Me the Star
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I See Me! books, compared honestly.

I See Me!, the Minneapolis brand owned by PlanetArt, prints your kid's name through fixed stories and, on its photo titles, puts their actual face on every page. Here is what it personalizes, what it costs, where it is the right choice, and where a book written and drawn about your kid is.

By Alex Chua, Co-founder, Me the Star ·Updated ·5 min read
A green Me the Star hardcover titled Sofia and the Whispering Forest, with an illustrated girl among leaves on the cover, stacked on two other hardcovers on linen with a gold ribbon bookmark showing
Sofia and the Whispering Forest, hardcover
The verdict

I See Me!, on Super Kid!, puts your kid's photo on every page of a fixed 20-page story for $29.99. Me the Star draws your kid from one photo into a 32-page story about a real moment, free to read, $39 to print. I See Me! for name or board books; Me the Star for a story about your kid.

$39Me the Star hardcover
On this page
  1. The verdict
  2. What each is built for
  3. Head to head
  4. When to choose each
  5. What backs the verdict
  6. Questions parents ask

What is each one built for?

I See Me! is built around a catalog. PlanetArt acquired I See Me!'s assets in July 2021, when it published more than 60 titles[8]. Photo titles such as Super Kid! place a photo of your kid's face as the main character on each page of a fixed 20-page story, $29.99, printed in the USA[2].

Me the Star has no catalog. You upload one photo and describe something that happened this week; the story is written around it, and a private likeness sheet keeps the same face on every page[1]. You read the finished, narrated book free, then print a 32-page hardcover for $39. Printed in Pennsylvania, 5 to 7 business days, 14-day reprint-or-refund guarantee[1].

The honest framing: both put your kid on the page. I See Me! sets the photo into artwork and a story it already made. Me the Star draws your kid from the photo into a new story. I See Me! asks "which of our books should your kid be in?" Me the Star asks "what happened to your kid this week?"

How do Me the Star and I See Me! compare?

Me the Star vs I See Me!, head to head
DimensionMe the StarI See Me!
How the story is madeWritten new, from a real moment you describe, for your kid's ageFixed titles; name, birth date and a dedication fill set fields[2]
How your kid appearsDrawn from one photo; same face, hair and skin tone on every illustrated pagePhoto titles: a photo of the child's face is the main character on each page[2]
Read before you buyRead the whole finished book free, narrated, in the appPending verification
PriceFree to read; $39 to print one hardcover ($29 on a plan)The photo-book category runs $29.99 to $44.99; per-format prices not shown[6]
Format8.5 by 8.5 inch hardcover, 32 pages, ribbon bookmark, archival paperSoftcover or hardcover; photo storybooks 20 pages, 8.5 by 8.5 inches[2]
CatalogNo catalog; every book is written for one kidMore than 60 personalized titles at the 2021 acquisition[8]
Production and delivery (US)Book on screen in minutes; hardcover ships from Pennsylvania in 5 to 7 business daysStandard USPS about 7 to 10 business days, $6.99; Lightning 2 business days, $27.99 to $37.99[3]
Guarantee14 days: reprint at no cost or full refund, your choice30-day money-back guarantee: replacement or refund[4]

Every claim about I See Me! comes from the vendor's own public materials or named third-party coverage, checked 2026-09-22. Pending cells are unresearched, not zero.

When to choose each

Choose I See Me! when

  • You want a name book for a baby: My Very Own Name runs the name through a 44-page, 9 by 11 inch story in softcover, hardcover or gold-foil editions, $34.99[7].
  • The kid is at chewing age: the photo board books are 24 pages, 6.5 by 6.5 inches, with your kid's photo plus up to 8 loved ones and 2 pets, $29.99[10][6].
  • You want the exact face from the photo rather than a drawing of it[2].
  • You need it fast: Lightning shipping is 2 business days (3 for softcover, board and foil books), $27.99 to $37.99[3].
  • You want the longer window: I See Me! offers a 30-day money-back guarantee[4].

Choose Me the Star when

  • You want the book to be about something that happened to your kid this week, not a title that was written before they were born.
  • You want your kid drawn into the pictures, the same likeness on every illustrated page, rather than a photo set into the artwork[1].
  • You want to read the whole narrated book, rewrite any line and redraw any page, before paying anything[1].
  • You want more book on the shelf: 32 pages in hardcover, ribbon bookmark, archival paper, for $39, or $29 on a plan[1].

What backs the verdict?

32
pages in every Me the Star hardcover, with the same likeness on every illustrated pageSource: methestar.com
5
free stories per kid, no credit card, read narrated in the app before you print anythingSource: methestar.com
14 days
happiness guarantee on every printed book: reprint or full refund, your choiceSource: methestar.com FAQ

Questions parents ask before choosing

What are I See Me! personalized books?

I See Me! is a Minneapolis personalized children's book brand. PlanetArt acquired I See Me!'s assets in July 2021, when it published more than 60 titles. Name titles print your kid's name through a fixed story. Photo titles such as Super Kid! place a photo of your kid's face as the main character on each page. Every book we checked says printed in the USA.

Does I See Me! put my child's real photo in the book?

Yes, on its photo titles. The Super Kid! page says the photo of your kid's face is "displayed as the main character on each page," with room for up to three additional family members. Name-only titles do not use a photo in the artwork. Me the Star takes the other route: one photo becomes a private likeness sheet and every page is drawn from it.

How much do I See Me! books cost compared with Me the Star?

The photo-book category runs $29.99 to $44.99 and My Very Own Name is $34.99; standard shipping adds $6.99. Prices for softcover against foil editions are not shown on the pages we read. A Me the Star hardcover is $39, or $29 on a plan, and reading the book is free.

How long does I See Me! take to arrive?

Their shipping page lists Standard at about 7 to 10 business days for $6.99, Expedited 4 to 6, Rush 3 to 4 and Lightning 2, with production included. Their FAQ separately says most items arrive in 2 business days; the shipping page is the more specific of the two, so plan on it. Me the Star ships from Pennsylvania in 5 to 7 business days.

Is this an I See Me! personalized children's books review?

No. It is a comparison from their own pages; we have not ordered one. Their homepage shows 4.7 stars on Google Reviews from 1,970 reviews as of 17 Sep 2026. Their guarantee is 30-day money back, damaged or misprinted copies replaced at no cost, and an ordering error on your side reprinted at 50% of product cost plus shipping.

Can I try Me the Star without paying?

Yes. Five free stories per kid, no credit card. You read the finished, narrated book in the app, rewrite any line or redraw any page, and pay $39 only if you print it.

Alex Chua, Co-founder, Me the StarAlex co-founded Me the Star after failing to find a single book on his mixed-race son’s shelf that looked like him.

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A laughing girl holding up her finished hardcover, Sofia and the Whispering Forest
Sofia and the Whispering Forest, printed