Frequently asked questions

Start by telling us about your child: their name, age, and a photo. Then choose an art style and a story theme (or write your own brief). We'll show you your child on the cover and an outline of the story. Once you're happy, choose your book format and place your order. The full book is created and shipped to you.

At minimum: your child's name, age, and a photo or description. The more you tell us (interests, personality, pets, siblings) the more personal the story becomes.

Yes. You can choose from preset themes (birthday, bravery, new sibling, and more) or write your own brief. Tell us what the story should be about, and choose the lesson or moral. A sentence is enough. A paragraph is even better.

Yes. You can add extra characters during the creation process. One extra character is included free with Gift Edition, or add characters to any option for $15 each.

8×8 inches (approximately 20×20cm).

30 pages for Paperback, 32 pages for Hardcover and Gift Edition.

170gsm silk paper, FSC-certified. Thick, smooth, and built for little hands.

Yes. Every word and every illustration is created from scratch for your child. No templates, no pre-written stories. Your book is the only copy in the world.

Pixar, watercolour, Disney, and custom. You choose the style during the creation process. If you have a specific vision, describe it and we'll bring it to life.

You'll see your child illustrated on the cover and an outline of the story before you purchase. You can request refinements to the cover before placing your order. The full book is created after purchase.

Let us know what you'd like changed and we'll refine it. We want you to love it before you order.

We'll remake it. If there's a quality issue (wrong character, art errors, anything that isn't right) we'll fix it at no cost.

5-6 business days across Australia, including production and shipping. Gift Edition includes express shipping.

Express shipping is included with the Gift Edition ($119) or available as an add-on for $15.

We're currently shipping within Australia only. International shipping is coming soon.

Yes. You can enter the recipient's address at checkout and include a gift message.

Paperback ($69): 30 pages, softcover, 1 character. Hardcover ($89): 32 pages, premium hardcover, 170gsm silk paper, 1 character. Gift Edition ($119): everything in Hardcover plus 2 characters included, gift packaging, express shipping, and a digital PDF copy.

Every book is created from scratch: a custom story, original illustrations, and a premium hardcover. This isn't a template with a name swapped in. It's the only copy in the world, made just for one child.

No. The price includes your custom story, original illustrations, and printing. Shipping is the only additional cost, shown before checkout.

Paper Lake is a small Australian business based in Sydney. Every book is created with care and reviewed for quality before printing.

We use advanced illustration technology to create stunning, original artwork from your child's photo. Every book goes through a quality review before printing. The result speaks for itself.