Children’s Book Printing: Showcasing Quality, Creativity, and Collaboration
An informative 5 minute read.
At Ex Why Zed, children’s book printing is more than just a technical service—it’s a deeply creative endeavour that merges imaginative storytelling with expert craftsmanship. Whether you’re an author, illustrator, or an independent creator looking to self publish a book, each children’s title that comes through our doors is treated with care and precision. We understand that printing a children’s book isn’t merely about getting ink on paper; it’s about building stories that captivate, educate, and endure.
To help you make informed print choices when you self publish a book, we’ve analysed and dissected a series of recent children’s book printing projects. Across hardbacks, paperbacks, and stapled booklets, our goal is to showcase the breadth of printing possibilities and the winning design decisions that can transform a manuscript and illustrations into a truly impactful reader experience. Below, you’ll find detailed insights into each project, complete with the nuances that made them shine.
Where Are You Going Today?
Read our Children's Book printing series case study here
The “Where Are You Going Today?” series—featuring Summer Tractor, Christmas Tractor, and Excavator—exemplifies clever print design anchored in a perfect bound children’s book format. Each title taps into distinct seasonal themes, which keeps audiences returning year after year. Beyond the appealing illustrations, the standout choice was a landscape orientation and a gloss-laminated cover—both decisions that instantly evoke a sense of quality while protecting against spills and sticky fingers. Inside, uncoated text pages make the colours appear soft and inviting, perfectly suited to a younger readership.
Crucially, the binding depth and page layout were designed to accommodate large, playful illustrations without overwhelming the text. Bright imagery paired with clean, readable typography keeps the storyline engaging for children. This series is also a testament to how seasonal hooks can foster ongoing reader curiosity. As summer blends into winter festivities and back to everyday adventure, the print choices—like gloss-laminated covers—ensure each book remains sturdy through repeated reads, while the uncoated stock inside gives parents and children a tactile reading experience.
Hurricane Brain
Read the full Hurricane Brain case study here
Hurricane Brain tackles a sensitive subject—loss and bereavement—through a thoughtful blend of emotive artwork and carefully chosen finishes. Opting for a perfect bound children’s book gave the project a polished feel, enhanced by a softly textured matte lamination on the cover that gently sets the book’s gentle, contemplative tone. Inside, uncoated paper stock was used to bring depth and warmth to the subdued colour palette, mirroring the emotional weight of the storyline. This design choice allowed the illustrations and text to breathe, showing sensitivity to the book’s difficult theme.
The print specification intentionally centred on user experience. Wider margins around the text and ample white space were incorporated to ensure the layout felt calming and not visually overwhelming for a child dealing with grief. The interior spreads underscore how a carefully balanced approach—e.g., combining child-friendly typography with earnest, hand-drawn images—can help children process heavy topics. The production approach demonstrates how an empathetic design and finishing method can be instrumental in creating books that guide readers through challenging emotional journeys.
Rose Loses Her Nose
Read the full Rose Loses Her Nose case study here
“Rose Loses Her Nose” captures the quintessential heart of a self-published children’s book by balancing budget considerations with a polished outcome. The client chose a heavier cover stock to give the book a sturdy, “grown-up” feel while retaining lighter silk pages inside, ensuring the overall weight remained manageable. This thoughtful binding decision gave the story a real sense of identity—it feels more like a treasured keepsake than a flimsy booklet.
The print design pivots around child-friendly illustrations and typefaces that exude warmth. The covers were colour-matched meticulously to maintain vibrancy, a vital detail that ensures the titular “nose” stands out among the pastel backgrounds. Meanwhile, perfect binding accommodates enough pages to showcase large illustrations alongside the text without compromising structural integrity. The result is a cherished children’s book that looks and feels professional, effectively dispelling any preconceived notions about self-publish quality.
