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How many words is a picture book?
Most picture books have fewer than 1,000 words, and many published today have 300 to 800. The pictures tell half the story, so the text is read aloud in about 2 to 6 minutes.
Work it out
pages, single-spaced, Arial 12 pt, about 500 words a page
- Handwritten pages
- 3.2
- Reading time
- 3 min 22 sec
- Speaking time
- 5 min 20 sec–6 min 9 sec
- Typing time
- 20 min
- Paragraphs
- 4–8
- Sentences
- 40–53
- Characters with spaces
- about 4,800
Write it in the word counter with a limit of 800 words.
Open the word counterPicture book in pages and minutes
| Length | Single-spaced | Double-spaced | Reading time | Speaking time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 words | 0.6 | 1.2 | 1 min 16 sec | 2 min–2 min 18 sec |
| 800 words | 1.6 | 3.2 | 3 min 22 sec | 5 min 20 sec–6 min 9 sec |
Estimates for US Letter or A4 with 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins and ordinary paragraphs; reading at 238 words a minute, speaking at 130 to 150.
Why picture books are so short
A picture book is usually 32 printed pages, of which about 24 to 28 carry the story. Each spread needs a picture, and each picture needs a reason to turn the page. Editors often say the text should leave room for the illustrator: what the art shows, the words do not need to say.
Classics can be very short: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak has fewer than 350 words.
Writing to the length
- Make a dummy: fold paper into a 32-page book and place your text page by page.
- Read it aloud. Picture books are performed by adults to children; rhythm matters more than in any other form.
- Cut description the illustrations will show, such as colours, clothes and settings.
Questions and answers
How many words should a picture book have?
Under 1,000, and 500 or fewer is common for books for the youngest readers.
How many pages is a picture book?
Usually 32 printed pages, sometimes 24 or 40.
How many words for an early reader?
Early readers and first chapter books are longer than picture books and vary by series level, from a few hundred to several thousand words.