We tried personalised Christmas books from Wonderbly, but did Cyrus love being the star of his own story?

Buying Christmas presents for children ought to be straightforward. You find something they’ll enjoy, wrap it up and hope it keeps them occupied for longer than it takes to remove the packaging. In practice, I’ve spent an unreasonable amount of time choosing presents for Cyrus, only to discover that the cardboard box is every bit as interesting as what’s inside. It’s a familiar frustration when you’ve spent weeks looking for something thoughtful than another toy destined for the bottom of a cupboard.

Books are usually a safer bet in our house. I’ve always enjoyed reading and have a fondness for children’s picture books, especially those by new authors and illustrators. I’ve even had a go at writing my own children’s book, although keeping a young reader interested from beginning to end is considerably harder than it looks. Children are wonderfully unforgiving critics. If a story isn’t holding their attention, they’ll soon let you know, usually by wandering off halfway through a sentence.

Cyrus enjoys stories, especially when there’s something funny going on. He’s also inclined to interrupt with questions, offer alternative endings and point out details in the illustrations that I’ve completely missed. Reading together is rarely a quiet activity, but that’s part of the enjoyment. I like hearing how he interprets a story, even when his version bears little resemblance to what the author probably intended.

When we tried a selection of personalised books from Wonderbly, I wondered whether putting his name into a story would make much difference. After all, children have been enjoying books about other people for generations without demanding to be written into the plot. I wasn’t sure whether the novelty would last beyond the first few pages, but Cyrus was delighted with the idea of becoming the main character.

I wasn’t sure whether the novelty would last beyond the first reading. Cyrus had other ideas, and by the end of the afternoon, we’d read the same book four times.

Wonderbly produces personalised children’s books that allow parents to change certain details about the main character. Depending on the title, you can choose features such as hair colour and skin tone, add your child’s name and include a dedication at the beginning. The process was straightforward, and I liked being able to see how the character would look before placing an order.

We created a character that resembled Cyrus and added a little message from maman and baba. With a Persian father and a British mother, Cyrus is growing up with a mixture of languages and traditions, and I liked being able to include something familiar from home. It’s a small detail, but one that makes the book feel more personal to our family, particularly as those words are part of his everyday life.

When the book arrived, Cyrus immediately spotted his name. He studied the illustrations, looked at the character and announced that it was him. We settled down to read it, and by the time we’d finished, he wanted to start again. We ended up reading the same story four times that afternoon, and while I was becoming rather familiar with the plot, Cyrus showed no signs of losing interest.

What surprised me was how interested he became in the character. He wanted to know what was going to happen, what he should do next and whether everything would turn out all right. The fact that the character shared his name seemed to make the adventure more interesting. It wasn’t simply a case of recognising himself on the page; he appeared to feel involved in what was happening.

One of the books we tried was Wonderbly’s personalised version of Jack and the Beanstalk. In our copy, Cyrus takes the place of Jack and finds himself dealing with the familiar business of a giant and an enormous beanstalk. I remember the traditional story well enough, although reading it again as an adult raises a few questions about Jack’s behaviour. He isn’t exactly a model houseguest, and making off with somebody else’s possessions isn’t generally encouraged.

Wonderbly’s version takes a different approach. Rather than defeating the giant through confrontation, the main character uses kindness and a little ingenuity to work through the problem. I liked that change because it gives children another way of thinking about a familiar story without turning the whole thing into a lecture. Children’s books don’t need to deliver a moral lesson on every page, but it’s good to see a character solving a problem without resorting to fighting.

There was also a cow called Belvedere Benson, which Cyrus found absolutely hilarious. Every time I mentioned the cow, he giggled and wanted to hear the name again. Naturally, I obliged, although the joke had lost some of its appeal for me by the third reading. Children’s humour can be wonderfully unpredictable. You can spend ages trying to entertain them with something clever, only to discover that a cow with an elaborate name is all that’s required.

I appreciated the humour because some children’s books seem to forget that the adult reading aloud might also like to be entertained. A funny character or an unexpected turn in the story makes repeated bedtime readings much more bearable. The personalisation worked well, too. Cyrus didn’t feel as though his name had simply been dropped into an existing book. The illustrations and story made him part of the adventure, and he seemed quite pleased with his new responsibilities.

Of all the details in the book, Cyrus was particularly taken with a cow’s name. It wasn’t the giant, the beanstalk or even seeing himself in the illustrations that made him laugh quite so much. It was Belvedere Benson, a name I became very familiar with after four readings.

Our softback book cost £21.99 at the time of the original review, which is considerably more than I’d normally spend on a children’s paperback. When you’re buying presents for several children, that matters, particularly at Christmas when the list of things to pay for seems to grow by the day. I wouldn’t suggest that every book needs to be personalised, and there are plenty of excellent children’s stories available for much less.

The quality was good, though. The pages felt sturdy, the illustrations were well produced and the finished book looked more substantial than I’d expected. It also survived Cyrus’s enthusiastic handling, which is always a useful test. I particularly liked the attention given to the character’s appearance. The options allowed us to create somebody who resembled Cyrus rather than a generic child with his name attached.

Would I spend that amount on every book? Probably not, but as a Christmas or birthday present, particularly from a grandparent or another relative, I can see the appeal. It’s something made for one child, with a personal message they can look back on when they’re older. I’d also consider the hardback option for a special keepsake, although our softback copy was perfectly adequate for everyday reading.

