What Are Board Books?
Board books are a type of durable children’s book built for curious and less gentle infants and toddlers. These books are printed on thick paperboard–used for the book’s cover and pages. These books also tend to be smaller than standard children’s books, which makes them easier for young children to manipulate. In addition, pages tend to have a glossy finish, which makes them easy to clean and helps them stand up to less cultured users who may tend to drool and chew on pages. This book format helps many adults feel comfortable putting books in the hands of young children.
Board books are a relatively modern innovation. According to merriam-webster.com, the first known use of a board book was in 1976.
Although they are new to the scene, the format is so popular with parents and early learning programs that classic titles originally published as standard picture books are available as board books. While some new titles are published just as board books, others are made available in both board book and picture book formats.
While board books are the off-road vehicles of children’s books, they are not indestructible. They will show wear and tear after repeated readings, and the sharp teeth and strong fingers of a toddler who is committed to destruction can do plenty of damage. That said, they do stand up to the average toddler much better than traditional paper-paged children’s books
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Jeff Johnson is an early learning trainer, podcaster, and author who founded Explorations Early Learning, Playvolution HQ, and Play Haven.
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