When it comes to designing text in children's books, every font matters.
When it comes to designing children's books, every detail matters.
From captivating illustrations to engaging storylines, authors and publishers strive to create an immersive experience for young readers.
One crucial element often overlooked is the choice of fonts for the text.
The right font can enhance readability, foster a love for reading, and complement the overall design of the book. So, what are the best font choices for children's book text?
The double page spread (below) shows two of my favourite fonts in action - designed in 1999 when I created and designed the You Wouldn't Want To be ...' series. The page heading is in a font named 'Uncle Stinky' and the dropped capital at the beginning of the main text paragraph is 'Bludgeon'. Ronald Searle’s drawings for the St Trinian's cartoon strips influenced me when I created and designed this project. The style of the heading fonts, although not the most legible, were chosen to create a feeling of slight anarchy, not to look like an information book, and to engage with the reader by making the page look fun. I also introduced speech bubbles in 'Uncle Stinky' to deliver added information and humour specifically because children always want to know "what's in a speech bubble?" I chose to use dropped caps as an indicator of where the main text starts. David Antram's illustrations perfected the look that I wanted - to educate by stealth!.
As a creator and designer of books for children I’ll walk you through some of the best font choices for children’s books.
First, let's get the takeaway before we get started.
The best font choices for the text in children's books prioritises readability, engagement, and accessibility. Whether opting for clear sans-serif or classic serif fonts, the goal is to enhance the design while meeting the needs of young readers.
Ok so with the mini answer in place, let's find out why font selection for your latest children’s literary work is so crucial.
Importance of Font Selection
Before looking into specific font options, let's explore why font selection is essential for children's books.
Readability: Children are still developing their reading skills, so it's crucial to choose fonts that are easy to read. Clear, legible fonts can help young readers navigate the text more smoothly, reducing frustration and encouraging them to continue reading.
Engagement: The right font can capture a child's attention and make the reading experience more enjoyable. Fonts with playful or whimsical designs like 'Uncle Stinky' can complement the book's theme and appeal to young imaginations. For reading-focused books, clear and legible fonts are essential to aid comprehension. On the other hand, picture book styles may work best with playful or decorative fonts to complement illustrations and enhance the overall storytelling experience.
Accessibility: Children's books should be accessible to all readers, including those with dyslexia or other learning differences. Choosing fonts that are inclusive and easy to read for all children is essential for promoting literacy and inclusivity. Choice of paper is important as 'see through' is very confusing for a fledging reader - so no skimping on paper quality.
Age Group: The age of the intended audience should influence your font choice. For the little ones, big and simple fonts like "Comic Sans" or "Century Gothic" are perfect. As they grow, clearer fonts like "Arial" or "Verdana" help them read better. For older kids, classic fonts like "Garamond" or "Times New Roman" work well.
Theme and Tone: Consider the theme and tone of your book when selecting a font. A whimsical, fantasy-themed story may call for a more decorative font as headings, while an educational book may require a cleaner and more straightforward typeface.
Testing: Before finalisng your font choice, try some usability testing with your target audience. By getting some real-time feedback from children and teachers you can make sure the font is appealing and readable. I was always keen that children tested our books at an early stage - so we worked with teachers who tried out books with children of the age we were aiming at - and then we received a report on how the children had discussed the presentation material.
Exploring Font Characteristics
OK, so now we’ve found out some ways of deciding on your chosen font to bring your children’s book to life, but let's discover what else to keep in mind.
Letterforms: Fonts with clear, distinct letterforms are essential for young readers who are still learning to recognise letters. Avoid fonts in main text with overly stylised or decorative letter shapes that may confuse or distract young readers.
Spacing: Adequate spacing between letters and words is crucial for readability, especially for children who are just beginning to read. Fonts with generous letter spacing and appropriate kerning can help prevent letters from blending and improve overall legibility. Text in blocks is very difficult to read and text which goes over the whole page can be difficult. Text in two columns can be confusing too if the space between the columns is too narrow..
Weight and Stroke: The weight and stroke of a font can impact readability and visual appeal. Fonts with moderate stroke contrast and uniform weight distribution are often easier to read, particularly at smaller sizes when used in children's books.
