How well have children's board books performed in the LDS market? Is this an area for which publishers would like to see more submissions?
I don't have any figures on this but yes, I think there is a market for it and I think the larger publishers will consider board books.
If they're not selling well and/or LDS publishers aren't looking at them, in my opinion it's because:
- Board books are expensive to make due to their construction, the board, full color images and the gloss on the pages to protect them.
- Limited audience = small print run = less mark-up = higher risk.
- Some of the board books I've seen look like they've cut corners with the illustrations. They just aren't attractive. Ugly pictures = low sales.
Go to your local LDS bookstore or look at their websites and see who's doing board books right now. Then send them a query.
4 comments:
Yeah, I'd like to see more of those too. I bought a gorgeous board book with Greg Olson paintings for my son's baptism. I think I liked it more than he did, though.
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In the LDS market I assume (as opposed to the national market) one should enlist their own illustrator?
While I like board books and own several I have a hard time buying them. They are so expensive! I understand the inherent costs involved but to me my money could be better spent elsewhere.
They need to be something special to be worth it and for a long time now I haven't seen one that is.
Although board books are great, they are costly and have a short life span in the case of its intended audience. My kids all seemed to grow out of them quickly. Sac. mtng. is a fine time to watch how your child handles and cares for books and it can be a reverent teaching moment. The full size paper back scripture books are excellent because they serve as both a picture book for young ones, and also a precursor for youth and teenagers learning to understand scripture stories without so many difficult words found in the actual scriptures. As an adult I still love to read these books :)
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