Overview

Authors can begin with a blank project or use a template, then build a story from writing, illustrations, and characters. That combination supports guided creative-writing activities as well as more open-ended projects. The product’s educational emphasis includes narrative structure, character development, social and emotional learning, and creative writing, so it fits lessons where the finished book is part of the learning exercise rather than only a publication.

Teachers can create or select a template, publish it as a Google Classroom assignment, and collect student stories. Classes can be imported from Google Classroom, keeping assignment and submission work in the same classroom ecosystem. Schools that do not use Google Classroom can still create and share books, but they lose the benefit of this integrated workflow.

Key features

Story building

Templates provide structure for students who need a starting point, while a blank book leaves room for independent story development. Outlining and manuscript-formatting tools are included, but the product’s strongest emphasis is on producing an illustrated storybook rather than managing a complex novel project.

Characters and artwork

The educator offering includes a large clip-art collection and tools for creating and customizing characters. Those assets can make visual storytelling more approachable for children and reduce the need to source artwork separately. Image uploads are limited on the free educator plan, however, so classes that rely heavily on original images may need an upgrade.

Printing and export

Upgraded members can export stories to Google Photos for a photobook or download a PDF for printing a booklet at home. PDF export is useful for classroom handouts and take-home projects; Google Photos adds a route to a physical photobook, although the photobook itself costs extra.

Accounts, privacy, and support

Users can sign in with Google or an email address. Google sign-in stores the account name, profile image, and email address. My Storybook says it will not sell or rent personal information without explicit consent, but it can access personal information included in stories, and public stories are visible to anyone. Teachers should therefore set sharing expectations carefully, particularly when student work contains identifying information. Support is handled by email at support@mystorybook.com, and the company says it cannot provide immediate help to every customer.

Pricing

The free version is free and supports books with text, items, and basic characters. It allows sharing by link or Google Classroom, but image uploads are limited. That makes it suitable for trying the workflow or running occasional, image-light activities rather than a busy illustrated curriculum.

The Authors plan costs 10.00 USD per month, billed starting at $10/month. It provides unlimited access to create, customize, and print stories, including unlimited high-quality printed copies. This is the clearest fit for individual writers or families who want unrestricted story production and printing, but it does not include the educator-specific classroom features described below.

The Educators plan costs 28.00 USD per month, billed $28/month. It adds Google Classroom class imports, unlimited student booklets, Google Photobooks export, custom story instructions, and unlimited image uploads. For regular classroom use, the removal of the image cap and the assignment-oriented controls justify choosing it over the free version. Photobook charges remain separate.

The Administrators plan costs 250.00 USD per month, billed $250+/month. It is aimed at schools needing unlimited classrooms, onboarding and training, and a customer-support agreement. The higher cost only makes sense for organization-wide deployment rather than a single teacher.

A 7-day trial is offered, and paid access starts at $10/month. Check renewal terms before committing, particularly if evaluating a plan for a short school project.

Platforms

My Storybook runs on the web, so users can access it through a browser rather than a dedicated desktop or mobile application.

Who it's for

Teachers using Google Classroom are the strongest audience: templates, class imports, assignments, submissions, custom instructions, and booklet exports align with a structured lesson workflow. Families and individual young writers can use the free or Authors plan to make illustrated books. Professional novelists and teams seeking a deep manuscript-management environment should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

Pro: Google Classroom assignment and class-import features connect book projects to an existing school workflow.
Pro: Templates, clip art, and customizable characters give young writers practical creative scaffolding.
Pro: PDF and Google Photos exports support printed booklets and photobook projects.
Con: The free educator plan limits image uploads, which can restrict frequent illustrated assignments.
Con: Public stories are visible to anyone, and story content may include personal information, requiring careful classroom sharing choices.
Con: Support is email-based and may not be immediate.

Alternatives

For a broader directory of writing tools, browse Book Writing Software.

Author's Forge is a freemium option for Linux, macOS, and Windows users who want a desktop-oriented alternative.
Plot Factory suits writers who need cross-platform access on Android, iOS, and the web, with a Basic tier limited to one story, one universe, and 250-word narrations per day.
Dabble is a paid, cross-platform choice for writers wanting unlimited manuscripts, cloud backup and sync, and goals and statistics.
yWriter is a free option with desktop support for Windows and Linux through Wine, plus an Android app.
Campfire offers freemium writing and worldbuilding modules across desktop, mobile, and web platforms.
Wavemaker Cards is a free, cross-platform writing tool.
Novlr fits writers who want online syncing, planning tools, focus mode, writing sprints, and analytics, with a free tier limited to two projects.
bibisco is a freemium option spanning web, desktop, and mobile with novel-planning and organization tools.

Verdict

Choose My Storybook if you want children to create illustrated books inside a classroom-friendly workflow, especially with Google Classroom. Its main advantage is the bridge between creative storytelling and assignments; look elsewhere if you need a dedicated long-form writing environment, unrestricted free image uploads, or guaranteed rapid support.

	My Storybook	novelWriter
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	$10/mo	Free
Platforms	Web	Linux, macOS, Windows
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Paid from	10 /mo
Supported platforms	web
Outlining tools	Yes
Manuscript formatting	Yes
Export formats	PDF, Google Photos	extensive
Publishing tools		Yes
Mobile apps		No

My Storybook vs novelWriter

My Storybook

novelWriter