Serif vs. Sans-serif: While both serif and sans-serif fonts can be suitable for children's books, sans-serif fonts tend to be more popular due to their clean, modern appearance and increased readability, especially in digital formats. Serif fonts, on the other hand, may lend a more traditional or formal aesthetic to the text.
Decorative Elements: While decorative fonts can add visual interest and enhance the theme of a children's book, they should be used sparingly and with caution. Overly decorative fonts can be distracting and may hinder readability, particularly for young or struggling readers - so use only as headings or as dropped caps.
Mirroring or flipping: This occurs when a reader struggles to see the character because it resembles another when rotated or flipped, a lowercase letter "b" might be confused with a lowercase "d," or a "6" could be mistaken for a "9." This confusion can lead to misreading words e.g. "bog" might be perceived as "dog." Another challenge for people with dyslexia and not finding it easy to read involves transposing of letters, the word "loin" might be perceived as "lion," or "lien" could be read as "line."
Top Font Choices for Children's Books
Now that we've grasped why picking the right font matters, let's dive into some top font options for children's book text.
Dyslexie: Designed specifically to improve readability for people with dyslexia, it features unique letter shapes and spacing that make it easier to differentiate between characters.
Comic Sans: Despite its polarising reputation, Comic Sans remains a popular choice for children's books due to its casual, playful appearance. Its rounded letterforms and simple design make it accessible to young readers.
Century Gothic: With its clean, sans-serif design, Century Gothic offers excellent readability for children's books. Its wide letter spacing and uniform strokes make it easy on the eyes, especially for early readers.
Arial Rounded: As the name suggests, Arial Rounded features rounded letterforms that give it a friendly, approachable look. This makes it a popular choice for children's books, particularly those aimed at younger audiences.
Verdana: Known for its clarity and legibility, Verdana is an excellent choice for children's books, especially those with smaller text sizes. Its wide letter spacing and distinct letterforms make it easy for young readers to recognize and comprehend.
Garamond: For a more traditional look, Garamond offers a classic serif option that remains popular in children's literature. Its elegant letterforms and moderate stroke contrast make it suitable for longer passages of text.
Additional Font Recommendations
Just for some added inspiration here are some extra fonts you might try out.
Helvetica: Known for its versatility and neutrality, Helvetica is a timeless choice for children's books. Its clean, sans-serif design makes it easy to read in various sizes, making it suitable for both headline text and body copy.
Trebuchet MS: Trebuchet MS is a popular choice for children's books due to its friendly, approachable appearance. Its rounded letterforms and open counters make it easy to read, while its distinct personality adds visual interest to the text.
Open Dyslexic: Similar to Dyslexie, Open Dyslexic is a font specifically designed to improve readability for dyslexic readers. Its unique letter shapes and weighted bottoms help prevent letters from flipping or rotating, making it easier for dyslexic readers to process and comprehend the text.
What Are The Best Font Choices For Children's Book Text?
In the diverse world of children's books, every little detail counts, even down to the fonts we choose for the text.
When we focus on making the text easy to read, captivating, and accessible, we're crafting a reading journey that children will truly enjoy.
Whether we go for clean and simple sans-serif fonts or opt for more traditional serif styles, the key is to pick fonts that elevate the book's design while putting the needs of young readers first.
With thoughtful planning and experimentation, authors and publishers can select fonts that spark imagination and plant the seeds of a lifelong love for reading.
If you are a interested in book design and publishing don’t forget to come back to my regularly updated blog for guidance on creating projects, designing, writing, handy hints and insights into the world of publishing,..and perhaps a bit more.
From crafting original ideas into published projects and to navigating the publishing journey, my blog offers valuable resources to support every stage of your creative literary adventures, beginnings, middles and even ends!
My very early books when Apple Mac's were first invented and we started setting books in house rather than being sent out to a typesetter were all set in two fonts: Bodoni and Palatino. Font families were hugely expensive in 1981.
“You can say, "I love you," in Helvetica. And you can say it with Helvetica Extra Light if you want to be really fancy. Or you can say it with the Extra Bold if it's really intensive and passionate, you know, and it might work.”
Massimo Vignelli
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