There is an art and a science to publishing picture books. I truly believe, as a picture book publisher, that you tap into both sides of your brain: the creative (what should the illustrations look like?) and the analytical (how will that beautiful art be best served in a book?).

As the founder and publisher at The Little Press, I make these decisions on a daily basis. In this article, I will discuss the various business and creative decisions that go into making the best picture book possible, from trim size, to paper treatment, to print runs, and more.

I Can’t Make Movies, but I Can Make Mind-Movies

I always say, while I can’t make movies, I can make mind-movies. As a picture book publisher, I get to ignite the imaginations of children by serving up beautiful art coupled with fantastic stories. To me, reading a picture book isn’t much different from watching your favorite animated TV show. And, as a Saturday morning cartoon kid of the ’80s, I revel in this colorful, and often outlandish, medium. As a children’s book publisher, it’s my job to make books that kids will want to be in front of day after day, just like those thousands of kids in the ’80s glued to their televisions watching the Road Runner outsmart Wiley Coyote. And like those animated TV shows, there is more to making picture books than just acquiring a great story and a talented illustrator. There are myriad production decisions that need to be made to bring it all together into a “something” that kids will want to enjoy over and over again.

Does Size Really Matter?

The trim size of a picture book is one of the many important variables (and decisions) that go into making the perfect illustrated experience. The best trim size for a story is driven by many different factors of the story itself. For example, if a book is about nature and trees, it may be better to opt for a taller trim that will showcase the height of the illustrated trees and the vastness of the natural elements. This was true in our upcoming picture book, Wonder of the Woods, for which we chose an 8.25 x 11.25 trim size. Wonder of the Woods is about a young girl who explores the forest near her home and encounters and interacts with nature. The taller trim size allowed us to showcase the many illustrated trees that serve as a backdrop to the story.

Conversely, for a character driven, humorous picture book, you may opt for a square trim. A square trim allows you to keep the focus more centralized (on the characters themselves) and allows for equal space around the page (for art versus dialogue/text). For our upcoming character-driven picture book, Goat’s Boat Won’t Float, A Goat & Turkey Story, we opted for a 9.5 x 9.5 trim. Goat’s Boat Won’t Float is about the unlikely friendship between a fainting goat and an excitable turkey. The square trim allowed us to keep the focus centered and to give equal space (billing) to both characters.

Another variable that informs trim size is the target age demographic. For example, in our illustrated early reader Bella & Blue, the target demographic are emerging readers in first and second grades. The book is meant to be read independently by this young audience. Because we wanted readers to feel accomplished, as if they were reading a chapter book, we decided against a square trim and, instead, opted for a more rectangular trim, akin to a chapter book or novel. Thus, Bella & Blue has a 5.5 x 8 trim, and the book really does look like a mini novel!

(On a side note of deliberate decisions in the science of making picture books, while all our early readers are professionally leveled by Fountas & Pinell, we chose not to display the leveling on the outside cover. I know firsthand, as a parent and educator, that reluctant and struggling readers dislike forecasting their reading level to their peers and, thus, we purposely place the leveling information on the inside copyright page, a place where no child in their right mind will ever look.)

But I Only Print-On-Demand, and My Trim Sizes Are Limited

Even if you print-on-demand and your trim size menu is limited, you should, nonetheless, be thoughtful in your choice as it relates to your story and illustrations. Working with the previous examples, if you have a story that calls for a taller trim, you might choose the 8.5 x 11 size. And, if you have a character-driven story, you may opt for the 8.5 x 8.5 trim. Note: If you are printing through both KDP and IngramSpark, make sure that whatever trim size you choose is available on both platforms.

Page Treatment Choices

Page treatment is another consideration when printing a picture book. When you offset print, you are given a choice of treatment on the inside illustrated pages, whether you prefer a matte or gloss finish. The story and artwork drive this decision, as well. For example, for a story that already has busy art and/or bright (saturated) colors throughout, it may be best to opt for a matte finish so as not to overwhelm the reader by putting all that brightness and color in gloss. Sometimes too much is just too much. (I have been known to go overboard with the glitter! But more on that later.)

In our upcoming picture book, BroomMates, we opted for a matte interior finish, as the art was already colorful and “popped” off of the page. A gloss finish would have been sensory overload. Conversely, in our picture book SKRUM, we opted for a gloss finish. Even though SKRUM is extremely colorful, the book is meant to be “over the top,” much like a Saturday morning cartoon and, thus, presenting those illustrations with a gloss finish was the cherry on top. (By the way, SKRUM is a character-driven humorous story and, therefore, we chose the trim size of 10.5 x 10.5.)

In making decisions about trim and page treatment, I usually go with my creative gut, but if you are ever unsure, don’t be afraid to do your research. Visit your local bookstore or library, thumb through recent picture books similar to your story or topic, and see the trim and finishes that are used. Pick the one that you enjoy the best!

Print Vendors and Print Runs … Oh My!

You’ve done it! You made a beautiful picture book, you picked the perfect trim size, and you chose all of the right finishes. Congratulations! It’s now time to go to print. As a small publisher, I have experience with printing stateside and overseas, with printing on-demand and printing offset, and in all these scenarios I know one thing for certain: Printing is expensive! If I can be honest with all of you as fellow indies and friends, printing is my least favorite part of this entire process simply because of the cost. As a small publisher, we have only so much money to go around. And after we pay our authors, illustrators, editors, and book designers—all the wonderful people we get to help make a living in this profession—we then take a heaping amount of money and wire it to the print gods. (If my print partners are reading this article, please know that I adore you, but you are an expensive necessary evil!)

Because we have traditional distribution through Baker & Taylor Publisher Services (BTPS), we currently offset print. The great part about offset printing is that we can enhance our books with finishes inside (matte versus gloss) and out (cue the glitter on the cover!), and we can get a lower price per book. The worst part about offset printing is the increased risk of frontloading costs on inventory that you may (or may never) sell.

Before partnering with BTPS, we operated on a print-on-demand model. This model has a higher print per book cost (particularly for picture books), restrictions on trim size and finishes, and, arguably, lower quality compared to offset printing. That said, the biggest benefit with print-on-demand is the little (to no) risk. Print-on-demand allows you to print the book at the time of the order, albeit at a higher cost per book, but you don’t have to shell out thousands of dollars before any copies are ever sold. The print-on-demand model is great for small presses and self-published authors with small budgets because you do not have to spend thousands upfront and run the risk of sitting on unsold inventory (and no profit). If you are operating on a print-on-demand model, I recommend that you publish your picture books in paperback through KDP (Amazon) and in hardcover through IngramSpark.

Let the Credits Roll!

At the end of the day, like your favorite animated TV show, publishing picture books is more than just a good story and beautiful artwork. It’s a kaleidoscope of decisions that, when bound into a book, serves to entertain and bring joy to children (and their caregivers) over and over again. While picture books can be outlandish and silly, it’s a serious business. Take yourself seriously. Know your story, trust your gut, and don’t be afraid to do your research. And always remember, at the end of the day, when the credits roll and those 32 pages come to a close, you are making a difference in children’s lives.

Happy creating, my friends.

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