Kittiwake Kingdom
Read our Kittiwake Kingdom case study here
“Kittiwake Kingdom: Fliff-Miffle’s Escape” is a prime example of how going the extra mile with a casebound solution can generate a strong “wow” factor. By wrapping a vibrant cover illustration around greyboard and finishing it with matt lamination, this project immediately stands out on the shelf. The decision to include 4pp printed endpapers further enhances the sense of immersion. Upon opening, readers are greeted with thematic designs that hint at the story’s whimsical realm—a triumph of cohesive, thorough design.
Inside, the choice of uncoated paper adds textural depth, which, in turn, intensifies the colours of the lively illustrations. This format gives readers a tangible connection to the magical world, while the robust binding ensures the book can handle repeated reading without wear. By merging attractive casebound engineering with meticulous artistic vision, the creators of “Kittiwake Kingdom” have turned a children’s story into something bordering on collector’s-item quality—demonstrating how premium materials can elevate a project to new heights.
Duffy’s Lucky Escape
Read the inspiring Duffy The Sea Turtle case study here
“Duffy’s Lucky Escape” stands out for its stapled children’s book printing approach (wire-stitched binding), proving short-run booklets can still look polished and impactful. The authors made the clever decision to apply gloss lamination just to the cover’s exterior, creating an appealing shine that reflects underwater light for their sea turtle tale. Internally, a silk paper finish provides clarity to the oceanic colour scheme, allowing each page to pop with aquatic life and environmental messaging.
This booklet has secured national publicity, not just for its engaging narrative but also for its durable, kid-friendly format. Wire-stitched spines are a great fit for stories under 40 pages, particularly when you want to keep costs manageable without sacrificing quality. The vivid artwork connects with children on an emotional level, and the straightforward, staple-bound structure ensures easy page turns—crucial for school readings and environmental awareness campaigns. Overall, the design underscores how short, focused children’s books can remain visually compelling.
Nippy the Baby Crocodile
Read our Nippy The Baby Crocodile case study here
“Nippy the Baby Crocodile” takes the durability of a hardback design to heart, combining 170gsm silk pages with a matt-laminated cover for a sturdy yet inviting tactile experience. This choice was essential for a children’s story about an adventurous crocodile, as it ensures the book remains in prime condition despite rough-and-tumble usage by little hands. The thick greyboard spine supports the integrity of the binding, reinforcing the book’s premium feel.
Inside, the cohesive visual identity is carried by animated watercolour illustrations, each emphasised by a slightly glossy sheen on the silk pages. The carefully balanced text-to-illustration ratio keeps readers engaged, while easy-to-read fonts cater to younger audiences. The author’s decision to go casebound underscores the book’s lasting value—an ideal approach for authors who want to communicate that their titles are meant to be treasured for years to come.
The Fascinating Adventures of Little Bee
Read more about the Little Bee series of reading books here
“The Fascinating Adventures of Little Bee” is a vibrant mix of music, rhyme, and story spread across ten titles, each with its own cover design. This project shows how a self-published series can remain cohesive while giving each instalment a distinct look. By choosing a smaller, square format (148×153mm), the creator gave each book a unique footprint, lending a collectable charm. The silk covers pop with colour, while the uncoated text pages maintain a pleasant grip that kids love.
Perfect binding these slender volumes underscores their standalone appeal while still presenting them as a set. The synergy of music, rhyme, and energetic visuals demands high-quality print reproduction—something that was achieved by meticulously calibrating vibrant inks. Each cover’s individually themed artwork helps distinguish the separate adventures while supporting brand identity across all ten titles. This clever combo of multiple covers, accessible design, and robust binding showcases the boundless creativity possible within children’s book printing.
The Tale of Tzarevich Ivan, The Fire Bird, and The Grey Wolf
This folklore-inspired title merges modern aesthetics with traditional Slavic motifs, demonstrating how cultural narratives can receive fresh visual life. The matte-laminated casebound design offers a satisfying heft, highlighting the depth and intricacy of the illustrations. Uncoated endpapers introduce the reader to silhouettes of the Fire Bird and Wolf right from the start—an impactful nod to the story’s mythical elements.
