Most children's books are printed with exquisite pictures, which not only attract children to read, but also help children understand the fun of the story. At the same time, sales of children's board book are also growing. Are you interested in self-publishing board book writing? To help you get started, here are some top guides on setting up and printing children's board books.

1. Board Book Length: Consider Spread, Not Pages

When you open a board book, it starts with a 2-page spread. Page 1 is the left page (on the back of the cover). Page 2 is the right page facing page 1. The last page of the board book is the right page (on the back of the back cover).

When setting up your board book design, select facing pages in your layout software. When generating a PDF for printing, select "Spread" to generate the final print file.

2. Blackboard size: Consider to be small, Not big

Self-publishing custom board books mean that you are targeting children between the ages of 1 and 4. Keep the book size small so toddlers can hold and manipulate board books more easily. Smaller page sizes also allow younger eyes to focus on one main image/concept per page.

The average size of a board book is about 6 x 6 inches square. (We printed this size board book most)

3. Board Book Stock: Think Paper Board, Not Paper

Board books are made of sturdy cardboard called cardboard, not paper, to withstand the wear and tear that babies and toddlers love to do to their "stuff."

There are two main types of cardboard used for board book printing:

Gray board is pressed cardboard made of gray fibers and a white laminated surface.

Whiteboards (aka white art boards) are pressed paper boards made of white fibers and a white laminated surface. It is higher quality and more expensive than gray board.

You can tell by looking at the edge of the board from the top or side of the board book. Whiteboards will have white edges, while gray boards will have gray edges.

Paperboard is usually specified in gsm (grams per square meter). The higher the number, the thicker the cardboard. Typically, 350 gsm to 400 gsm is thick enough to resist bending, chewing and throwing.

4. Board Book Covers: Consider Self Covers, Not Separate Covers

The cover of the blackboard book is usually made of the same drawing board as the text, which is called a self-cover.

When specifying spreads/page counts in your blackboard, you do not need to include the cover page in your spread count.

The cover design is prepared in a separate file, with the back, spine and cover put together.

Once you confirm the board type and number of spreads for your board book, we provide a cover template to set up your artwork with the correct spine width and bleed size easily.