Rating:
I bought two of these Illustory kits as Christmas gifts for my almost 5 year old niece and almost 4 year old son. They have plenty of other toys and clothes, so this was a perfect choice. It will allow them to use their imagination to create and publish their own stories. (and boy are they full of them). What a wonderful addition to their library of books. I can't wait for them to open their gifts so we can help them create their own special published story!
83.) We Have Many of These!
Reviewed by: Jami Rill
Rating:
We first bought this as a gift for my oldest son when he was five. We all still enjoy looking at that book, as well as the others we have purchased and have had published since then. My kids ask for this kit for their birthdays and Christmas and it's so easy to do.
84.) We love this book!
Reviewed by: L. Riley
Rating:
We created our book online (you use the code from the kit to get your online book.) My daughter loved picking out all the colors, backgrounds, clipart, etc. We spent a couple weeks creating it, a couple pages at a time. When it was shipped to us I was pleasantly surprised with the quality. One page had some colors that were wrong (not what we had created) and I called them and they immediately fixed, reprinted, and sent us a new one. I was very pleased with the customer service! I just ordered two more to give as birthday presents.
85.) Great book writing kit for kids
Reviewed by: LJ Leder
Rating:
I bought this kit for our almost 6 year old granddaughter, who likes to tell me what to write for a story. When I saw the kit on Anazon, I knew it was for her. She absolutely loved it. She told me what to write and then she drew the pictures to go with the words on each page. I then ordered four books - one for my granddaughter, one for each set of grandparents, and one for her teacher.
The quality of the book was excellent. She just finished kindergarten and told the teacher at the end of the school year that she wants to write another book this summer. So, I purchased two more kits for future projects. First book has a yellow over. She wants to write a book each year and will probably choose a different color for the cover of each book. She is so proud of her book that was authored and illustrated by her.
86.) Great for kids
Reviewed by: Andreas Hayden, Idaho USA
Rating:
My 6 year old niece loved this gift. Her own book - how can you beat that! And it is something that is creative, simple and does not involve the television or other technoligical gimick. No batteries, no repeditive strange noises! I am going to remember this gift idea for the future. A great product I can feel good about spending my money on.
87.) A GREAT gift idea!!!!
Reviewed by: Kathryn M. Reed Upstate New York
Rating:
I purchased this for my niece as she was born on my Mother's birthday. Madison is going to write the book and call it : "Grandma's Present" ~ and it will be about HER being born on her Grandma's Birthday! So, it's not only a gift for Maddy, it will be a re-gift from Maddy to her Grandmother! I think this gives a child a wonderful opportunity to not only use their imagination writing the story ~ but to illustrate the story and see their own work in print! Now, how cool is THAT!?
88.) Illustory is a Dream Come True
Reviewed by: L. Deming
Rating:
My eight year old nephew was delighted with his 'Illustory Make Your Own Story Kit' that I gave him for Christmas. It was the fact that his story would be published that intrigued him the most and got his creative juices flowing. I recommend this kit to anyone who wants to encourage a positive outlet for the creativity in every child; an outlet that requires no batteries, no game platform, no viewing screen and no produces noise. This kit teaches planning and execution in a way that is fun for the child and provides tangible results in the form of a published book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
89.) A Very Excited Grandson!
Reviewed by: Granny Alabama
Rating:
I got this for my 5 year old grandson for Christmas. He, with his dad's help, work on this one full day. They mailed it in and he got it back yesterday (less than a month). He had to call me and tell me all about it. He read HIS book from cover to cover and excitedly read the page naming him as the author. My grandson is in kindergarten and loves to read and draw. So this was the perfect gift for him.
90.) Unique Idea
Reviewed by: R. Sagers Utah
Rating:
My 8 year old daughter absolutely loved getting this. We had never seen something like it before. The materials are high quality and the instructions are clear and easy to understand. We haven't had a chance to send it in due to the perfectionist working on it but we can't wait to see the finished product.
91.) BEST GIFT
Reviewed by:
Rating:
The instructions are easy to follow and the quality of finished book is exceptional!
We love writing our stories, drawing the pictures and then having it all published in a real book with our words typed on the page. Then we show the books to all our visitors. It is a real fun. We do a new book every year and our library is growing... I think this is one of the greatest gifts I ever getting. My recommendation for older children (over 10) is Why Some Cats are Rascals ( Book 3). It is a great story very inspiring and full of information from history, geography, etx.
