# A personalised book from Sinterklaas
By Milo Wick, Lantern & Ladder · Updated 28 October 2026
**The short answer:** It works because the Sint knows the child: their name on the cover, a child who looks like them, and a dedication from Sinterklaas himself, printed rather than in a handwriting the child would know. Order early in November, because the book is made and printed for your child, and have it delivered to you, not to the child.
Sinterklaas knows everything about every child: it is all in the Big Book. A book with your child's name and face in it fits that exactly. Why it works, what the Sint writes inside, how it gets into the sack without anyone noticing, and when to order.

## Why it suits the Sint

Sinterklaas knows everything. He knows whether you were good, what you want,
and that you do not always brush your teeth, because it is written in the
Big Book. A child of 4 takes that entirely seriously, which is why a present
that shows the Sint knows the child means so much. A personalised book from
Sinterklaas, with the child's own name in it, is that kind of present.

A personalised book does exactly that. The name is on the cover, and the
child in the book is chosen to look like yours, with glasses if they wear
them. To a child it is not a book with a name stuck on, but a book about
them. Out of the Sint's sack, it is the proof that he really knows.

And it is a present that does not disappear into a drawer after 5
December. A toy from pakjesavond is forgotten by January; a book with your
own name in it is opened until it falls apart.


## A dedication from the Sint

The best thing about a personalised book for Sinterklaas is the dedication
page. It is printed, so the dedication can come from the Sint himself,
without mum's or dad's handwriting. Children know that handwriting better
than you think, and a printed dedication keeps the secret.

In our book the dedication is up to 150 characters, one paragraph. That is
enough for a short line from the Sint, or a little rhyme:

- "Dear Noor, the Sint read in the Big Book that you want to write your name. Here is a book to practise with. Sinterklaas"
- "For Daan. Piet saw you drawing, and so did the Sint. Now for the letters! Love, Sinterklaas, 2026"
- "Dear Sam, the Sint wrote this for you: every letter you learn is one you keep. Sint and Piet"

Put the year in. In twenty years, "Sinterklaas 2026" inside the cover is the
part someone keeps longest. [What to write in a book for a
child](/guides/what-to-write-in-a-book-for-a-child) has more ideas, by age.


## The poem that goes with it

A present from the Sint comes with a poem. Two ways to use one:

- **The poem points to the book.** "The Sint looked high, the Sint looked
  low, for something only Noor would know. He found a book, and who was
  in? Noor herself, from the very first page in!" The child opens the book
  and finds themselves.
- **The poem is the surprise.** Have the child hunt for their own name in
  the book, and write the poem as a treasure hunt: "On the cover, on each
  page, and at the end you'll find it too: look for your name, it's
  everywhere, because this book was made for you."

The poem can go on a separate sheet, taped to the wrapping. The book is
for years; the poem is for that one evening.


## Ordering in time

A personalised book is not on a shop shelf. It is made for your child, you
get a proof to check first, and then it is printed and posted. The proof
comes within a day; after that it takes 6 to 15 days to reach your
letterbox, depending on the country, and the post can be slower in the
weeks before 5 December.

So order early in November. The last order date for Sinterklaas is on [the
personalised book's page](/personalised) every year, and it falls well
before pakjesavond.


## Keeping the secret

- **Have it delivered to you.** If a grandparent orders, have it sent to
  them or to the parents, but so that the child does not see the parcel
  arrive.
- **Open the parcel yourself.** It comes from the printer, not from the
  Sint. Wrap the book again, in Sinterklaas paper.
- **Keep the proof out of sight.** You get a proof of the whole book to
  check; do not leave it open on a tablet the child plays with.
- **Pakjesavond or the morning of 6 December.** In the Netherlands it
  comes in the sack on pakjesavond, the evening of 5 December; in Flanders
  it is waiting on the morning of 6 December. A book is really too big for
  the shoe, and too good.


## Which child, which book?

A personalised book works best in the years a child believes in the Sint
and is just starting on letters. Our handwriting book comes in two parts:

- **Book 1, ages 3 to 5.** Lines, shapes and the capital letters, with a
  page where the child learns to write their own name.
- **Book 2, ages 4 to 6.** The small letters and the numbers to 20, for a
  child who already knows the capitals.

Both in English or in Dutch. If in doubt, choose Book 1: a child who is
further along finishes it sooner, and a child who starts Book 2 too early
gets discouraged. [Personalised books for
children](/guides/personalised-books-for-children) says what the research
found about books with the child's name in them, and when they are no more
than a gimmick.

## From the book
The personalised copy of Book 1 has the child's name in the title and on every page, a child chosen to look like them, and a dedication page at the front where the Sint can write his own line. In English or Dutch. [A name tracing book about your child](https://lanternladder.com/personalised.md)
[How Book 1 compares with seven other letter tracing books](https://lanternladder.com/letter-tracing-books.md)

## Related guides
- [What to write in a book for a child: dedication ideas by age](https://lanternladder.com/guides/what-to-write-in-a-book-for-a-child.md): Their name, your name, the date and one line about them or the book. Short enough to read aloud, and written to the child, not to their parents.
- [Personalised books for children: what they do, and when they help](https://lanternladder.com/guides/personalised-books-for-children.md): Children love them, and small studies found some learning gains. One helps when the name is used for something, it is read together, and it is one of many.
- [How to teach a child to write their name](https://lanternladder.com/guides/teach-child-to-write-their-name.md): Recognise it, trace it, copy it, write it alone. First name only, and from MAYA to Maya once the lowercase letters come.
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Page: https://lanternladder.com/guides/personalised-book-from-sinterklaas
Lantern & Ladder, Utrecht, Netherlands. info@lanternladder.com