Common Book Sizes Explained: Choosing the Right Format for Your Book
Choosing the right book size is one of the most important decisions in the publishing and printing process. The size of your book affects readability, printing cost, binding, shelf appeal, and reader expectations. Whether you’re publishing fiction, children’s books, textbooks, or coffee table books, selecting a standard and appropriate trim size helps ensure a professional finish.
Below is a simple guide to the most commonly used book sizes based on book type.
Fiction Books
Common sizes:
4.25″ × 6.87″
5″ × 8″
5.25″ × 8″
5.5″ × 8.5″
6″ × 9″
Fiction books are usually compact and easy to hold. Smaller sizes like 5″ × 8″ are popular for novels and paperbacks, while 6″ × 9″ is often chosen for thicker books or premium editions.
Novellas
Common size:
5″ × 8″
Novellas are shorter than novels and are typically printed in a compact size. The 5″ × 8″ format keeps production costs low while maintaining excellent readability.
Children’s Books
Common sizes:
7.5″ × 7.5″
7″ × 10″
10″ × 8″
Children’s books often use larger formats to accommodate illustrations, bold typography, and engaging layouts. Square and landscape sizes are especially popular for picture books.
General Non-Fiction
Common sizes:
5.5″ × 8.5″
6″ × 9″
7″ × 10″
Non-fiction books benefit from slightly larger sizes, allowing space for charts, tables, images, and headings. 6″ × 9″ is the most widely used standard for biographies, self-help, and business books.
Memoirs, Short Story Anthologies & Essay Collections
Common sizes:
5.25″ × 8″
5.5″ × 8.5″
These books balance a comfortable reading experience with a polished look. The slightly wider formats help with spacing and page flow, especially for reflective or narrative-driven content.
Photography, Coffee Table & Art Books
Common size:
Varied sizes
There’s no single standard size for coffee table or art books. These books are often custom-sized to best showcase visuals, photography, and artwork. Larger formats with high-quality paper and binding are commonly used.
Textbooks
Common sizes:
6″ × 9″
7″ × 10″
8.5″ × 11″
Textbooks need space for diagrams, equations, and illustrations. 8.5″ × 11″ is especially common for academic and reference materials due to its clarity and compatibility with educational standards.
Manuals, Workbooks & Instructional Books
Common size:
8.5″ × 11″
This size is ideal for manuals and workbooks as it provides ample room for instructions, images, notes, and exercises. It’s also easy to print, bind, and photocopy.
Final Thoughts
Selecting the right book size enhances your book’s function, appearance, and market appeal. Using standard sizes also helps reduce printing costs and ensures compatibility with binding and distribution systems.
If you’re unsure which size works best for your project, a professional printing press can guide you based on content type, page count, binding method, and budget.