Christmas gift for a 13-year-old: a personalised children's book

A 13-year-old probably doesn't read many picture books, which is exactly why this one might hit the mark. It has one or two short paragraphs per page, plenty of dialogue, a suspenseful plot and room for dry humour. Give it with a smile: an adventure starring your teenager as the hero, with pictures based on a photo you've chosen together.

Create a book for a 13-year-old

Hardcover in time for Christmas: order by 29 November

Thirteen, with a sense of humour

At 13, a teenager may be settling into new classes, getting to know different teachers and finding their place among friends. A lot is about discovering their own style and where they belong. Humour can be quick and ironic, and what's embarrassing to a grown-up might seem perfectly normal to a 13-year-old, or the other way around. Privacy matters too: their room, their phone and which pictures are shared with whom. At the same time, a surprise that gets it just right can win them over. A book for this age should be made with respect and a sense of fun. Let it be funny, perhaps a little over the top, with a hero who's clever, brave and sometimes a bit too cool for their own good.

Would you like to see a finished book before you decide? Browse our example books.

Two themes for a 13-year-old

The Middle Ages work well for someone who loves history and swords: a castle, a jousting tournament and a teenager who's wiser than the king and isn't afraid to say so. If you'd rather go for laughs, try a funny story, where everything that can go wrong does, and the hero saves the day with a remark no grown-up would have thought of. Add your family's own jokes and your teenager will recognise them.

Choose a theme

What a 13-year-old's book needs

Ask about the photo first. A 13-year-old will often want to choose which picture is used, and that's worth respecting. Then pick details that show you know them: the ever-present headphones, the breakfast that must never change, the dog who's the only one who understands. Friends can join in if they want to, and siblings can play the rivals. Honesty or friendship can be a good message, as long as it doesn't turn into a lecture. The foreword is a place to be serious for a moment. Write a few lines they might read again, perhaps not until they're an adult.

A gift for their thirteenth birthday

Turning 13 means becoming a teenager, and the book can mark the moment with humour. They can read it themselves, perhaps with a sigh at first and a smile afterwards. It might end up at a grandparent's house, in a bag ready to show a friend or on the bedside table. The hardcover can stay on the shelf as a reminder of a year when so much was new. If your teenager wants to show it to a friend who speaks another language, the book can be translated free of charge. And if anything in the story doesn't feel right, you can change the text before ordering the printed book.