“Stories are the most powerful teaching tool we have and now, you can create a fully illustrated, narrated one in minutes.”
What’s New?
Google’s Gemini has just introduced a feature called Storybook, and it has the potential to completely change how teachers create and share resources. In just minutes, you can have a 10–12 page, fully illustrated storybook complete with audio narration and the option to upload your own pictures, illustrations, and files. Yes, it sound a bit gimmicky and to some it will be. But many times before I was in need of just this! A storybook that dealt with a specific theme or in a language that fits and did not have the time to walk to the library and find a picture book for my class at the moment. Will it replace storybooks in class.
NO!!! Absolutely not, and if you ever get to visit my classroom you’ll see I have book sin every corner! That is not changing, if anything it supplements the use of stories.
This isn’t just a novelty tool. It’s a practical, time-saving way to make resources that resonate with learners, whether you’re creating:
- A whimsical tale for a Year 1 class
- A personalised social story for an individual pupil
- A multilingual science explanation
- A project that blends student art with AI illustration
Here is an example of such a generated story with the prompt: “A whimsical tale about a little dormouse exploring the big city of Bangkok, she meets a helpful cat who introduces her to a Monitor lizard and they all become friends.”
Link: https://g.co/gemini/share/4132ddeb7533
Why This Matters for Education
Storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful ways to teach. It connects learners emotionally, helps them remember concepts for longer, and can make even the most complex ideas accessible.
Traditionally, producing professional-looking illustrated books took hours, days, if not weeks, and often required software skills many teachers don’t have. Gemini Storybook changes that:
- Illustrations for every page are generated instantly in the style you want.
- Cohesive, level-appropriate text is written based on your prompt and goals.
- Narration in multiple voices and languages is included. (Availability will change and increase over time)
- Your own content (photos, student drawings, scans) can be added for a truly personal touch.
This last part has been a game-changer for me personally. I’ve made books that blend Gemini’s illustrations with drawings my own children have made, scanned in and placed alongside the AI art. I’ve also taken real photos such as local landmarks for geography lessons, and woven them into the story to make the learning place-based and relevant.
Classroom Ideas
💡 Social Stories & Routines – Help new students settle in with a “Welcome to Our Class” book featuring actual classroom photos and your own illustrations. (In our case this is our class name ‘The Red Pandas’, and believe it or not Red Panda picture books are hard to come by.
💡 Curriculum Concepts – Teach the water cycle, photosynthesis, or ancient civilizations in story form, mixing AI art with diagrams or photos you already use in lessons.
💡 Language Learning – Produce home language books with matching narration for support.
💡 Student Publishing – Let students write stories, then bring them to life with a mix of their own illustrations and Gemini’s art styles.
💡 Parent Communication – Send home themed books linked to current topics so parents can join the learning journey. (Always check before you send, it is AI after all!)
💡 Local History & Geography – Upload your own photos of local places and make them central to a story, helping children build a connection to their community.
Here is an example of me prompting Gemini with a follow up prompt asking to create a similar story but in Thai Language: And yes the narration still works: https://g.co/gemini/share/01e41174ddbd
Step-by-Step: Creating a Storybook
On Desktop
- Go to gemini.google.com and sign in.
- Click Storybook in the left menu (or Explore Gems if you don’t see it).
- Enter a clear prompt. Example:“Create a 12-page illustrated storybook for 8-year-olds about the water cycle, in a friendly cartoon style, narrated in a calm British voice.”
- (Optional) Upload files: student drawings, diagrams, or photos of real places.
- Click Submit and wait for the book to generate.
On Mobile
- Open the Gemini app.
- Menu → Storybook (or find it under Explore Gems).
- Type your prompt and add any files.
- Tap Submit, then Open when the title appears.
Narration: Don’t Skip It
One of the best parts of Gemini Storybook is its built-in narration. After your story is generated:
- Tap the speaker icon to hear it read aloud.
- You can change the voice to suit your audience (younger children often respond well to warmer, slower voices).
- The narration works in different languages — brilliant for EAL learners or language classes.
I would use this in class both for shared reading and listening stations, and it adds another layer of accessibility for students who need auditory input alongside visuals.
Example Prompts for Teachers
Here’s a few prompts to get you started:
- EYFS: “Create an illustrated picture book for 4-year-olds about two penguins learning to share an ice slide. Use simple language, bright colours, and a warm, friendly voice for narration.”
- Science (KS2): “Write an illustrated story for 9-year-olds explaining photosynthesis as a conversation between a sunflower and a bee. Use a cheerful tone and include diagrams.”
- History: “Make a story about the Great Fire of London for 7-year-olds, with illustrations mixing historical accuracy and fun character moments.”
- Languages: “Create a French-English bilingual picture book about a dog exploring Paris, narrated in both languages.”
- Geography: “Tell the story of a raindrop travelling from a Welsh mountain to the sea, illustrated with real photographs of rivers and valleys alongside art.”
- Student Work: “Take these scanned student drawings of space scenes and weave them into a narrated story about an astronaut’s first day on Mars.”
Tips for the Best Results
✅ Be specific in your prompt; style, age group, tone, and purpose all matter.
✅ Blend media; don’t just rely on AI art, bring in your own class content.
✅ Check narration for clarity, pace, and tone.
✅ Link to your curriculum so stories are meaningful beyond just entertainment.
✅ Make it collaborative; let students help craft prompts and see their input in the finished book.
Sharing & Printing
When your book is ready, you can:
- Share a view-only link (note: Workspace users will need a personal account to create). This may change in the future. (At this time, Google Workspace business and education users cannot share storybooks. However, if a user with a personal account shares a link to a storybook, Workspace users will be able to open it, but they cannot take additional actions, such as asking Gemini to refine the content. )
- Print or PDF the story for physical copies or offline reading.
- Play narration in class for group listening.
- Refine instantly; you can tweak tone, vocabulary, or images without starting from scratch.
Some Final Thoughts
Gemini Storybook is more than just an AI experiment, it’s a practical tool for busy teachers that makes creating engaging, personalised, and professional-looking resources simple.
By combining AI-generated art, built-in narration, and your own real-world or student-created content, you can produce books that truly connect with your learners, both in content and in style.
If you’ve been on the fence about using AI in your classroom, this is one of the easiest and most rewarding starting points I’ve found. So what are you waiting for, start your story here: https://gemini.google/overview/storybook/
This article was first published on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/eduflip