I love reading books aloud to my two children, and I especially love reading personalized books. My daughter already owns quite the little library of books personalized with her name right in the text including some personalized gifts from I See Me! Personalized Children’s Books. Thus, when I See Me! recently offered me the chance to review the new Speedster personalized book, I eagerly accepted the opportunity.
Price
Speedster currently retails for $34.99, which I consider reasonable for personalized children’s books. In addition to text personalized with a child’s name, the book also features a photograph of the child on three pages. The price reflects the physical quality of the book as well. Speedster looks and feels like any other high quality children’s book. The sewing is strong, the pages are thick, the printing is uniform, and the binding is secure. I rate Speedster from I See Me! extremely highly in terms of price.
Personalization
Recommended by I See Me! for boys from birth through age 8, Speedster allows for personalization of a child’s name, gender, birthday, skin tone, hair color, favorite color, and home town. (I See Me! also offers the book with female customization for little girls who loves car races.) The purchaser can also include a custom dedication and text on the award certificate at the end of the story. I chose to dedicate the book, “To Will with love always. From, Mom and Dad!” My daughter loves hearing her name read aloud in her many personalized books, and I am confident that my son will love his book personalized with his name just as much.
My favorite feature of Speedster from I See Me!, however, is the inclusion of the child’s photo on three separate pages of the book. In addition to my son’s name throughout the text, he can also see himself in the story at the beginning, middle, and end of the book. The first photo appears at the beginning under the dedication. The second photo appears within the story on the page with the child’s driver license alongside the child’s name and birth date. The final photo appears on the last page as part of a newspaper article announcing the child as the winner of the big race. As my son grows up, I know that he will enjoy seeing himself within the pages of her very own customized story.
Text
“Will woke up and checked the date. He whooped for joy, “This is great!” begins Speedster. Written for a wide range of early readers, the story features rhymed text that tells the story of a little racecar driver who goes on to win the big car race. As a linguist who knows the importance of rhyme for early language development, I love the rhymed verse of the text. The story is also engaging. As I read the book aloud to my son, my daughter also listened intently. Little boys and little girls alike will enjoy reading the simple but fun personalized story again and again. I rate the engaging text extremely highly.
Illustrations
Because my son is only four months old at the moment, his favorite part of Speedster are the colorful illustrations, which help bring the story to life for readers of all ages. As I read the book aloud to him, he stared at the illustrations with fascination. I had to smile as I watched him look at all the bright colors and shapes on each page. My preschooler daughter also enjoyed looking at the pictures, which are bright and colorful. I personally appreciate the torn paper collage style of the illustrations, which sets the story apart from other more traditionally drawn personalized children’s books. I rate the illustrations extremely highly.
Final Verdict
My son and I both love Speedster from I See Me!, and my daughter also enjoys listening as I read the personalized book aloud to her little brother. With a retail value of $34.99, the book features a personalized story complete with customization with a child’s photo. The rhymed text is engaging for young readers from birth through age 8, and the colorful illustrations help bring the fun story to life. I look forward to reading this book with my son again and again. If you are in the market for a special gift for a little boy (or a little girl who loves cars), I highly recommend Speedster from I See Me!.
For more information or to make a purchase, visit the I See Me! website. In addition to books, I See Me! also offers lunchboxes, puzzle, coloring books, placemats, stickers, and growth charts. You can also follow I See Me! on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Google+ or sign up for emails for promotions, discounts, and updates. Free standard delivery shipping on any order over $75 within the continental United States.
Image Credits
Cover of ‘Speedster’ from I See Me! Personalized Children’s Books © 2015 I See Me!
Inside Pages of ‘Speedster’ from I See Me! Personalized Children’s Books © 2015 I See Me!
