What is the shortest a book can be and still be called a novel?

Answer 1

I'm not sure. A lot of very short books are called novelas. They're between a short story and a novel. People like to use the word novel when they try to sound intelligent.

Example:
"What piece of literature are you reading Wadsworth?"
"Oh my dear Winifred, I just read an impeccacbly written novel, The Cat in the Hat. I highly recommend it."
"Indubitably."

Answer 2

It does not depend necessarily on page length, but on content. A short story has certainelements of plot that make it one. A short story cannot have as developed characters as something like War and Peace. Slightly more developed than a short story is a novella, such as Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, it is more developed than a short story but not quite a full novel. So you see a 1000 page book, although not a short story in length, could be as developed as a short story. It would not be a good novel or short story. SO depending on te length and the development of the plot, is what we use to call it a short story, novella or a novel.