Children are more apt to choose a book if the design includes vibrant colors.
In the vast changing world of media, design is a way to hook young readers and enhance books in print. Books are often associated with emotional milestones in a child's life and pictures give children practice in visual literacy. Graphic design and illustration play a very important role in books for young readers because they are often what prompts them to pick the book up to begin with.
The Front Cover
One of the most important selling components to a book -- the cover -- is usually what attracts young readers with it's vibrant colors and fun characters. Most booksellers believe the cover is the most important component of books today. Most publishers will design a book cover for you, or will hire an illustrator. Print-on-demand publishers often allow you to design your own. An average person spends only 8 seconds looking at the front cover and 15 seconds on the back.
If children do not like the cover, they probably won't read your book. The title of the book; size and clarity of the text; the size of the book itself; and colors used are factors that determine the effect on a child. The title should be clear and represent the book in a concise manner to young people. The cover design should give a young reader a reason to choose your book instead of another. This should also be the poster you use to promote and advertise the book. Often children will see an advertisement in a magazine or on television and want the book, not because they know what it's about, but rather because they are attracted to the character or colors used.
Determine what colors attract the most readers and if they are appropriate to the style of your book. Larger books with loads of colors on the cover are most attractive to children. Place a few different young people's books together and look at them. Take note of which sizes and colors attract your attention best. A good rule of thumb is that a title should be readable from six feet away.
The Back Cover
With the average person spending 15 seconds looking at the back cover of a book, what exists on the back cover needs to effectively sell the book. A young person looks at the back cover because they want the book and want to know what the book is about and how it will entertain them. A parent wants to know that the book is suitable for their child. Descriptive text, blurbs, author biographical data and other information on the back cover will help both parents and children decide whether or not to buy your book.
Importance of Picture Books
Parents often overlook what picture books can do for young minds. Children need to have the visual literacy to peruse stories and books that are more advanced. For example, a version of the Three Little Pigs or Cinderella can begin with a simple picture book that is read to them at a young age; as they grow, they can move on to more advanced books that depict these stories in a more mature light. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's account of fairy tales in their book "Into the Woods" is much more advanced than the romanticized versions from Walt Disney and various other sources. The critical-thinking skills needed to understand more mature versions of our favorite tales are strengthened through reading and rereading picture books. This joy children find in the design of beloved books they read over and over again will help strengthen their reading and vocabulary skills.
The Future of Book Design
We learn from PJ Haarsma's first book, "Orbis," a science fiction novel for pre-teenagers, that describing the planetary system where the story takes place wasn't enough. He also designed the video game to further engage children in reading. The multimedia platform is sweeping the world one book, magazine, video, blog and live chat at a time. Combing the world of print with interactive tools and media is the newest sensation to keep young minds reading in the twenty-first century. The online game Mr. Haarsma designed extends the fictional world of his book to allow readers to play in it, giving young people an incentive to read. These incentives to entice children to read are the future of print media and design. Design of book covers are now delving into the world of gamers, becoming more alive and vibrant, maybe even 3D. This platform is becoming as important as proficiency in print, because libraries, schools and publishers are exploring incorporate video games and gaming tournaments to promote scholastic achievement among young people.
