Natalia Méndez explains the different categories used for children’s books in the world of publishing
When it comes to illustrating or publishing a children’s book, understanding its category will help you to plan your project, not only in terms of content but also the format, illustration style, typography, as well as other factors relating to the editing process. All of this will help define what type of book you want to publish.
Categories are also useful when choosing books and deciding on the direction in which you want to take the project. On the publishing side, you’re thinking not just about the content, but also more technical questions to do with the physical object itself–the shape of the book, the front cover, the design, and more. These steps may seem like a small part of the process but, in the world of publishing, they are vital.
To better understand the differences, Natalia Méndez (@natumendez)–a children’s book editor and writer–talks us through the main categories for children’s book:
Books for babies and young infants: Small books that can be explored by small hands with little mobility. The pages might be made from card or some other thick material that can be easily turned or even put in the reader’s mouth or bitten or sucked.