92.) Terrific
Reviewed by:
Rating:
This is a great idea. The book comes with an About-the-Author page just like real published books! Everything that you need to write and draw is provided in the kit and the instructions are very easy to follow. In just a few weeks you get back a real hardcover book! Terrific! It is a The books are a great family keepsake. Check also the series Why Some Cats are Rascals, Book 1
93.) Watch out -- only limited text is allowed!
Reviewed by: BookBender Minneapolis, MN
Rating: 
Beware! -- this kit only allows 20 words per page and only contains 12 pages. I returned it because I wanted something where my 10-yr-old neice could write a short story.
(I think this is why it's recommended for ages 5-9.)
94.) Great idea; watch out for the pages you submit w/ artwork
Reviewed by: co
Rating:
I would have rated this lower, but the idea is so great. My 7yo loves his book.
Be careful w/ the pages you submit. We ordered two books and the first book contains the original submitted pages w/ artwork (except the cover which was scanned and reprinted on "glossy" paper). The 2nd book was, of course, all photocopied pages of the first.
They simply take your submitted artwork pages and someone (or possibly an OCR), prints your submitted text just under your drawings; then binds the pages into the book, with the title page , dedication page, etc.
Not as sturdy a book as I thought it should be, but as I said, my kid loves it, so that's what matters most.
95.) Nice Finished Product. Perhaps A Bit Expensive
Reviewed by: J. Weber
Rating:
This is a nice idea, though basically they take the same paper that you draw on and bind it. We wanted more pages, and better quality paper than the thin paper they provide, but that cost us an additonal fee to upgrade when we sent the pages in. It did come out very nicely, and my 7 year old is very proud of her work. Overall we were happy, and unlike many other presents, this one was fun and left us with something she can show her friends and look back at later in life.
96.) Very Cool Keepsake
Reviewed by: Ouijahz dark side of the moon
Rating:
Great idea! The bound book is sweet, not cheesy at all, nice quality. Makes a great gift for grandparents. My teenagers even enjoyed making them.
97.) So far I'm impressed
Reviewed by: Felucca Sanford, Fl United States
Rating:
I love the concept of having your own story published and after reviewing the kits contents, I think my grandson will be impressed with his final product.
The features are limited as to what you can do. It only allows 20 words per page, you can only draw in a very small space and can only use a certain marker. It evens limits the number of pages that you can write. If you want more than one copy, each book costs almost as much as the initial kit. I'll wait until I see the quality of the finished project before I request more copies.
All in all, I think any child would be thrilled to see their own work in a published book and would love to show it off.
98.) Wonderful incentive
Reviewed by: toy critic Dallas, Tx
Rating:
This has been a wonderful incentive for my [...]to write a book. The only negative is that in order to get the whole book in the alloted space, you have to type in on-line. If you type it on-line, you can't actually draw the pictures, you have to draw it on the computer. Other than that, it is a wonderful idea.
99.) Second time buyer - daughter loves this.
Reviewed by: R. Klein
Rating:
They include a set of markers and paper. Be aware of the extra fees associated with writing on too many pages. Read all their papers carefully and count everything. They added on fees, contacted me by mail which slowed down the process, and they should allow more pages for the price. My daughter did this years ago, and now at 11 she did again and still loves this. This is a great idea and I am not sure if anyone else offers such a product. The first book went smoothly. The second book they spelled her name wrong, and the return process was really awful. They reprinted the book, and although they fixed the typos throughout the book (ones that my daughter didn't spell incorrectly, ones they did), the condition of the book when they shipped it back was beaten up a bit on the spine, but I don't want to go through the process of returning again based on the experience the first time. If they improve their customer service with the typos, improve the marker set, and shipping situation, this company would do much better. I doubt I would do this again even though my daughter loved it.
100.) Buy this one at the store!
Reviewed by: N. Lamey
Rating:
Amazon just raised the price on this within the last few days. Go to your local bookstore where it lists for $19.99. Awesome product, kids love it!
101.) Creative Writing: In A Box
Reviewed by: Rachel Marie Foster City, CA USA
Rating:
This was an extremely fun process to go through. while you write your own story, and draw your own pictures, you get to send it in an d have it made into a book. Not a published and public book a hardback, just for you, friends, and family book! It is very fun again. I highly recommend it for children ages 5-12 but it can go higher (or lower if the handwriting is legible).
