How to turn a picture book into a video
This shows you how to generate a narrated video from a picture book — ready for YouTube, social media, or Etsy listings.
Before you start
- This feature is only available for picture books (books with story text on each page).
- Your book must be in "completed" status.
- Video generation is included in your plan — no extra credit cost.
Steps
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Open your picture book from My Books.
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Click the Video button (camera icon) in the book editor toolbar.
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Configure your video:
- Voice — choose a narrator voice (American, British, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, or a custom narrator).
- Music — select "None," choose from the built-in music library, or upload your own audio file.
- Music volume — adjust the background music level (default: 20%).
- Captions — toggle on/off for subtitle text overlay.
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Click Generate Video.
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Wait for processing (5-10 minutes for a typical 15-page book). A progress indicator shows the status.
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When ready, the video URL appears in the book editor. Click to preview or download.
What to expect
A narrated video with:
- Page-turn transitions between each spread
- AI text-to-speech narration of the story text
- Background music (if selected)
- Optional caption overlay
The video is suitable for uploading to YouTube Kids, Instagram Reels, TikTok, or including as a bonus in Etsy listings.
Common issues
Video generation timed out There's a 10-minute safety timeout. If it fails, click "Reset" and try again. Shorter books (under 20 pages) are more reliable.
Narration sounds robotic Try a different voice option. "Heart" and "Nova" tend to sound most natural for children's stories.