Way back when we first started homeschooling, I had a fun idea to "scrapbook" each of my boys their own yearbooks. I really like them, and so do they. Only one problem. I'm about 5 years behind schedule. I have since discovered Picaboo Yearbooks. I am proud to say that now I at least have a yearbook for the 2012-2013 homeschool year! (And it only took me several fun hours in the evening to complete!)
I was excited to have the opportunity to create and review Picaboo's 20 page softcover yearbook. I had never made any type of photo book online, so I was a little bit nervous to try it out. It was really simple to get started. Their website is very easy to "learn as you go". Navigating just took a little practice. I found it very easy to download pictures from my computer. (I downloaded about 5 at a time, which seemed to make it more manageable for me.)
How it works:
1. Create an account. I found log in very easy each time.
2. Choose a yearbook to create. I choose the 20 page softcover.
3. Create "sections" for your yearbook. Mine included things like: field trips, holidays, art, etc.
4. Decide the number of pages for each section.
5. Download pictures for those pages/sections
6. Choose the page layout based on the number of pictures per page.
7. Add in pictures
8. Choose backgrounds, text, stickers, etc. for each page.
9. When you are pleased with a section you can "lock" it.
10. Lock all sections when done and click on the prompts to purchase.
11. Wait for your yearbook to arrive in the mail. (I was very pleased with the quick turnaround!)
There were things about creating my yearbook with Picaboo that I really liked. The Picaboo program saves your work automatically. This was a huge bonus for me. Sometimes I would accidentally click out of a section, worried I had lost all my work. But, to ,my relief, it was saved!
Another thing I really liked was how easy it was to reposition pictures. You are given several options for each page. There are lots of ways to position 4 pictures on a page, for example. Once I loaded my pictures onto a particular format...I could then easily change them all around by just using my mouse! Wa-la! Just the way I wanted it! Another thing that is so easy to navigate on the page is the text. You can move that all around too. (There are numerous fonts.)
One other thing that was just so fun (especially for a wanna-be scrapbooker like me!) are all the "paper" backgrounds and "stickers". Too much fun! (I probably could have made my yearbook in a much shorter time, but I had so much fun with this aspect of the program.) The only thing is that I wished they had more of a wide variety of animal and sports stickers.
Not just for Yearbooks
Although the company has "yearbooks" in the name, you are certainly not limited to yearbooks. You could create a book commemorating an anniversary, special vacation or mission trip. The possibilities are endless! (I'm thinking I'd like to get each of my kids their own hardback yearbook the year they graduate...looking back over all their homeschool years.)
Pricing/Shipping
Yearbook Price: The 20 page softcover year book is a very reasonable $8.49.
Yearbook Shipping: Shipping for the 20 page softcover is $8.99.
SO....that means you get a 20 page softcover yearbook for a total of $17.48. (I don't think I could scrapbook for that cheap!)
Other Options
Hardcover Yearbook (20 pages): $18.99
Free eYearbook (no print obligation necessary)
Additional pages: 22 cents
Free Shipping for 50 or more yearbook orders
Here's a peek inside our yearbook...
(We were so excited to get this in the mail!! It came on the Fourth of July weekend, so my boys had lots of fun sharing their "yearbook" with their cousins and other family members! They were so proud to have their own yearbook. We are planning to have everyone who has a picture in the book sign it. It is a yearbook, after all!)
Our "mega field trip" out West made several pages!
Our back cover
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