Gratzi
Rachel
102.) a christmas gift
Reviewed by: weiwen wang
Rating:
last year my 6yr old daughter got one and she got it again this year for Christmas. she likes it. she is working on her 2nd book now. I can not wait to see it "published"!
103.) Not just for kids!
Reviewed by: C. A. Maloney Texas
Rating:
For my daughter's first birthday, I wrote and illustrated a story for her about the day she was born. I'm no artist, mind you, but she loves it. (If you want to, I believe you can use the computer to make very simple sticker-like illustrations instead of drawing.) It was especially meaningful to her when her baby sister was born this last year. I am buying a new one for the little sister as well. I think it's a terrific idea for making a personalized keepsake FOR your child or grandchild.
The only drawback, you do have to be a little creative regarding the words per page limit.
104.) Gift for Grandma
Reviewed by: B. Thomas Nashville, TN
Rating:
This was a gift for our "Grandma" who is a retired school teacher, book lover, book giver, book collector. She has told us about story ideas she has and wanted to "publish". This is our chance, as her (grand)children to have her personal stories. She got it at Christmas and loves the idea. Wish I had it first!
105.) Illustory Create a Book Review
Reviewed by: dlee
Rating:
I bought this for my nieces and nephew and they love it. I love the fact that it is something they can hold onto and cherish for years and more importantly, it is fun and educational at the same time.
106.) Great way to remember childhood
Reviewed by: A. Tarmy Germantown MD
Rating:
We purchased this for our neice and it is soooo adorable. We are so excited to have this for her when she gets to be a parent herself. Meant to be a creative, fun, and free from stress. Let the child lead the way and you will enjoy every moment.
107.) Great Product
Reviewed by: D. Wallace
Rating:
Great product. My 7 year old loves to read and write stories and she is reallt excited about getting her own book printed. We look forward to finishing the process.
108.) Great for kids
Reviewed by: shopaholic Michigan
Rating:
This was a gift for my neice, and she rather enjoyed creating her own book with the kit.
109.) Too few words
Reviewed by: Mountaingirl Rockies
Rating: 
This is such a wonderful concept, but 20 words a page is too few, even for my five year old. It is very limiting to imagination and descriptive storytelling when you are constantly told, "Oh, sorry sweetie, that won't fit."
Frustratingly, the kit promises an advanced option with unlimited words, but you have to use the computer for the whole thing. My five and six year old clearly want to make the drawings themselves!
110.) Wasn't happy now I am!
Reviewed by: T. Sherwood
Rating:
*******SEE UPDATE BELOW********
this product is great in theory...
I bought this for my 7 year old son. He decided to make his story online and it took him DAYS to complete. He worked very hard on it. After he was done I filled out the "about the author" section and uploaded his picture. Well part that was eaten by their website or something. Because I rechecked it before I put the order through and it wasn't there. So I re-entered it and clicked all the way through to the checkout.
WE got the book (finally, since they send it via media mail)and it had many errors - it had strange shapes that aren't on the screen when you are editing the the book on the website. and it was missing the "about the author" section. My son was in tears. I emailed the company and they were very slow to respond. They said they would send me a link to print out a return shipping label. They didn't until I emailed them AGAIN a few days later to ask for it.
I decided not to mess with the "about the author" section on the website and manually filled it on the form out when I returned the book to them (which I think is silly that they make you return the defective book) Since they failed to include it in the first book I thought I had better write it out for them.
Well I received the 2nd book about 2 weeks later and there is still a few errors and the "about the author" section is HALF of what I had entered on their website the FIRST time. it only says: "about the author" and a picture. No paragraph about my son. They completely disregarded everything I manually wrote out on their form when I sent back the book.
ugh, I am not dealing with this company any more. They need to work out the bugs on their website and get employees that can pay attention. And make their website more user friendly.
Very disappointing.
*************************************************************
UPDATE 12-13-08
a few days after I wrote this review, the president of the company emailed me - he said he had seen my review on amazon and wanted to make it right. They didn't make me return the 2nd book that was misprinted, and they remade the book exactly as I wanted it to be the first time. And they also gave me a code to get another free book. These guys are great and I would recommend them to anyone.
PS - He said that the website is being updated and should be working more smoothly now.
111.) Ugh, misspelling in final product!!!
