Just My Size: Favored Dimensions of Picture Book Makers

I always notice bookmakers who favor a particular size for their books – not just for a series, but for their careers.

How/why does this happen?

I imagine the scene goes something like this:

Bookmaker: (Walks in to the offices of a major publisher, finished picture book art under arm) I make books this big. (Slaps art down on desk of publishing head honcho) Deal.

Head Honcho: Yes ma’am/sir.¹

Here are some author/illustrators who tend² to think in specific dimensions:

Patricia Polacco

Size: Vertical Golden Rectangle

Polacco is maybe the best example of a bookmaker sticking to a trim size.

David Wiesner

Size: Cinematic Widescreen

Except for Sector 7, the Wies-man likes to go for the panoramic.

David Shannon

Size: Tall & Sturdy

All the No David books are the same size (naturally), but many of Shannon’s others share the same size as well.

Jon Agee

Size: Tall and Lean

Agee’s books vary slightly, but most of them are on the tall and narrow side.

Kevin Henkes

Size: Uniform Height, Varying Width

I didn’t realize Henkes could fit with this group until I started looking for this post. Henkes often uses the same height for his books, but with widths that range from square to more rectangular.

Dr. Seuss

Size: The Godfather Rectangle

A leader in the uniform trim size game, Seuss preferred the tall rectangle for his picture books.

Jon Klassen

Size: Knock It Down, Stand It Up Rectangle

Did you notice this? All three books in the Hat trilogy are the exact same size, but with a different perspective (portrait, landscape, portrait).

Any others out there?

¹I know this isn’t how things go.

²I repeat: tend. I think all the folks on this list have broken out of their own mold at least once or twice.

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