Why Brooke Planche Creates a Custom Yearbook for Each of Her Kids—Every Single Year

How one mom turned a love of photos into a lifelong gift for her family

For Brooke Planche, memory-keeping isn’t just a hobby—it’s a heartfelt tradition. Every year, she creates custom photo books for her kids and family, using Mixbook as her go-to platform for documenting milestones, everyday joys, and everything in between.

“I was inspired to create my Mixbook photo books because I wanted my kids to have tangible photos to look back on when they are grown,” Brooke shared. “This was a great alternative to traditional scrapbooking, which can be very time-consuming.”

Instead of spending hours with paper and glue, Brooke designs digital photo books that are still deeply personal—and easy to keep up with. Each child gets their own book, filled with photos from “birthday to birthday,” capturing the unique story of their year.

A Simpler Way to Scrapbook—One Book, One Year, One Kid at a Time

While many parents opt for shared family albums, Brooke takes a more individual approach. “I customize them for each kid so that as they grow and they have their own interests, the book focuses on them specifically instead of all their siblings,” she explained.

She designs the cover of each photo book differently, so each child’s set is easy to identify. “Then one day when they move out, they may take all of their books with them and they have all their photos from each year.”

Alongside the individual books, she also creates a larger annual family photo book that tells the story of the year for everyone. “It focuses on the whole family and individuals,” Brooke said. “Yes, this takes a long time, but it is so worth it. I’m a picture lover, so I could not live without these.”

She even goes a step further with themed photo books dedicated to milestones like gender reveals, maternity sessions, newborn portraits, and the day each child was born.

Creating Photo Books with No Words—Just Memories

While many creators use captions or written reflections, Brooke lets the photos speak for themselves. “I did not include any words in my books,” she said. “However, all of the pages are custom and follow a chronological order for that year.”

Each layout is carefully crafted to flow with the rhythm of her family’s life, season by season. It’s part visual diary, part keepsake—and fully unique.

A Mixbook Experience That Inspires

Even as a seasoned photo book maker, Brooke says Mixbook still finds ways to surprise her. “I was surprised by the endless amount of options that Mixbook offers,” she said. “It was a delightful discovery to see how much I could customize my books to fit my vision.”

That flexibility allows her to bring each memory to life exactly how she wants—whether it’s a birthday celebration, a vacation, or a quiet everyday moment.

The Joy of Looking Back

For Brooke, the impact goes far beyond the design process. “My kids absolutely love looking through the photo books,” she said. “It brings a smile to their faces every time they look at pictures of themselves and think of all the memories behind each photo. It’s wonderful to see the joy it brings them.”

And while every book is meaningful, some moments will always hold a special place in her heart.

“The most memorable moments in my books are the ones from the day my children were born,” she shared. “Their birthday books will always be the most special.”

Looking to start a yearly photo book tradition of your own?

Mixbook makes it easy to create custom photo books for kids, personalized family yearbooks, and meaningful gifts that grow with them. Whether you’re documenting your child’s first steps or their senior year, every story deserves a place on your shelf.