Reviewed by: loves a bargain! Honolulu, HI
Rating:
I bought this for my 10-year-old niece, and it allowed us a great bonding experience. I was amazed to see how much time she put into developing her story and creating the illustrations. It took us a few months to begin and then complete the project, as it requires a reasonable amount of adult assistance. However, when we received our bound book, I was SO disappointed to see a spelling error, just like I'd seen reported in some Amazon reviews. If only they could "publish" properly, I would give this 5 stars. It'll take a long time to send it back for the correction, so we'll just deal with it. Where it should say "love," it says "lover"!!!
112.) Not so great second time around
Reviewed by: mojeff387 Staten Island, New York USA
Rating:
I was so happy with this product a few years back when my oldest son made his book. The instructions were simple and the final product was exactly how he had illustrated it. Unfortunately, I think the level of paper or the production of it has slipped since then. My other son made his and the pictures from one page show through to the next page! He was a bit disappointed because it didn't really look like a professional book because of that. It's still nice to have as a memento, but still a bit disappointed.
113.) A lot for 6yr old
Reviewed by: H. Anderson Fort Collins, CO, US
Rating:
I purchased this for the 6yr olds in our family. They really liked the idea, but it was a bit much with all the prep work. They really just wanted to write and draw, not fill out forms.
I would purchase this for children older than 6 years old.
114.) Fun to do; not that impressed with finished product. Update!
Reviewed by: Jennifer IN
Rating: 
My 5-year-old enjoyed making her book. I did not realize, however, that the sheets we mailed in would be the same sheets bound into the book. I guess I thought they would be color copied and bound. Because they are the same sheets, the marker bled through the back of each sheet and looks pretty cheap. We also had a misspelled word. I would have done it online if I had known. It is definitely fun to do, and quite educational, but it wasn't quite what we had in mind. I may be too picky. I guess for under $[...], this is what you would expect.
1/6/10: After contacting the company, they paid for the return, correction, and archive of the original book. Great customer service and finished archived product!!
115.) Great idea, but end product is not very good.
Reviewed by: Busy Mom Paris
Rating:
My son made an illustory book. He did a great job with it and when it was returned, it was great to receive, but they had just cut the actual page he colored, printed the text with a computer and bound those actual pages together! I was quite shocked. He had published his own, beautiful book with [...] and it is much, much nicer, plus it's his own handwriting (or it could be typed). I love the idea, but with all the book publishing companies out there now, so they need to do a much better job with the publishing.
116.) Not as good as I expected...not worth it.
Reviewed by: karen Pittsburgh, PA
Rating: 
I thought this would actually be reprinted and bound, but the pages in the book were (it looked like it, anyway) the actual pages we had mailed in. The pictures bled through the pages and there were visible lines everywhere. Maybe it would have been better to do it online, but I think we could have probably done a much better "publishing" job here at home.
117.) Not a gift all children like.
Reviewed by: Chris Blake Sebring, OH usa
Rating:
I purchased several of these and only one child enjoyed doing the papers and having it published. There were also a few hidden cost when published. Parents may enjoy composing some of their childrens papers but this is not kid friendly.
Features of IlluStory Make Your Own Story Kit
IlluStory Write and illustrate your own book!!
Imagine your child's face when she or he sees their own story and drawings made into a professionally typeset, hardbound book! With this multi - award winning kit, you simply have your child write and illustrate their story using the materials supplied in the kit, which are then mailed in (in the pre-paid envelope provided) for publication. You'll soon receive a beautiful, professionally typset, 12 page, 7" x 9" hardcover book, complete with an "about the author page", title and dedication pages and your little author's name, title and drawing laminated on the cover. Extras books are optional and make great gifts for grandparents. Winner of Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award, Parents' Choice Classic Award, Family Life's Best Learning Toy Award and Dr. Toy Best Toy-Classic Award.
Publish your own book with the Illustory Make Your Own Book Kit! This award-winning activity kit allows future authors to write and illustrate their very own story on special book pages provided. Once the story is complete, it is sent to be published, and in a few short weeks the budding writer receives a color-copied, professionally type set hardbound book. Ideal for ages five and up, this innovative kit nurtures enthusiasm for reading, writing, and illustrating.
