Q. What are the stories about?
Our latest offering is The Enchanted Castle, where two children and
their special pet journey to a mysterious old castle. Adventures unfold
as they make new friends and discover an amazing array of secret jewels,
including a charmed ring that grants wishes! The children perform magic
tricks with an invisible friend, foil a robbery attempt, and meet
statues that come to life. When the castle is in danger of destruction,
the children must devise a plan to save their beloved playground.
The Enchanted Castle is adapted from the classic children's fantasy
novel written by Edith Nesbit. Read and discover how smart children and
a little magic can make for exciting adventures! This 130-page
chapter book is appropriate for children
6 to 12 years of age, and is also great for reading aloud. Click
here to learn more details about this delightful story, and also
try our personalized preview.
The Phoenix and the Carpet begins when our two personalized characters discover an unusual
egg within a magic carpet. The egg hatches into a remarkable, ancient
talking bird - our Phoenix, who has a wise but haughty personality that
helps, amuses and frustrates our young leads. When the Phoenix tells
them the carpet can grant wishes and take them wherever they wish, the
children launch themselves on a hilarious series of misadventures ...
landing into trouble at every turn! But thanks to their wits,
imaginations, and courage, our main characters always work together to
save the day.
The Phoenix and the Carpet is our funniest children's
novel yet, thanks to the friendly but rather demanding Phoenix and its
attempts to understand modern-day life. In addition, the two children
are continually surprised by the results of their wishes - at various times,
they end up floating on the ocean, covered in marshmallow, surrounded by
hundreds of hungry yowling cats, and even entertain an audience in an Indian
bazaar!
This 130-page paperback novel is a chapter book appropriate for children
6 to 12 years of age, and of course can also be read aloud. Click
here to learn more details about this delightful story, and don't miss
our personalized preview.
The Amulet tells the tale of a pair of children journeying across
a magical backdrop in a search for their missing, beloved pet - guided by an
ancient amulet.
Traveling through time, the youngsters experience a number of exploits
first hand - they make friends with an Egyptian, introduce a sea captain to
a compass, and help place a major archeological find in a museum.
Throughout their adventures, the friends are accompanied by the Psammead -
the lovable but hilariously cranky creature first introduced in Two
Children and It. (Note: Though The Amulet continues the
story begun in the earlier book, we have carefully ensured that both books
can be read on their own.)
This 130-page paperback novel is a chapter book appropriate for children
6 to 12 years of age, and also makes a thrilling read-aloud book! The
Amulet also contains twelve illustrations and sketches, some of which
you can see when you try out our personalized
preview! You can also click here to
learn more details about this delightful story.
Like its sequels, Two Children and It is professionally
bound in a 130-page paperback novel format. The story includes four
personalized characters: two children, an adult (who imparts occasional
words of wisdom) and a pet! The tale centers around our two main characters
who are on summer vacation. One day, while our dynamic duo are playing in an
old gravel pit (digging a hole to Australia), they uncover a most unusual
creature, called a 'Psammead' (pronounced - Sammyead).
The sand-fairy, as the children call it, is an ancient, ugly, irritable
and cantankerous creature - its only redeeming feature is that it can grant
wishes! Our characters each get a wish a day that lasts until sunset. Of
course, our friends are overjoyed with this discovery, instantly thinking of
all the things they've always wanted. But no matter how carefully the
children plan, their wishes keep backfiring.
This is a chapter book without pictures, and it looks and feels like a
conventional paperback - like a grown-up's book! We recommend this book for
children 6 to 12 years of age and it is also great as a 'read aloud' book to
be read as a bedtime story.
The Phoenix and the Carpet, The Amulet and Two
Children and It were adapted from children's classics written by
Edith Nesbit in the late 1800s. Adapting Nesbit's The Phoenix and
the Carpet, The Story of the Amulet and Five Children and It
(which was made into a film in 2004) was a challenge, but we are quite proud
of the results! For those not familiar with Ms. Nesbit, she has written many
children's classics that are now taught in classrooms across the country.
Some of her more popular children's novels include The Railway Children
and The Story of the Treasure Seekers to name but a few.
 Our
second personalized children's book, The Book of Dragons, was
released in 2003 to rave reviews and consists of four stories
professionally bound in a 130-page novel format. This is a
full-length personalized novel recommended for children ages 6 - 12.
It is wonderful as a bedtime story for youngsters, and also ideal as a
chapter book for children of reading age.
The Book of Dragons was also originally written by
Edith Nesbit in the late 1800s and has become a children's classic.
Book By You has updated and personalized these stories for you and your
loved one's reading enjoyment.
What are the four stories about? In the first story our main
characters embark on a hazard filled trip to the North Pole to
investigate the Aurora Borealis. (Of course everyone knows that this is
the Northern Lights - and if you don't, you will by the end of the
story!) In our second story, our main characters befriend a witty and
cunning Cockatrice, who masterminds a plan to deal with a dragon that
has eaten our main character's hometown. In the third (and favorite)
story, our character's mission is to save the world from a horde of
dragons that have taken over the world. With much courage and
determination, they save the world with the thanks and gratitude of the
nation! And our last story is titled "The Last Dragon," which is aptly
named because it is about our personalized characters saving the last
dragon from extinction! A more detailed
description of this story can be found here, and you can also try a
personalized preview.