Inside, rich, textured visuals leap off the pages thanks to thoughtful colour control during production. Striking reds and golds dominate, balanced by a cream background, so the text remains legible without undermining the artwork. By harmonising folklore motifs with contemporary layout structures, this project proves that timeless tales can connect with modern audiences—especially when anchored by purposeful print choices like premium binding and quality paper stocks.
Wily Beasts
“Wily Beasts” expertly leverages a 210×210mm casebound format to house vividly drawn animals and whimsical storylines. One of its key design triumphs is the fully utilised hardcover, allowing high-impact illustrations on the front, back, and spine, with printed endpapers adding a theatrical opening sequence for the reader. This sense of continuity from cover to endpapers fosters an instant engagement, as though stepping into a richly imagined world.
Opting for sturdy greyboard covered in silk-finish paper and topped with a matte laminate ensures each page turn is an immersive, uninterrupted experience. The 9mm spine also supports a heftier page count, ideal for in-depth storytelling. By integrating colour bursts and imaginative typography, the design encourages young readers to linger on each spread. Taken together, these decisions yield a polished, stand-out children’s book perfect for authors or illustrators who see their creations as enduring art pieces.
My Wonder Line
Read the heart warming case study of My Wonder Line here
“My Wonder Line” offers an uplifting message of self-acceptance for children who have scars, achieved through a visually gentle yet striking design. The 265×210mm format—a comfortable middle ground between A5 and A4—ensures broad, bright illustrations can shine without making the book cumbersome for small hands. A silk cover packs in vibrant colours, while the uncoated interior pages add a comforting texture that feels just right for delicate subject matter.
Central to the book’s visual impact is how seamlessly the text floats alongside the beautiful illustrations by Angela Mayers. The choice of a perfect-bound spine maintains a clean profile, and the short-run printing format accommodates a heartfelt story of roughly 32 pages. It’s proof that meaningful narratives can be underscored by equally thoughtful print production, reinforcing a message of hope and representation for children everywhere.
Mars and Mara Explore The Stars
“Mars and Mara Explore The Stars” embraces a square 230×230mm children’s book printing style, emphasising large, full-bleed space illustrations. The binding choice—a sturdy, casebound finish—supports the book’s adventurous theme, allowing cosmic backdrops to flow across double-page spreads without disruption. The heavy greyboard interior, wrapped in a matt-laminated cover, feels premium and appealingly robust in young hands.
Inside, deep blues and bright oranges form a visually powerful contrast that underscores the journey through distant planets. Generous margins on text sections guarantee readability, while the vibrant images command centre stage. The creative team’s choice to include printing on the endpapers further immerses readers, hinting at star-filled exploration from the moment the cover is lifted. Overall, it’s a model example of how thoughtful design choices—from page size to paper weight—can support and elevate a thematic narrative.
Why Partner with Ex Why Zed?
- End-to-End Expertise
We guide you from file setup and design adjustments through to proofing and final delivery. Our curated paper stocks and finishes ensure your project meets both creative and budget goals. - Flexible Binding Options
Whether you’re after stapled children’s book printing for short, impactful stories, a perfect bound children’s book for that polished feel, or a lavish casebound edition, we provide the binding solution that best complements your story. - Collaborative Approach
Every project is a conversation. We offer personalised tips on colour fidelity, pagination, bleed, and cover design—so you’ll feel confident as your book comes to life. - High-Quality Production
Our modern printing technology captures the full vibrancy of your illustrations while maintaining eco-friendly practices. From small-scale runs to large print orders, consistency and precision remain at the forefront.
Ready to Bring Your Children’s Book to Life?
If you’re keen to self publish a children’s book or explore different binding and finishing options—like perfect bound children’s books or stapled children’s book printing—we’re here to help. Our passion is transforming imaginative stories into tangible, page-turning adventures.
Contact us today to embark on your own children’s book printing journey with Ex Why Zed. Let’s turn your ideas into enchanting books that readers will treasure for years to come.
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