Let the Fun Begin
Illustory Make Your Own Book Kit is not only fun, it also helps your child build self-esteem. You'll never forget the look in your budding writer's eyes as you proudly display his or her first book on your coffee table or bookshelf. This kit even includes an "About the Author" biography page, title, and dedication, just like a real published book. Your child will also enjoy creating the cover and will be able to select from seven cover colors. Families can have fun too as they create their own story together. Extra books with alternate dedication pages can be ordered to make the child's story a gift or keepsake for family, friends, or teachers.
Once your child is finished with the writing, sending the manuscript to publishing is easy, with the included paid postage envelope. Production time is about three to four weeks, plus delivery time. The finished hardcover book measures 7 by 9 inches with 12 pages, and features a permanent hardback binding, a laminated cover drawing, and book title. For techno-savy young authors, the book can be created entirely online by using the Creations By You bookmaking Web site. The entire Illustory kit includes 18 special book pages, 2 cover pages, 10 washable markers, story web planner, instructions, order form, and a prepaid envelope. The correct spelling option allows a choice between leaving spelling errors in or having the words printed correctly.
Award-Winning Features
This kit was a winner of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award, as well as multiple awards from other organizations. It helps builds self-esteem and sparks an interest in reading and writing. Youngsters learn to see a project through to completion, and their final printed story rewards their effort. There are many optional upgrades available (for a charge) to enhance the book. Extra books can be printed and separately dedicated as gifts for family and friends. In addition, the author's photo can appear on the bio page, and rush delivery is also available. The Make Your Own Book kit beautifully captures a child's creativity and turns it into a keepsake that will be treasured for years to come.
What's in the Box
18 book pages, 2 cover pages, 10 washable markers, story web planner, instructions, order form, and prepaid envelope.
Using the popular IlluStory Make Your Own Story kit, kids who love to write and color can turn their work into a "published," hardcover book that's complete with personalized dedications for each copy. Aspiring writers ages seven and up will get a big thrill when their finished book comes in the mail featuring their own creative text as well as their own photo in the "About the Author" section!
Kids will love seeing their work published with the IlluStory kit. View larger. |
Each kit comes with 10 colorful markers. View larger. |
 | What We Think
Fun Factor: 
Durability: 
(what this means)
The Good: Personalized copies of books make great gifts for relatives
The Bad: Complicated instructions and publishing options
In a Nutshell: Creative kids will definitely be thrilled at becoming a "published" author | At a Glance
Ages: 7 and up
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Write, Color, Publish!
Parents will have to read the instructions carefully to help kids create and mail in their book for publishing. There are several important rules to follow, such as strict word countes per page. Once you've helped your child understand the rules, all they have to do is color and write! There are "cover pages" and "story pages" provided, with extras of each in case of mistakes -- a thoughtful touch. The kit includes 10 markers, but kids can also use their own. When it comes time to publish, the variety of options parents will be faced with can be confusing. They are all covered in the instructions, which are relatively clear, but you may have to read them a couple times through to fully digest them.
Great Gifts for Relatives
Though kids can only write one story per kit, they can write personalized dedications for each book they order, which makes their published books great gifts for grandparents and other relatives. The "About the Author" section is sure to be exciting for your child, especially when they see their own photo. And while younger kids will love the act of coloring and writing on the pages that are provided, older, computer-savvy kids might enjoy the option to create their book online -- an option that lets your child get published faster!
Watch Out, Stephen King!
We really appreciated the extra cover and story pages that were provided in case of mistakes. The "Story Web: Plan Your Story" page is a nice feature too: it gives kids a quick lesson in storytelling while encouraging them to plot their story out before writing. The ability to create your book online is very cool. But our online attempt to create the cover illustration got sadly foiled by a technical error. There was no explanation of what it was or how to fix it, either. On the other hand, the physical kit, with its quality, old-fashioned paper and pens is easy to use. Also, when you mail the story in for publishing, the postage is free!
What's in the Box
Instructions, story web planner, two cover pages, 18 book pages, order form, 10 broadline washable markers, and postage paid envelope.
1.) Make your own book kit allows children to write and illustrate their own story;
2.) Receive a color-copied, professionally type-set book in a few short weeks;
3.) Children get to design cover and write About the Author biography page;
4.) Mail in story in the prepaid envelope, or create book entirely online.;
5.) Includes 18 book pages, 2 cover pages, 10 washable markers, story web planner, instructions, order form, and prepaid envelope;
Package Height x Length x Width: 12.5 in. x 12.5 in. x 10.1 in.
Package Weight: 0.9 lbs.
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