Q: What is the typical budget or cost for a custom activity book project?

Every project is unique, but your total cost is primarily shaped by three factors:

1. Quantity: Our minimum print run is 2,000 copies. Larger quantities significantly lower the cost per book.

2. Page Count: Most public works projects choose 16- or 32-page booklets.

3. Amount of New Content: We can adapt existing content or create fully custom content. More new content = more development time.

Sample pricing (to give you a clear picture)

• 16-page booklet with all-new content: starts around $20,000 total

  • Includes: content development + design + printing

  • Approx. $10/book on the initial 2,000-unit run

• Reprints of the same booklet: start around $10,000

  • No development fees

  • Cost per book drops to about $5/book at 2,000 units

• Higher quantities lower the cost per book dramatically

  • Example: at 10,000 copies, the cost is approx. $2.25/book

WORKING WITHIN YOUR BUDGET:

If you already have a number in mind, we can work backwards to recommend the best format and quantity for your goals. Many clients come to us this way, and we’re happy to help you maximize your investment.

COST SAVINGS THROUGH COLLABORATION:

When agencies combine orders, overall volume increases and per-unit costs decrease. We offer multi-district pricing models where participating locations share core content while receiving district-specific customized pages. This shared approach maximizes budgets while preserving local relevance.

GET A CUSTOM QUOTE AFTER A DISCOVERY CALL:

Once we’ve had a short discovery call to understand your needs, we’ll create a customized pricing proposal that fits your goals, timeline, and budget.

Q: How long does it take to create a custom activity book?

We are a small team and take on a limited number of projects per year. The first step is to get on our production calendar. After securing your spot:

• A 16-page book typically takes about 2-3 weeks to develop content.

• A 32-page book typically takes about 1 month to develop content.

• Add another 6 weeks for printing and delivery.

If you have a specific event or deadline, it’s important to secure your spot on our calendar early. Even if you’re not quite ready to commit, letting us know what you’re considering helps us plan our year and ensures we can reserve time for your project.

Q: What is the process of working with Your Very Favorite?

We make the process straightforward and enjoyable, while handling the heavy lifting for you. Here’s what to expect:

Discovery Call – We review your goals, timeline, and overall vision, then put together a detailed proposal. Our proposals are designed to give you everything you need to secure internal approvals and funding.

Contract & Deposit – Once you’re ready to move forward, we sign a contract and collect a $1,500 deposit to reserve your spot.

Creative Development – We meet in-depth (phone or in person) to collect your objectives and resources—photos, articles, archives, or anything that helps us understand your needs. Then we dive deep into research. Our clients consistently tell us how much they appreciate that we “just get it” without requiring hand-holding. At this stage, the next payment (50% of the project cost, minus the initial deposit) is due.

First Look – We develop about 10–20% of the book and share it with you. This check-in ensures you feel confident we’re on the right track (and gives us a chance to adjust if needed).

Flexible Collaboration – You can be hands-on and join us in the creative fun, or you can step back and let us run with it. Either way, you’ll get a partner who makes the process enjoyable and stress-free.

Content Review – Once the book is drafted, you review and provide any revisions.

Editing & Prep – We polish the book, finalize edits, and prepare it for print. At this stage, a 25% payment is due upon your approval of final files, before printing begins.

Printing & Delivery – We manage the printing process to ensure the books feel like something you’d buy in a store—high quality, durable, and worth keeping. The final balance is due as materials are shipped out.

Q: How do organizations distribute these books? Can we sell them to recoup costs?

Most of our clients distribute their books for free—as handouts at community events, in classrooms, through libraries, or even mailed directly to residents. That said, you absolutely can sell them if you’d like to recoup costs. In fact, some clients have had people asking, “How can I buy more?” and have successfully sold books through their library, municipal offices, or even community merchandise shops.

Once printed, the books are yours to distribute however you see fit. The only limitation is that reprints must go through us to ensure quality and consistency. Beyond that, you’re free to use them in whatever way best amplifies your goals and messaging.

Q: Do you offer digital options?

