Editor Parents often put in a lot of effort to research which book is right for their child at which age. And rightly so, because an age-appropriate book definitely makes the reading experience a whole lot different.
But what about the TYPE of book format? Isn’t it important to gauge the readiness of your child to be an independent reader? The answer is YES it is!
Picking the right book format – softcover or hardcover – and transitioning to another can be tricky for some kids. That is precisely why we at Zooboo offer a wide choice in the type of book you’d like for your child.
Let us guide you on which Zooboo book format is best suited for your child!
- Reading WITH parents
Recommended: 5.5”x5.5” HARDCOVER
When your child is reading along with you, they are probably a little young. The hardbound pages help them gain the confidence to flip a book on their own. And since you’re mostly reading to/with them, the 5.5”x5.5” works perfectly fine at this stage.
- Starting to read with AND without parents
Recommended: 8”x8” HARDCOVER
You can gradually transition to the large size book as they will start to want to read parts of the book on their own so the larger font & illustrations will help here. Since you can start leaving them alone with their book, it is important to keep the book in hardcover format.
- Transitioning from hardcover to softcover
Recommended: Upgrade to a ‘waterproof LUSTRE’ finish
To make this jump as accident-free as possible, you can upgrade your softcover books to a premium waterproof paper with a lustre finish. This paper quality will provide your child with a lot of sturdiness while they flip pages on their own with or without supervision.
- Transition to becoming an independent reader
Recommended: 8”x8” SOFTCOVER
While you will always continue to read together with your child, you can gradually encourage your child to read books on their own, in their free time. At this stage, you can move to a softcover book BUT we advise a 8”x8” book size. The bigger page size enables kids to move pages freely. You can always opt for the premium lustre page finish for this size as well.
- Independent readers
Recommended: 5.5”x5.5” SOFTCOVER
Your independent young reader can now definitely graduate to a softcover book format without any hesitations! The 5.5”x5.5” size is handy, easy to carry anywhere and lightweight enough to make it the perfect travel companion.
All Zooboo books have rounded edges for child safety. In general, hardcover books work well for younger kids and for those who love to carry books on-the-go. Softcover books are fine for older kids and for those looking for an inexpensive option!
Zooboo recommended size for ALL kids: 8”x8” HARDCOVER. Because afterall, a book in which your child is the HERO of the story should be preserved as a keepsake forever right!? 😀