We have also taken one of the stories and made it into an eStory that
you can download as an email. It is ten pages long, and is a great
primer for The Book of Dragons. To
personalize and download the free eStory, click here.
Our first personalized novel, The Golden Key, was introduced
in 2000 to great reviews. This book is a full-length (100 page)
adventure novel that is based upon a story originally written in 1867 by
George MacDonald. MacDonald is a noted children's book author and
mentor to authors such as C. S. Lewis, T. S. Elliott and Lewis Carroll,
who credit MacDonald as one of the best storytellers to put pen to
paper. We selected The Golden Key to launch our new
series of children's books because of its rich values and traditional
fairy tale qualities.
The Golden Key begins with our main character
embarking upon an adventurous journey that begins with finding a
mystical golden key that is hidden at the end of a rainbow. The search
for the keyhole is what guides our character's journey. Our
hero/heroine is joined by a friend and together they cross the 'Land of
Shadows'. During their trek our main characters become separated
but with the help of the Fairy Godmother, The Old Man of the Sea,
The Old Man of the Earth, and the oldest man of all, The Old Man of
Fire, they are reunited and find the answer to their dreams. We
recommend this classic fairy tale for children aged 6-10. Great as
a bedtime story for youngsters and also ideal as a chapter book. A
more detailed description of this story can be found here, and you
can also try a personalized preview.
Prom and Prejudice focuses on a pair of teenagers, and is aimed
at a slightly older audience than our other Kids Book By You
releases. Our teen hero and heroine were once best friends, but lately
have only traded wisecracks and pranks. By their senior year of
high school, the tension between them is as sharp as a knife, made worse
thanks to the football player's seemingly unstoppable delight in teasing
the cheerleader and her loyal group of pals. As the school year
progresses, eventually our young hero realizes that he not only needs our
heroine's help to study, but also craves a return to their close friendship
- but how can our heroine believe that he's had a change of heart?
Will she agree to his latest scheme? Can he win her and her friends' trust?
And can either of them stop the prom night from being ruined by a
devastating act of betrayal? Try our
personalized preview
of this new adventure, or click here to learn
more details about this story. Our personalized novels will keep you
and your child turning the pages! Top of page
Q. Do your books contain violence? What about
values?
There is no violence in any of our books. There's lots of adventure
and our characters irritate a few dragons in The Book of Dragons...
but no violence.
Themes such as the value of friendship, perseverance
and the importance of following your dreams are explored
and uniquely presented in a manner only possible through
a full-length personalized story. The themes and values
are presented subtly to enhance the story, and in no way
detract from the storyline. Top of
page
Q.
What do the books look like and how many pages
are they?
The Enchanted Castle, The Phoenix and the Carpet, The
Amulet, Two Children and It and
The Book of Dragons are 130 pages, and
The Golden Key is 100 pages. All our
books are professionally bound using what is
called a 'perfect binding' process... this means
it looks and feels just like a classic paperback
novel - except it's better - because we
personalize the front of the book with the main
character's name! The book is the same
size as a conventional paperback, four and a
quarter inches by seven inches and the cover is
in full color.
Top of page
Q. How long does it
take for a book to be printed and shipped?
The table below gives an accurate date for
delivery for each of the shipping options based
upon the date of our printing schedule.
We ship worldwide and have
many overseas customers - including the UK and
Europe. Books shipped outside North America are
billed in US dollars and charged an additional $9
shipping and handling.
|
Shipping Options and Book Delivery Dates
|
1st Class Mail ($4.95
S & H): |
Delivery on or before Thursday, July 16 |
Priority Post ($5 extra): |
Delivery on or before Tuesday, July 14 |
Courier Express* ($15 extra): |
Delivery on or before Friday, July 10 |
Overseas Air Mail ($9 extra): |
Approximately Monday, July 20 |
Overseas Courier** ($30 extra): |
Delivery on or before Friday, July 10 |
* Courier
shipments within North America by Federal Express & UPS. **Courier to overseas locations by
Federal Express. Do not use a PO Box or APO address for Courier deliveries.
Questions? Call 1-877-898-1440 or email publish@bookbyyou.com |
Need to present a gift immediately - as in
today? Don't worry, print a personalized Gift
Announcement! It's a charming way to say
your gift is on its way. It can be printed
immediately from our website now! To find out
more about our personalized
Gift Announcement, click here. It's almost as good as the real thing - they'll 
you for it!
If you are worried about the delivery time of
your novel, email us at
publish@bookbyyou.com or call
1-877-898-1440 and let us know - we will do our
best to expedite the delivery.
Top of page
Q. What is a
Personalized Gift Announcement?
The Personalized Gift Announcement is a
certificate that is created and personalized by
you and can be printed from our website
immediately and given to the recipient of the
novel. You add your spouse or friend's
name to the Gift Announcement to create a
touching message that shows the recipient that
you've taken the time and care to find a
creative and fun gift. The gift announcement is
created after you've placed your order and is
part of the order confirmation page provided
after completing the character questionnaire.
