Customizable Storybooks for Children Aim to Make Reading More Personal

Apr 03, 2025

Kate Garibaldi

Two young children sit side by side on a quilt, looking at an open illustrated book. The page features colorful shapes and drawings. One child is pointing to a picture on the page. The children are wearing casual clothing and socks.

Peek-A-Photo LLC, founded by San Diego mom and entrepreneur Maribel Angulo Bender, announced innovative photography storybooks for children.

Angulo Bender started Peek-A-Photo to make reading fun through hands-on engagement and personalization. Her patent-pending children’s book style takes the already popular lift-the-flap design and elevates it by incorporating personal photographs.

Standard lift-the-flap books are an interactive type that is often educational, intended for young children ages zero to three years old. As the style’s name hints, the pages feature cutouts with flaps that when opened further the book’s story by revealing hidden words or pictures. With Peek-A-Photo’s lift-the-flap photo storybooks, the flaps are hidden photo pockets that can instead reveal pictures of loved ones.

“While there are customizable books on the market, none offer the magical experience of discovering real family photos hidden behind interactive flaps. Our books transform ordinary storytime into moments of surprise and connection,” Angulo Bender describes.

“For families separated by distance, these books are particularly meaningful — loved ones who live far away can now become part of a child’s daily reading ritual, fostering connections that traditional books simply can’t create.”

A woman and a young child sit on the floor reading a book together. The child is sitting on her lap, pointing at the pages. Bookshelves and colorful toys are in the background. They are both wearing light-colored clothing.

The book’s patent-pending design will be available as either durable board or soft cloth, and both styles include five interactive flaps with concealed photo pockets where parents can easily insert standard 4×6-inch photo prints. The pockets utilize a simple tab system to securely store photographs.

Peek-A-Photo shared that it has already received enthusiasm from early access presentations of the yet-to-be-released books.

“One mother was moved to tears seeing how the book could help her autistic son connect with family members through visual recognition. Another parent valued how the books could help children know extended family members who live far away,” Angulo Bender says.

“These reactions confirm what we believed — that combining storytelling with personal photos creates something truly special for families.”

A young child lies on their stomach on a beige sofa, engaged with a colorful soft toy. The child is wearing a light-colored long-sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and white socks. There is a green plant in the background.

Pricing and Availability

Peek-A-Photo’s initial release will be limited to 100 books. Early bird orders, which are those that come by joining the pre-order list, will receive a 10% launch discount as well as complimentary photo printing. Direct sales will be hosted at San Diego area events with online ordering to be available later in 2025. Additionally, there are plans to add Spanish language versions in the coming years.

Image credits: Peek-A-Photo LLC