Our primary focus is always the printed book. We believe these materials are most impactful when people can hold them in their hands—the engagement and interaction we design for is best in a tactile format.

That said, many clients want to amplify their reach beyond print. At an additional cost, we offer two options:

PDF Rights – A license to PDF versions of the pages, which you can share digitally with educators, libraries, or community groups. You can also print one-off pages for special uses, like a coloring contest or an event-specific activity.

Image Rights – A license to use the custom illustrations created for your book. With these rights, you can extend your artwork into other projects—stickers, tote bags, t-shirts, posters, and more. Clients love the possibilities that come with having a full library of original artwork for their community.

These digital options give you flexible ways to expand the life and reach of your project, while keeping the printed book at the heart of the experience.

Q: Can you create single-page activity sheets, or only booklets?

We focus on creating booklets and books rather than single-page projects. With a small, specialized team, it’s more effective for us to take on fewer large projects than many small ones.

For clients we have established relationships with, we can sometimes accommodate smaller-scale projects as part of our ongoing collaboration. But in general, we find that multi-page formats are much more effective—they allow for deeper engagement, stronger messaging, and a more memorable experience for your audience than a single page can provide.

Q: Are all of your illustrations hand-drawn, or do you use AI art?

Yes, every page is illustrated by real humans! Right now, all of our books are created by one incredibly talented illustrator on our team, and we plan to grow with other artists who share the same dedication to detail and craft.

Your audience can tell when something has been thoughtfully made. As more materials rely on AI-generated or templated shortcuts, those pieces tend to blend together and are easily ignored.

Our team cares about getting the details right, capturing the spirit of your community, and creating artwork that is playful, clever, and authentic. That’s why our books stand out, and why people keep them, rather than tossing them aside.

Q: We’ve made our own coloring or activity books before. What makes yours different?

If you’re doing it yourself and loving the results—keep going! But many of our clients tried making their own activity pages (or asked their design agency to handle it) and found it took up a lot of time and still didn’t hit the mark.

That’s because this work is highly specialized. It’s not just illustration or graphic design—it’s a mix of art, writing, puzzle-making, humor, education, and publishing expertise. On top of that, we’ve built a proven formula for engagement through years of creating activity books, testing ideas, and learning what works (and what doesn’t).

When you hire us, you skip the time drain and frustration. You get a polished, professional product designed by experts who know how to create something your community will be proud of and excited to use.

Q: How do you handle RFP requirements and the multiple bid process?

We’re fully prepared to work within the RFP process. Your Very Favorite has standard documentation ready to go—including a capabilities statement, NAICS/PSC codes, and DUNS/UEI—so agencies can feel confident we meet formal procurement requirements.

That said, most of our clients discover that traditional “multiple bids” don’t apply to us—because no one else does quite what we do. Agencies and organizations often classify our work as either a unique provider or under art/creative services, which allows them to contract with us directly. In cases where documentation is still needed, we provide tiered pricing options—for example, a 16-page booklet, a 32-page booklet, or a robust 64-page book. This satisfies internal requirements while giving clients flexibility to choose the best fit for their budget and goals.

We’ve successfully navigated this process with public organizations before. We understand the hoops that sometimes need to be jumped through—and we make it as easy as possible for our clients.

Q: How are organizations funding custom activity books?

There are lots of ways to fund a project like this, and every client’s situation is a little different. We’ve seen public organizations fund books through:

• Grants (for example, library programming or community outreach grants)

• Department budgets (public works, waste management, library services, health & safety, etc.) — sometimes these budgets are specifically earmarked for outreach, and funds must be spent in order to keep them in future cycles

• Collaborations between departments (e.g. sharing costs across multiple divisions within the same organization)

• Regional partnerships (neighboring municipalities, counties, or agencies pooling resources for broader impact)

• Community sponsors (such as a local hospital contributing to public health content, or a credit union helping fund financial literacy pages)

If you’re unsure how to fund your project, we’re happy to brainstorm with you. There are often more options than you think, and we can help you identify the path that makes the most sense for your community.