Book Formats & What They Mean

I was recently asked about the difference between a "Paperback Book" and a "Mass Market Paperbound" book. I figured that if there is one person asking that question then I am sure there are plenty others out there that are wondering the same thing. SO....... Here you go.....

There are 3 basic basic book formats, and they are Hardcover, Paperback, and Mass Market Paperbound. (Of course from there there are a few others that have been added to the mix over the years)

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Hardcover-- Hardcover books (also known as "Casebound or Hardbound") books usually have book covers that are much sturdier then Paperback books.They are  mainly made from thick cardboard that is wrapped in some cloth. With the Hardcover books, the pages can be either glued or sewn into the spine. By doing this, it gives the spine more flexability so that the book can lay flat when opened. The books title and the author's name are usually stamped onto the cloth binding. Hardcover books typically come wrapped in a dust jacket that is usually accompanied with some form of artwork. Hardcover sizes vary widely in the US, but generally the size of these books tends to fall somewhere between 6 x 9 in and 8.5 x 11 in

Jesus Calling for Christmas, Padded Hardcover, with Full Scriptures--Take a few minutes during the holidays to savor the joys and peace of the season with this beautiful Christmas edition of Jesus Calling devotions. This heartwarming compilation of devotions comes from Sarah Young's bestselling brand. With 50 seasonally themed selections in Jesus Calling(R) for Christmas, you'll find devotions that include:

 Format-Hardcover

 

Buy Now- $19.99

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Paperback-- Paperback books (also known as "Soft Cover or Perfect-Bound") books usually have the book cover made from paperboard or a very thick stock, and the pages are also attached to the binding with glue. When we talk about paperbacks, it usually refers to Trade Paperbacks, which are the 8x5, 9x6, or 5.5x8.5. Made to easily hold in the hand and are quiet flexiable.

 

Credence (Paper Format)-- From New York Times bestselling author, Penelope Douglas, comes a new standalone Three of them, one of her, and a remote cabin in the woods.

Let the hot, winter nights ensue...Tiernan de Haas doesn't care about anything anymore. The only child of a film producer and his starlet wife, she's grown up with wealth and privilege but not love or guidance. Shipped off to boarding schools from an early age, it was still impossible to escape the loneliness and carve out a life of her own. The shadow of her parents' fame followed her everywhere. And when they suddenly pass away, she knows she should be devastated. 

Buy Now- $25.99

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Mass Market Paperbound-- A mass market paperback book (MMPB), or simply mass paperback (laso known as a pocketbook or pocket edition) is a mass-produced book that is typically small with thin paper covers and relatively low-quality pages to keep printing costs down. They also have smaller font sizes, smaller spaces between lines, and the pages are attached to the binding with glue. They are usually smaller size overall (4x6 or 7 inches in the United States)

Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids about Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!-- It's been nearly 25 years since Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad first made waves in the Personal Finance arena. It has since become the #1 Personal Finance book of all time... translated into dozens of languages and sold around the world. Rich Dad Poor Dad is Robert's story of growing up with two dads -- his real father and the father of his best friend, his rich dad -- and the ways in which both men shaped his thoughts about money and investing. The book explodes the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich and explains the difference between working for money and having your money work for you. 

Buy Now- $10.99  (Mass Market Paperbound)

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Library Binding--  Library binding is a way to increase the life of books and periodicals used in libraries. This is done by sewing the pages in place and by reinforcing the spine for each volume. The goal of library binding is long-term preservation, which usually means more expensive then other formats. For example this book in paperback format goes for around $10.99

Weird But True Gross: 300 Slimy, Sticky, and Smelly Facts--  Get ready to be grossed out -- in a good way This latest addition to the crazy popular Weird but True series is slimy and sticky and jam-packed with more icky, zany fun Step up to the plate and try not to lose your lunch, with 300 all-new, amazing facts plus photos that kids just can't get enough of.

Format-Library Binding

Buy Now- $29.99           

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Ebook-- An ebook (short for electronic book), also known as an e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices, such as portable ebook reading devices or PDA's.

DID YOU KNOW:  Back in 1971, Michael S. Hart launched "Project Gutenberg" (the worlds oldest digital library), and digitized the U.S. Declaration of Independence, becoming the first eBook in the world.

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Audiobook-- An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. It is usually recorded on a compact disks (CDs) or stored as MP3 files, and even sometimes recorded on vinyl.

