For homeschool families
Every unit study can end in a book they wrote.
My Story is a writing and reading companion for your home classroom. Kids write, draw and narrate their own picture books, you see the learning on every page, and the best ones come back as a printed book for the shelf.
Free to start · Works in any browser, on iPad and on iPhone
Why it fits
Writing practice with a reason to finish
Kids will rewrite a sentence five times for a book with their name on it. My Story gives every subject a real audience, and gives you a finished piece of work at the end of it.
Writing with a purpose
Short pages are easy to start and easy to finish. A child who dreads a full page of copywork will happily fill twelve picture-book pages.
Narration builds fluency
Kids record themselves reading each page aloud, and can re-record until it sounds right. It's read-aloud practice they choose to repeat, and a recording of how they sounded this year.
A book for every unit study
Volcanoes, the Roman Empire or the water cycle: kids show what they know by explaining it in their own picture book, not by filling in a worksheet.
An author profile for each child
Every sibling gets their own shelf, so books stay organized and nobody's masterpiece gets mixed up with a little brother's.
A printed portfolio
Order the finished books as real printed copies. A shelf of them is a record of the year that kids are proud to show off.
Wherever school happens
At the kitchen table on a computer, on the couch with an iPad, or in the car on an iPhone. No ads and no pop-ups to pull them off task.
Siblings & family
Room for every sibling
My Story is made for ages 5 to 11, so your older kids can write long and build whole worlds while a younger sibling pitches in with a grown-up beside them.
- One author profile per childEach child's books are kept on their own shelf.
- Make one togetherOne draws, one writes, one records the voices. Try a family book with everyone's chapter.
- Hundreds of charactersSuperheroes, detectives, robots and dragons give reluctant writers somewhere to start.
Project ideas
Six books to start this month
Start with a topic you're already covering. These ideas work with whatever curriculum you use.
Science
A nature journal
Photograph or sketch what you find on a walk, one page per discovery. Add the name, a fact and a recording of them explaining it.
History
A family history book
Interview a grandparent, add old photos, and let your child tell the story of where the family comes from. It's a gift that gets read for years.
Reading
A book report, as a picture book
Retell the story you just read in twelve pages, or write the alternate ending. Summarizing and sequencing, with the fun left in.
Social studies
A biography in pictures
Pick a person from your unit and tell their life in a handful of pages: where they grew up, what they did and why it mattered.
Math
A book of story problems
Kids invent a story problem for each page and illustrate it. Writing a good one shows how well they understand the concept.
Field trips
A trip, remembered
Drop in the photos from the museum, farm or park, then add captions and narration the same day while it's all fresh.
A week with My Story
One book, five short sessions
An example, not a rule. Sessions can be as short as twenty minutes, and the schedule bends around your family.
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Monday: plan
Choose the topic or book. Pick a hero and a place, and sketch what happens on each page.
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Tuesday: write
Type or dictate the words for the first half of the book. A grown-up can help with spelling.
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Wednesday: draw
Illustrate every page with drawing tools, stickers and characters, or photos from real life.
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Thursday: narrate
Record each page aloud. Re-record anything that didn't sound right, then add some music.
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Friday: share
Play it for the family, send it to the grandparents, or order a printed copy for the shelf.
Portfolio & keepsake
A shelf of books, not a folder of worksheets
At the end of the year, you'll have more than grades to look back on. You'll have a stack of printed books in your child's own words, drawings and voice.
- Real printed picture booksFull color, in square, landscape or portrait.
- Preview every page firstFlip through the finished book before you order.
- Keeping records?Check what your state or umbrella school asks for. A printed book is a record of the year that kids actually enjoy making.
Creative screen time, with no ads. Kids make something instead of scrolling, and every session ends with a page, a story or a recording to show for it. Books stay private unless you choose to share them. How we keep kids safe.
Questions
Good questions from homeschool parents
Is My Story a curriculum?
No. It's a companion that works alongside whatever you already use. Kids use it to write, illustrate and narrate, so any subject can end in a finished book. We don't claim to replace a full language arts program.
What age is it for?
My Story is made for kids 5 to 11. Early readers lean on drawing, characters and their recorded voice, and older kids write longer stories. Younger siblings can join in with a grown-up.
Does my child need to be able to write?
Not at all. Kids who aren't writing fluently yet can tell the story with pictures, stickers and their own voice, and you can type while they dictate.
Can each of my kids have their own books?
Yes. Each child gets their own author profile, so their books are kept on their own shelf.
Which devices does it work on?
It works in any browser on a computer or Chromebook, and as an app on iPad and iPhone. My Story on the web, or the iPad and iPhone apps.
Is it free?
Yes, you can start for free. Creating and sharing books is free. Optional extras, like Story Sparks and printed books, are paid.
Can we print the books?
Yes. Any book can be ordered as a real printed picture book and delivered to your door, and you can preview every page before you order. How printing works.
We teach in a co-op. Is there something for groups?
Today, a co-op teacher can use the free version with an author profile for each child. We're also building a School Edition with a teacher dashboard and per-teacher plans, and co-ops are welcome on the waitlist.
This week's unit study could end in a book
Pick a topic, open My Story, and see what they make. Free to start.