Winktale

Free to create — pay only if you love it

A bedtime story where your child is the hero

A personalized picture book with your child's name and looks, beautiful illustrations and gentle narration. The cover, the full text and the first pages are free.

  • 9 illustration styles
  • Narration included
  • PDF and video to keep
Story cover: a young astronaut among the stars
Leo and the Starry Voyage
Story cover: a girl in a moonlit forest
Mia and the Moonlit Forest

From a photo to a fairy tale

One photo, and your child becomes the hero of a book: a recognizable face, your favorite art style and their own story on every page.

Photo: a red-haired girl with a croissant in a caféIllustration: the same girl in a festive bakery
PhotoFairy tale
Illustration: the same girl baking star cookies in a festive bakery

Mia and the Christmas Star

Mia carefully rolled out the dough and cut the first star. Suddenly a golden spark flickered above the baking tray. “There you are!” Mia beamed. “I'll help you get back to the Christmas tree!”

Turn a photo into a story

Example: the child and the story are made up, the face was drawn by AI.

Take a peek inside a story

This is the reader: a picture, the text and a voice. On a phone the pages scroll; on a tablet or in landscape they open as a spread.

Mia at the window looking at the evening stars — a story illustration

Once upon a time there was a girl named Mia. Every evening, when the sky turned lilac, she went to the window and waited for the first star to light up.

1 / 3

Sample pages. Press Listen: the voice reads and turns the pages by itself. Your story is read by the voice you choose.

How it works

  1. 1

    Tell us about your child

    Name, age, looks, a favorite theme and an illustration style. Add a photo if you'd like the hero to look like them.

  2. 2

    We write and illustrate

    The cover, the full text and the first illustrated pages are free. The rest is drawn once you unlock the book.

  3. 3

    Read and listen together

    Open the first pages right away. Loved it? Unlock the whole story.

  4. 4

    Keep it forever

    Download the PDF and a video with narration, or share the story with family by link.

Two ways to make a story

Quick

Mini story

  • Ready in a couple of minutes
  • Just a few questions
  • 6 illustrated pages with narration
  • Perfect for tonight's bedtime
Create a mini story

For a gift

Big story

  • Design the hero and pick their look
  • Add up to 5 family members, friends or pets — with photos
  • Choose what the story should teach
  • Decide how the plot unfolds
  • 20 pages, an editor and a PDF
Create a big story

9 illustration styles

Choose how your story will look — from soft watercolor to pixel art.

Watercolor
WatercolorGentle watercolor washes and soft pastel colors.
3D cartoon
3D cartoonRound, cuddly characters and soft cinematic light.
Anime
AnimeLike a Japanese cartoon: big eyes, crisp lines, vivid colors.
Comic book
Comic bookBold outlines, bright colors, and dynamic panels.
Felt and stitches
Felt and stitchesA cozy handmade look: felt characters with visible stitching.
Crayons
CrayonsLike a child's crayon drawing: thick strokes and bright colors.
Linocut
LinocutRetro: bold lines and three colors on cream paper.
Neon night
Neon nightGlowing lines on a deep blue background, made for bedtime stories.
Pixel art
Pixel artLike a retro video game, especially fun for ages 6–10.

What you get

Narration you choose

Listen to voice samples and pick the one you and your child like best.

Works everywhere

Phone, tablet or computer, portrait or landscape.

Page editor

Don't like a picture or a paragraph? Make a new version — and switch back anytime.

Your library

All your stories in one place, ready to read again and again.

A story that helps you talk about what matters

You decide what the story teaches. A hero who looks like your child gently reaches the right conclusion — no lecturing, no pressure. Pick a common situation or describe your own.

Won't sleep alone

A story about how cozy your own bed can be

Afraid of the dark

The hero meets the night and finds out it's friendly

Hates brushing teeth

The toothbrush turns into a magical helper

Leaves toys everywhere

The toys come alive and ask to go back home

Fights with a sibling

Two heroes argue — and find a way to make up

Nervous about school

A new place turns out to be full of friends

It's a kind way to start a conversation with your child, not therapy and not a substitute for a professional.

Your data is protected

Your child's photo is sent to the image model only with your separate consent and is deleted right after the hero is created.

Safe for children

Texts and pictures are created within kind, child-friendly stories.

Fair and simple

Creating is free. You see the result before paying, and you pay once — no subscription.

Pricing

The cover, the full text and the first illustrated pages are free. Pay once when you want to bring the whole book to life.

Mini story

$4.99

6 pages

  • ✓6 illustrated pages
  • ✓Narration
  • ✓PDF and video included
  • ✓Yours to keep in your account
Most popular

Big story

$12.99

20 pages · the perfect gift

  • ✓About 20 illustrated pages
  • ✓Narration on every page
  • ✓High-quality PDF and video
  • ✓Editor: a new picture or text on any page
  • ✓5 page edits included

Big story Plus

$15.99

20 pages with more edits

  • ✓Everything in Big story
  • ✓20 page edits included
  • ✓For perfectionists and big occasions

Checkout opens very soon. Create your story for free today — we'll email you when you can unlock the full book.

Frequently asked questions

Is it really free to create a story?+

Yes. Fill in a short questionnaire and you'll get the cover, the full text of the story and the first illustrated pages with narration for free. If you love it, unlock the rest and we'll illustrate every page of the story you've already read.

How long does it take?+

A mini story is ready in a couple of minutes. A big story takes a little longer because it has more pages and we design the characters first. You'll see the progress as it goes.

Do I need to upload a photo?+

No. With a photo, the hero in the illustrations will look like your child. Without one, we draw the hero from your description: age, eye and hair color, outfit.

What happens to my child's photo?+

It's resized and stripped of metadata right in your browser before upload. It's only sent to the image model if you tick a separate box, and it's deleted from our server as soon as the hero is created.

Which languages are available?+

English, German and Spanish. The story text and the narration are created in the language of the site you're on, and you can switch languages at the bottom of any page.

Can I change the story?+

Big stories come with an editor: you can regenerate the illustration or the text of any page. The number of edits depends on the plan.

Is this a subscription?+

No. You pay once per story, and it stays in your account. The PDF and the video are yours to download and keep.

A brand-new story tonight

It takes a couple of minutes and costs nothing until you decide to read on.

Create a story for free