Creating a coloring book for kids can be an extremely rewarding and profitable endeavor. As an evergreen market, demand for children’s coloring books shows no signs of slowing down. But as you prepare your illustrations and layouts, one question invariably comes up: How many pages should your coloring book contain?
Getting the page count right is an important aspect of creating a competitive and commercially viable coloring book. Too few pages, and your book may get dismissed as low value. Too many pages can make your book unwieldy for kids and parents.
As a professional children’s book printing manufacturer, we’ll cover everything you need to know about optimizing the length of your next children’s coloring book project, including:
- The coloring book page count sweet spot for profitability and practicality
- How to configure your pages for printing and binding
- The impact of page count on production costs
- Best practices for laying out title pages, back matter, and other sections
- Page design considerations to delight young colorists
Equipped with this knowledge, you’ll be able to zero-in on the ideal page length to keep your costs down while ensuring your book delights its readers.
What’s the Optimal Page Count for a Kids Coloring Book?
When it comes to children’s coloring books, the sweet spot for page count tends to fall between 24 and 96 pages.
Books in this range strike the right balance between production efficiency, developmental appropriateness for kids, and perceived value for parents and gift-givers.
Here’s a closer look at why this page range hits a profitable and practical sweet spot:
Printing Efficiencies
Thanks to the way printers handle paper, books with page counts in multiples of 16 take better advantage of printing and binding equipment.
Page counts like 24, 32, 48, 64 and 96 make for efficient print runs with less waste. Odd page counts can increase materials costs.
So if you’re trying to maximize profits, sticking to even multiples of 16 pages helps streamline production.
Kid-Friendly Size and Complexity
Little hands struggle with oversized, heavy books. But miniscule pocket books make illustration details hard to see.
The 24 to 96 page range hits a nice sweet spot for a book that’s large enough for engaging artwork but not unwieldy for kids ages 2-9.
Additionally, this page count is developmentally appropriate for most kids’ attention spans. Even voracious young readers and colorers may find books longer than 96 pages overwhelming.
Perceived Value
For parents and gift purchasers, page count is an important signifier of value.
Books with fewer than 24 pages may get dismissed as “too thin” for the price point.
But volumes over 96 pages occupy a tricky middle ground — not special enough for “gift book” status but possibly too long for a casual coloring experience.
The 24-96 page range clearly communicates “this is a substantial book for the price”. Anything beyond 96 pages veers into “premium coloring book” pricing territory.
How Many Coloring Pages Should You Include?
Coloring books use a different page numbering scheme than ordinary books. Due to the double-sided printing process, each physical sheet of paper equals two coloring book pages.
So a 24 page coloring book contains 12 printable sheets with illustrations on both sides. And a 96 page book comprises 48 physical sheets with unique art to color on front and back.
When determining the length of your book, make sure your page count refers to individual coloring pages rather than physical paper sheets. Otherwise, your book may turn out much shorter (or longer) than expected!
Optimizing Page Layouts for Efficient Printing
To produce your book affordably, you’ll need to configure your page designs to work efficiently with common printing and binding methods.
Here are some layout considerations to keep in mind:
Choose Page Dimensions Compatible With Equipment
Standard coloring book trim sizes like 8”x10” or 8.5”x11” ensure the pages fit smoothly through digital or offset presses.
Custom trim sizes can lead to increased waste and inefficiency during printing. Consult your printer before finalizing trim size specs.
Use Front/Back Cover Page Dimensions for Cover Art
For optimal results, provide cover art sized to the exact post-trim dimensions of your front and back covers. This avoids distortion when condensing down an oversized image.
Add Blank Pages to Equal Multiples of 4 (not 16)
Though optimal FINAL page counts fall into increments of 16, printers operate most efficiently when INTERIOR page counts equal increments of 4.
So for a 32 page book, aim for 28 interior pages plus 4 blank pages. Or 44 interior pages plus 4 blanks for a 48 page book. The extra blank pages get removed during binding prep.
Keep Binding Type In Mind
Saddle stitch binding limits books to 64 pages, while perfect and spiral binding work for longer books. Know your binding method before finalizing page count.
Include Bleed Space on All Pages
Add .125” bleed space around any image you intend to print to the edge. The bleed ensures no white edges if the cut is slightly off.
Standard Coloring Book Sections to Include
In addition to coloring pages, certain standard front and back matter sections bolster your book’s perceived value. Here’s what to consider including:
Title Page
A blank or graphical title page adds perceived substance upon opening the book. It can feature your branding, the book title and your name.
Credits Page
One all-text page for your logo, website, credits and copyright notice.
Introductory Letter, Note or Instructions
A friendly, short welcome note or basic coloring guidelines (1-2 pages) make the book feel approachable.
“About the Artist” Section
For a more premium feel, add a page with your photo and artistic bio.
Additional Blank Pages
Round off interior content with 1-2 extra blank pages for notes or color testing.
Back Cover Blurb & Code
Fit a concise book description and barcode on the back cover to support retail distribution. For self-publishing, a description alone suffices.
By including these sections artfully around your vibrant illustrations, you amplify both the enjoyment and perceived substance of your coloring book.
Which invites positive reviews…and repeat purchases!
Optimizing Layouts for Engaging Coloring Experiences
Beyond printing logistics, smart page layouts enrich the coloring experience for young artists. A few tips:
Use White Space and Borders Generously
Give those crayons room to roam! Framing illustrations with white space allows for free-flowing creative play unencumbered by tight margins.
Vary Layouts Across Spreads
Alternating portrait and landscape illustrations with full bleeds, insets and framing keeps the book dynamic.
Occasionally Pair Illustrations Across Facing Pages
Connecting illustrations across left/right page spreads encourages kids to color outside the lines…in a good way!
Leave Every Other Page Blank
Consider leaving each backside blank rather than printing on both sides of every sheet. This prevents bleed-through so kids can use markers without ruining subsequent images.
Calculating Page Requirements for Print Runs
When ordering printed copies or extended distribution, you’ll need to provide specific page count requirements to your printer, often in multiples of 16, 20 or 32.
Here’s how to allows for sufficient pages with contingencies for any errors:
- Start with your desired COUNT OF COLORING PAGES. For example, let’s say you want a 32 page book.
- Add 2 pages to allow for a title page and credits. So now we’re at 34 required pages.
- Pad to equal a multiple of 4 pages by adding blanks if needed. We have to bump up to 36 pages now.
- Add 16 additional BLANK PAGES to the end to allow for contingencies and printer calibration. So our 36 page book now requires 36+16 = 52 printable pages.
- Print in increments of 16, 20 or 32 sheets. For best use of paper, we’ll print 52/2 = 26 sheets of 8.5”x11” for double-sided printing, with 16 sheets leftover that can be used for another client’s book requiring 16 extra pages.
By following this page padding process, you account for all sections of your book while minimizing materials waste at the printer.
The result? Maximum value for you and happy customers!
So now that you know the sweet spot for children’s coloring book page counts plus production essentials, you’re ready to create a lean, mean coloring machine primed for efficiency and kid appeal.
An optimal page count amplifies the enjoyment of both creating and coloring your book! So embrace the friendly confines of 24-96 pages as your canvas and let those imaginative layouts flow.