A Special Kind of Story

Every kid is unique—and so is every family. That's a guiding principal for new Hinsdale, Ill.-based publisher Custom Made for Kids, founded by mom entrepreneurs Sarah Headrick and Sarah Rivera.

“We felt we could take the personalized book business to the next level by incorporating over 20 details about each child, thus creating a book that was truly about each particular child,” Headrick and Rivera tell Playthings. “The mission of Custom Made For Kids is to create a high-quality keepsake gift that will be cherished for a lifetime ... to create a joyful product that preserves family history.”

Their first title, illustrated by Jill Dryer Bartolucci, is the award-winning The First Adventures of Incredible You, which debuted in August 2007. To order the hardcover, parents specify all the details (child's birthday, names of family members, favorite places and so on) that will be incorporated into its verses.

Retailers can stock either a “Build Your Own Book Kit” (order form, gift code to cover costs, a character toy from the book) or a “Do It Yourself” version.

Additional book titles are already in the works, with tie-in plush and dress-up items also being planned, Headrick and Rivera say, noting that they are hopeful that, “If you follow your heart while creating a unique product that fills a void in the marketplace, you can create a successful business.”