All Children's picture books MUST be 32 pages?

Question

I'm in the middle of creating a children's book pitch (I'm writing and illustrating) to send to publishers. Someone told me that all Children's picture books MUST be 32 pages. Is that something I should take into consideration while creating a children's book dumy before I send to publishers? Thank you!

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edit: I ment can it be shorter than 32 pages?

Answer 1

That is onlu a guide-line.

I recommend that you pick your age group. Then go to a bookstore and look at every book for that age group. Jot down the ISBN number of some of these books that you think could be popular, then LOOK at the book sales figures at Amazon for that book. Use the ISBN number in the AMAZON search field.

Be sure to find out what these publishers want to see in your query letter. They probably do not want to see the whole book. Also, you should be looking for a literaty agent.

Good luck

Answer 2

At school the picture books they start off with in nursery and eception class are only 8 pages they then get longer to 22 pages with lots more text and then go up to 32 pages long. I think it just depends on what age range you are doing the books for cos a 3 year old won't have the concentration span to sit there and look at a 32 + book, but a 6 year old would just use your intuition and develop a book suitable for the age range it is being marketed for.
Good luck and you will have to let us all know if it gets published, have you got a website or anything we can have a look at the work you have done so far?

Answer 3

It has to be 32 pages. The text begins on p 2 or 3. Usual length by wordcount is 700 words or so. I have a course on writing picture books if you want to have a look. It takes you step by step through the job and tells you how to avoid the common mistakes.

PS, in deference to the other answerers (I just looked at some), a picture book is not a synonym for a children's book. It is a very specific kind of children's book.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

As a retired librarian, I think you can forget the 32 page guideline. Take a look at he picture books in any public library to see the wide range of pages. It may be that a particular publisher has that guideline. To see publisher info, look at Writer's Market in the library's reference section.

Answer 6

I'M FAR FROM AN EXPERT BUT I HAVE GRAND KIDS WITH LOTS OF KIDDIE BOOKS. SOME ARE MORE AND SOME ARE LESS THAN 32 PAGES. I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS A LAW! I GUESS I WOULD CONTACT THE PUBLISHERS YOU'RE GOING TO USE AND GET ALL THE FACTS BEFORE YOU GO ANY FARTHER. IT WAS FUN TO SEE YOUR PHOTOS! GOOD LUCK!

Answer 7

32 pages ? Non-sense ! Seen any 32 page Harry Potter books ?

Answer 8

i think the general rule of thumb is no more than 32 pages because small children generally have not yet developed the attention span necessary for longer books.

Answer 9

It depends on the publisher, you could call in advance, you don't have to leave your name, no one will know you asked. Everything is different with each publisher, even the royalties.

Answer 10

It makes things easier in the printing part of it. Submit what you have and let the editor decide if it needs to be shortened