Christmas books are something I enjoy buying, partly because they give us an excuse to settle down together during a particularly busy time of year. We’ve enjoyed Shhh! Santa by Julie Sykes and Tim Warnes, along with Little Reindeer’s Christmas Wish by Alexandra Robinson. Both have earned their place among our festive favourites, and I like the familiarity of returning to stories we’ve read together before.

Wonderbly’s The Elf Who Saved Christmas, written by David Cadji-Newby and illustrated by Josh Cleland, offered something different. Our personalised version was called Cyrus, The Elf Who Saved Christmas, which immediately impressed its new owner. Apparently, saving Christmas is an important job, and Cyrus was more than happy to take it on, despite still needing the occasional reminder to put his shoes away.

The story imagines that elves are actually children, with the reader taking the leading role in a Christmas adventure. Along the way, there are decisions to make, giving children an opportunity to think about what should happen next. Cyrus enjoyed being asked to choose. Sometimes he made his mind up immediately, while other decisions required a little discussion, and I liked that the story encouraged him to get involved rather than simply sit and listen.

The illustrations were another attraction. He spent ages looking at the details, occasionally interrupting me to point something out. We weren’t getting through the book particularly quickly, but I wasn’t in any hurry. I can see this becoming one of those Christmas stories we bring out each December, although whether Cyrus will still be quite so enthusiastic about his career as an elf in a few years remains to be seen.

I’m wary of suggesting that one particular type of book is going to transform a child’s reading habits. There are plenty of claims about educational toys and books, and parents are often made to feel they should be turning every activity into an opportunity for development. Sometimes a story can just be a story, and enjoying it together is reason enough to pick up a book.

What I noticed with Cyrus was that he became interested in the character because he recognised himself. He wanted to know what happened next and was keen to read the book again. For a young child, that’s a good starting point. Reading together also gives us time to talk. Cyrus asks questions about characters, wonders why they behave in certain ways and occasionally disagrees with their decisions. I enjoy hearing what he thinks, even when his interpretation is completely different from mine.

Of course, he doesn’t need a personalised book to do any of that. Some of our best conversations have come from ordinary picture books, including stories about animals, monsters and children whose lives bear little resemblance to his own. I wouldn’t replace those books with personalised versions because there’s a great deal to be gained from reading about people who are different from us. But seeing himself in a story gave Cyrus another reason to pick up a book, and I was happy with that.

Wonderbly offers books for different age groups, although the level of personalisation and the type of story vary between titles. For babies, the pleasure comes mainly from hearing a familiar voice, looking at pictures and spending time with the person reading. They aren’t going to understand that their name appears on the page, but that doesn’t mean the book can’t become part of a bedtime routine.

Toddlers may begin recognising familiar features or responding when they hear their name. Older children are more likely to follow the story, understand the humour and enjoy making decisions about what happens next. I’d check the recommended age before ordering, particularly if you’re buying for somebody else’s child. A simple picture book might suit a toddler, while a longer adventure with choices to make could appeal more to an older child.

It’s also worth checking the available formats and delivery dates. Personalised books need to be produced to order, so I wouldn’t leave it until the final few days before Christmas. I say that as somebody who has occasionally been rather optimistic about what can be achieved with last-minute online shopping, especially when December seems to disappear faster than any other month of the year.

I’ve always liked the idea of giving Cyrus a book on Christmas Eve. Nothing elaborate, just something we can read together before the excitement of the following morning. Our family celebrations are a mixture of British and Persian traditions, and we’re gradually creating a few of our own. I don’t feel the need to follow every Christmas custom that appears on social media, particularly when it involves buying more things we don’t really need.

A book seems a reasonable tradition to keep. I also like the thought that Cyrus might find these personalised stories on his bookshelf years from now. He’ll probably be embarrassed by the dedication from maman and baba, and I suspect the illustrations of his younger self will make him laugh. That’s fine. I have books from childhood that mean more to me because of who gave them to me or where I was when I first read them. They don’t have to be rare or expensive to bring back a memory.

For now, I’m content that Cyrus enjoys his books and still wants us to read together. There will come a time when he can read independently and won’t need me sitting beside him, explaining the occasional word or doing questionable impressions of fictional characters. I’m in no particular hurry for that, particularly when I know how quickly these early years seem to pass.

Yes, although I’d save it for a special occasion rather than make it a regular purchase. I was impressed by the Wonderbly books we tried. The personalisation was well done, the illustrations were appealing and the stories held Cyrus’s attention. The price was higher than an ordinary paperback, but I thought the finished books were good quality and offered something different from the usual children’s gift.

The real test was whether Cyrus wanted to read them, and he certainly did. His enthusiasm for Jack and the Beanstalk was particularly memorable, although I suspect Belvedere Benson deserves some of the credit. If you’re buying for a child who enjoys stories, a personalised book is worth considering. Just don’t assume that having their name on the cover guarantees they’ll love it. Children have their own opinions, as any parent who’s spent an afternoon assembling an unwanted Christmas present will know.

In our house, these books went down well. Cyrus enjoyed being the hero, I enjoyed watching him become involved in the stories, and we had something new to read together. If I have to revisit Belvedere Benson a few more times, I suppose there are worse ways to spend an evening.

Explore the books: Browse Wonderbly’s personalised children’s books and Christmas stories. Prices, formats and delivery arrangements may have changed since our original review.

Disclosure: Confirm whether the books were supplied for review or purchased before publication, and add the appropriate statement.

Occasional stories, experiments, discoveries and questions from Saffron & Cyrus.