To find out more and see a personalized
sample,
click here. Remember it's never too late to
say I love you!
Top of page
Q. How much do the
books cost? What about multiple books?
Our children's novels are $24.95
plus $4.95
shipping & handling for a total of $29.90
(USD). Books shipped to Canada will incur
an additional 5% (GST) for a total of
$31.40
(CDN). These prices include postage for
shipping via First Class Mail - we also offer
Priority Post and Courier Express shipping
options.
Books shipped outside North America are
billed in US dollars and charged an additional $9
shipping and handling. International courier
shipping options are also available to many
countries for additional fees. For
overseas/international orders,
click for a currency calculator.
Only one shipping and handling fee ($4.95)
will be charged no matter how many books are
ordered - they must be shipped to the same
location. This also applies to expedited
shipping options.
Top of page
Q. What
types of payment do you accept? Is it
secure?
We can process your order online and accept VISA,
MasterCard and American Express. Our server uses
SSL (Secure Socket Level) encryption. SSL ensures that
the transmission of your transaction is safe and secure.
By far, the majority (98%) of our orders are placed
online.
If you don't wish to order online, you can order through
our toll-free order desk at 1-877-898-1440 or you can
print and mail the completed Character Questionnaire
along with a check or money order. Alternatively,
you can print and fax the Character Questionnaire.
(Don't forget to include your credit card information on
the form.) Our mailing address and fax information
is included on the Order Page and on the Character Questionnaire page.
Top of page
Q. Can I include a
pet other than a dog or cat?
In short - no. You may love, hug and
cuddle your pet iguana, snake or pot bellied pig
but we can't include them in the story. The
personalized storyline was developed for a dog
or cat. Top of page
Q.
Must I answer all the Character Questionnaire
questions?
We provide defaults for many of the
selections in our books, but it is always better
if you personalize as many of the
characteristics as possible. If you are unsure
about a characteristic - don't worry - remember
it's a fantasy - put something outlandish or
humorous! If you can't remember or don't
know a character's last name - leave it blank -
a space or blank will not appear in the book.
Characteristics such as 'Friend's Hair' and
'Eye Color' are not mentioned often in the book
so don't worry if you can't remember all the
characteristics!
Top of page
These high-quality, plush 12" teddy bears have soft fur, detailed paws, and a
beanbag-like filling in the feet and bottom that enables them to sit up and hold
the personalized novel tucked in their cute fuzzy arms, an adorable pose that's
perfect for both presentation and display. Our teddy bears come in two different
colors: golden honey tan and a rich, amber brown. (Can't decide or have no
preference? We'll be happy to pick for you.) Both are dressed with a beautiful
red bow.
(Top of page)
To order a bear with your personalized novel, simply complete your book
questionnaire/order form and go to your shopping cart, where you'll have the
opportunity to add a teddy bear to your order. Please note that each bear is $14.95
-- and there's only a flat $7.00 shipping/handling fee, no matter what method of
delivery you select!
(Top of page)
While filling in the character questionnaire for your book order, select the
option to include a photo to customize the back cover. After clicking the
"submit" button, you'll be taken to a page where you can select and upload
a
photograph of the main character or characters you've chosen to star in this
personalized novel. (Before you do, be sure to follow the important guidelines and
technical requirements!)
An additional fee of only $14.95 will be added
to your final total; no extra processing time is required. Best of
all, when the book arrives your customized novel's back cover will
beautifully display the image of the real star of the adventure -- whether
it's you, your loved one or a friend!
(Top of page)
Select gift certificate from our menu (under Titles). You'll be able to
choose a romance or kids novel gift certificate for your recipient to
personalize. You can also select options that allow the recipient to add a
personalized cover photo, a teddy bear, or even upgraded shipping with the gift
certificate.
Click here to learn more about Gift
Certificates.
(Top of page)
Select a title to personalize and create after reviewing our
selections. Complete the character questionnaire and, with your Gift Certificate
redemption code handy, follow our checkout process. During checkout, you will
be prompted to enter this code on the shipping page when you see this image:
Enter your code at this point and complete the order checkout.
Click here for more details about Gift
Certificate redemption.
(Top of page)
No, but all of our books arrive tucked in a highly attractive gold Mylar
envelope, which looks terrific on its own or decorated with your own bow or
ribbon.
(Top of page)
Q. Can I have the book
shipped to an alternate address?
YES! Simply enter your billing address
on our contact form, then click the "alternate
address" checkbox. You'll find the extra address
form on the next page.
Top of page
It's easy! Just visit our new
Order Status page and log in, using your last name and order ID number.
(This is the five-digit number sent to you in the confirmation email after you
made your purchase.) Once logged in to our secure page, you'll find
printing, delivery and tracking information for your order. (Please note:
tracking numbers are only available for orders placed using our Courier Express
delivery option.) (Top of page)
A. Yes. If you have a website that fits with any of the Book By You® book formats (romance, teen & kids), we can provide additional new revenues through your website through our comprehensive affiliate program.
Click here for more information about our affiliate program. If you are already an affiliate,
click here to login to your account.
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Free eStory 
