Hardcover 8×8, gloss
8 × 8 in, 20–160 pages, in steps of 2
from $6.60
$3.60 + $0.15 a page, $0.11 on Pro
Printing a children's book
A picture book lives or dies on its pictures, so the size, the page count and the file setup matter more than the paper. Here is how to choose them, what each costs, and how to check one copy before you order more.
From $4.80 a copy, before shipping
Sizes and prices
Prices per copy, the same at any quantity. Each order adds handling, shipping and any sales tax.
Specs and templates
Hardcover 9×9, matte
9 × 9 in, 20–160 pages, in steps of 2
from $6.80
$3.60 + $0.16 a page, $0.12 on Pro
Softcover 9×9, matte
9 × 9 in, 20–160 pages, in steps of 2
from $4.80
$1.60 + $0.16 a page, $0.12 on Pro
Hardcover 11×8.5 landscape, matte
11 × 8.5 in, 20–160 pages, in steps of 2
from $7.00
$3.60 + $0.17 a page, $0.13 on Pro
Worked prices
Worked out from the price list, at Starter prices. Each order adds $1.50 for handling, and shipping and any sales tax are added when you order.
32-page Hardcover 8×8, gloss
a first copy of a picture book, to check before ordering more
$8.40 a copy, $7.12 on Pro. One copy: $8.40, plus $1.50 handling.
32-page Softcover 9×9, matte
a softcover for a classroom or a launch
$6.72 a copy, $5.44 on Pro. 25 copies: $168.00 for the books, plus $1.50 handling.
40-page Hardcover 9×9, matte
a longer hardcover picture book
$10.00 a copy, $8.40 on Pro. 100 copies: $1,000.00 for the books, plus $1.50 handling.
Setting up your files
- Hardcover 8×8, gloss: export each page at 8.25 in × 8.25 in, the 8 in × 8 in trim plus 0.125 in of bleed on every edge.
- Keep text and faces 0.25 in inside the trim, and 0.5 in from the bound edge, the gutter.
- 20–160 pages, in steps of 2.
- The cover is one page: back, spine and front side by side. Its width depends on the spine, and the spine on your page count; the product page has a calculator for it.
- Send every page as a single page, in reading order, not as two-page spreads. A picture across two pages is two pages in your file, and the middle has to line up.
- Run any picture that touches the edge out into the bleed, and keep words well inside the margin and away from the gutter, where the pages curve into the binding.
- Pictures print sharply at 300 dpi at the size they print. A small image stretched across a page will look soft.
- Embed your fonts. A font that isn't embedded can change when we open the file.
Every product has its own page with exact sizes, templates and a file checker. See all products.
Which size suits a picture book
Square books, 8 × 8 and 9 × 9, are the classic picture-book shape: a picture fills the page and nothing is cropped to fit. The landscape 11 × 8.5 gives a wide scene room, and suits a story that moves across the page.
The 8 × 8, 9 × 9 and 11 × 8.5 are all available as hardcover. The 9 × 9 and the 11 × 8.5 also come as softcover, which costs less and weighs less to post.
How many pages
We print 20 to 160 pages, in steps of 2. A short picture book fits comfortably; a longer illustrated story or a chapter book with pictures has room too. Count the cover separately: your interior is the pages inside.
- Plan your pages as pairs, because a book is made of sheets with a page on each side.
- If your story needs an odd number of pages, finish with a page for a dedication or a note about the author.
Check one copy first
Colors on a screen are lit from behind and print is not, so the same picture can look different on paper. There is no minimum order and the price per copy is the same for one copy as for a hundred, so order one, hold it, and fix what you see before you print a run.
- Printed in New JerseyOne plant in Princeton Junction, so every copy comes off the same presses.
- Ships in 5 business daysTracked across the US and Canada, under your name.
- We reprint it freeIf a copy is misprinted or misbound, tell us within 30 days.
- Part of ECSThe yearbook printer behind Entourage, Picaboo and RememberMe Yearbooks.
Questions
How many pages should a children's book have?
That is up to your story. We print 20 to 160 pages in steps of 2, so a short picture book and a longer illustrated story both fit. The worked prices above show what a few page counts cost.
Hardcover or softcover for a children's book?
A hardcover stands up to being dropped, read and re-read, which is why most picture books have one. A softcover costs less and suits a classroom set or a first print run.
Can I print just one copy to check it?
Yes. There is no minimum order, and a copy costs the same whether you print one or many, so ordering one to check the colors and the page order costs you only that copy.
Does a full-color book cost more than a black-and-white one?
No. Every page prints in full color at the same price, so a book with a picture on every page costs the same as one with a few.
Can I sell the books I print?
Yes. Partners print books to sell, and the shipping label carries your name. We add nothing to your books, no logos and no codes.
Can you give my book an ISBN or put it in bookstores?
No. We print and ship the books you order; we don't supply ISBNs and we don't place books with bookstores or retail catalogs. If you plan to sell through bookshops, you would arrange an ISBN and distribution yourself.
How long does it take?
Orders ship within 5 business days from Princeton Junction, New Jersey. Choose standard or express to the US and Canada, or overnight within the US, and every parcel is tracked.
Your first books are on us.
Start on Starter with a 30-day trial and $50 of print credit. Print a few copies, hold them, then decide.