The Golden Couple-- The Golden Couple is the next electrifying audiobook from Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo behind You Are Not Alone, An Anonymous Girl, and The Wife Between Us. If Avery Chambers can’t fix you in 10 sessions, she won’t take you on as a client. Her successes are phenomenal―she helps people overcome everything from domineering parents to assault―and almost absorbs the emptiness she sometimes feels since her husband’s death.

Buy Now- $41.99    Format CD

DID YOU KNOW:  Audiobooks first emerged in 1932 with the establishment of a recording studio by The American Foundation for the Blind, which created recordings of books on vinyl records. Each side held about 15 minutes of speech

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Miniature Book--In general terms, a miniature book is defined as being no larger than 4" in any dimension. In most of the United States, only books under 3" are classified as a miniature. The Library of Congress is a bit more generous and includes books up to 12 cm in height. You can find them in all catagories of books.

 

Harry Potter: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Tiny Book)- Explore Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with this collectible tiny art book featuring facts and art from the Harry Potter films. Go behind the scenes of the beloved Harry Potter films and discover all things Hogwarts! Meet students and teachers, explore the castle and grounds, and learn everything there is to know about the famous school of magic and its history on-screen. One of a new line of collectible pocket-size art books on the Harry Potter films, this book about Hogwarts features exciting artwork and behind-the-scenes facts in a fun, readable miniature size. Fans can choose their favorites or collect them all!

Buy Now- $11.99   Size: 2.10h x 1.70w x 0.80d

DID YOU KNOW: Teeny Ted from Turnip Town (2007), published by Robert Chaplin, is certified by Guinness World Records as the world's smallest reproduction of a printed book. It cost a whooping $15,000 to produce.

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Oversized Books-- Oversized books are the coffee table books you often see used as decorations. These come in larger book sizes and tend to contain images of art, architecture, or landscapes. Photography collections are standard in this format as it allows the photograph to show clearly. Cookbooks can also come in large formats, containing images within the recipes. While the sizes of oversized books vary, these are almost always at least 10 inches wide. As a result, they tend to be quite heavy and have a hard book cover with a dust jacket.

Big Board Books Colors, Abc, Numbers-- Bright Baby Colors, ABC, Numbers from bestselling children's book author and educator Roger Priddy
- Introduces three key first concepts: letters, number, and colors
- Helps babies and toddlers to build their early vocabulary
- Large, colorful and sturdy format to withstand repeated learning fun Kids will love turning the pages of this book, again and again.

Buy Now- $10.95  Size: 10.70h x 10.80w x 0.60d

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Photo Books-- Photo books are typically non-fiction books that strongly showcase an artist’s photographic work. These can be cookbooks or books that show photographs of a location or even artwork. Photo books are typically larger than fiction books because they need to showcase the photographs they contain. They rarely have a standard size. Because photo books are designed to showcase photography, they often have a binding that allows them to lie flat when open. This binding may be spiral for recipe photo books to make it easier to turn the pages and find a recipe.

Wanda E. Brunstetter's Amish Friends No Waste Cookbook: More Than 270 Recipes Help Stretch a Food Budget-- When times are hard, the family budget gets tighter. Do you struggle with feeding your family as the cost of everything rises? This cookbook is designed to help. New, from New York Times bestselling author of Amish fiction, Wanda E. Brunstetter, is a valuable cookbook for when times are hard and costs are on the rise. Amish and Mennonite cooks offer recipes and advice for saving money, stretching a meal, and eliminating waste in the kitchen.

Buy Now- $19.23  Format: Spiral

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Childerns Books-- Children’s books tend to be more significant to allow for illustrations in between the text. A small 5-inch by 8-inch size is standard, but so is a larger 10-inch by 8-inch size. A children’s book’s vertical orientation will likely measure 7 inches by 10 inches. Square trim sizes are also possible in the children’s book world. Keep in mind that books designed for children often have non-standard formatting. This helps them stand out as booksellers.

The Night Before Christmas - With Fold-Out Decoration (Classic Children's Books)-- "'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse..." Laughing Elephant's version of The Night Before Christmas is the quintessential version of this Christmas classic. With beautiful pictures, classic text, and pull-out pictures, this book is the perfect choice for Christmas this year. This version retains the iconic Santa illustrations of great illustrator Ethel Hays. Her Santa is the archetypal jolly old man who has brought the Christmas spirit to America for decades. 

Buy Now- $19.99  Size: 0.5" H x 10.9" L x 8.3" W 

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So....That’s a quick look at some of the common formats for books used today. And yes, there are still other book formats out there, such as, Manuscript, Folio, Octavo, Pamplet, etc. Not to mention that other countries have their own unique formats as well.  

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