Review and Giveaway! Picture Me books from Snapfish

I have been a Snapfish customer for several years, since 2002 to be exact. I love being able to easily share my pictures and albums with my friends and family, and it's also nice that when the grandparents want to print a picture of the kids, they can just order right from the site. Snapfish is always my go-to for calendars for the great-grandparents at Christmas time, as well as for our holiday greeting cards. I've blogged before about how much I loved having a personalized book when I was a kid and about how much Nadia digs her personalized story, too. The Picture Me books from Snapfish take the personalization in a different direction because instead of simply using your child's name in the story, it instead uses a picture! Your baby can go on a dinosaur adventure, star in his own birthday story, or look as cute as a bee or as cuddly as a bunny.

So, before you discount these books as being too cheesy for your taste, remember, this is not about you, it's about engaging your child in reading. Created by an educational specialist, these are meant to be an interactive book you can share with your baby or toddler. Each simple book is about 5 pages long and is exactly what you'd expect in a first book for your little one. No complicated characters or plots, just a few words on brightly illustrated pages, complete with your child starring as the main character! When Nadia was a baby and young toddler, we spent as much time discussing the pictures and characters on the pages as we did reading the story. That's exactly what these award-winning books are meant for. They are also printed on sturdy, laminated paperboard and are 7" by 7" in size. While they are not as thick as a traditional "board book", I do believe they will withstand lots of reading and chewing!

Snapfish makes these books super easy to order. You choose the book and the photo, and Snapfish provides you with the editing tools to crop out other people, animals and objects to just focus on your baby's face. I did a little practice with a picture of Isaac, and it took me just a few seconds to get it to look perfect. At $16.99, the price is just right for grandparents to give these books as gifts, or for Santa to stuff in a stocking. I also think the Baby's Birthday book would be a very cute first birthday gift. As much as I loved reading my own name in a book when I was little, I know that I would have totally flipped out over seeing my own face. I think your little one will feel the same way!

On to a full-review - based on 4 stars:

Functionality *** - The ordering of these books from Snapfish is super simple. The only tricky part is finding the right picture, although once you have, the tools to crop the photo are easy to figure out and use. The books seem sturdy enough, but the pages aren't quite as thick as a traditional board book.

Style/Options *** - You have 4 book choices. My personal favorite is Baby's Birthday, but you can also choose from Dinosaur Adventure, Cuddly as a Bunny or Cute as a Bee. Maybe a little cheesy for some, but again, I think your kid will love them which is what is most important. These are short books meant for interactive reading with young children, don't be expecting nobel prize winning literature!

Cost *** - $16.99 is obviously more than you typically pay for a board book, BUT remember, these are personalized with photos of your baby. I have to imagine the book will become a treasured keepsake long after your child is no longer interested in the story.

Overall Rating *** - Picture Me books have been around awhile, but are new to Snapfish. They would be a great gift idea for a new little reader. They are designed for interaction and sharing with your child which is very important in developing your child as a reader from the start!


Snapfish is giving away a Picture Me book to 5 lucky Kid Buy Product readers just in time for the holidays! Go visit the Snapfish store and choose your favorite holiday gift idea. Come back here and leave a comment on this post about your favorite, and you'll be entered to win one personalized Picture Me book of your choice. All comments must be received by midnight on Monday, November 10th. Click here for our official giveaway rules! Thanks for reading and good luck!

Congratulations to the following five winners of the Picture Me books from Snapfish:
*mommyjen99
*jessiev
*doodlegirl
*re
*tuesdaygirl

Thanks for entering. We hope you all enjoy the books!