25 Trends in Publishing: Board Books Vs. Picture

About the column: A handful of agents and interns who work with Cyle have learned the latest and (sometimes so, sometimes not so) greatest trends in publishing right now. Tune in each week to find out what’s trending, ranging from ABA to CBA, children’s to adult. The authors of these columns have included social media tags at the end to keep up with trends they are finding. They can also be found here. 

Trend #1 of 25: Board Books (Versus Picture Books)

Contributor: Megan Burkhart

It can be incredibly difficult to predict trends in the publishing industry, as readers wants are always changing. It can feel like shifting tides or a pendulum swinging from one extreme to another.

Trying to stay on top of all the rapidly changing information can be exhausting, which is why agents frequently research and ask editors what they’re looking for. Today, I am going to discuss some research done in the children’s market, specifically board books vs. picture books.

What’s the difference between a board book and a picture book? Great question! This can be confusing at times.

A board book is geared toward very young readers (ages 0-3). These are the hard-back books perfect for babies to hold and slobber on. Word counts are usually shorter (1-2 manuscript pages), and the words are simpler. Any of those novelty books you see on the shelves that include a lift-the-flap feature, scratch and sniff, or sound effects are board books.

A picture book, on the other hand, is geared toward slightly older readers (ages 4-8). Think early elementary school. These books strongly depend on illustrations to enrich the text. The text itself will be longer than a board book. A typical picture book is 24 or 32 pages, which equates to 12 or 16 spreads.

Breaking into the children’s book market can be tough because it’s competitive. However, it’s not impossible. If you have a great story that’s well-written, most agents and publishers will give you a chance.

If you want to break into this area of the publishing industry, consider starting with a board book. Now, I’m not saying that because it’s short and easy to write. On the contrary, children’s books are extremely hard to write and being succinct with your words is part of that difficulty.

I encourage you to write a board book because that’s what the market is looking for right now. Picture books are expensive to make with their full color pages—it’s a lot of ink! Printing costs are high, so if you’re a new author, publishers might not want to risk the book not selling well. Board books are a lot less expensive to produce, so your chances of publication are better.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule and every trend, so try some things out. You may find that board books are your cup of tea. But if your heart is dead set on writing a picture book, by all means follow what you’re passionate about.

Publishers’ needs are varied. Do some of your own research and find where your book fits. Always keep your audience in mind as you write. It’s not the agents and editors, though you must wow them with your concept! Your audience is ultimately the children whose lives will be impacted by your words.

Hope this information is helpful for you! Check back next week to stay updated on the latest trends in publishing.

Megan Lynne Burkhart is an intern for Cyle Young and a professional writing student at Taylor University. She loves YA Fantasy and Children’s Books, and she believes being a princess is hard work. She hasn’t found her frog prince yet, and she still secretly loves the color pink, although Lake Michigan blue is a close second. You can find out more about her at meganlynneauthor.weebly.com.