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(WestSide Books, Dec 2011; Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Feb 2012)
SkinWalkers: 
Books drastically reduced in size for portability
I have a fondness for mini books–books that are smaller in size than regular books, but still readable. There’s something about them that delights me. Maybe it’s the way I can fit a picture book in my back pocket, or the way it feels like a treasure just for a child. Whatever it is, miniature books thrill me–if the writing and the illustrations are good.
Mostly the miniature books I’ve found are picture books, such as the UK Red Fox Mini Treasures series, and the Canadian Annick Press’ mini books, such as the wonderful PaperBag Princess by Robert Munsch. Then I discovered Ursula LeGuin’s fantastic Catwings series
And now there are complete novels in miniature size, at least in the Netherlands–the dwarsligger. I’m hoping this trend might catch on here, or that some of the books will be printed in English.
The books are the size of a matchbox, and weigh about 145 grms; they’re designed to be lighter and more portable. Imagine being able to carry a suitcase full of books in a much smaller bag–and still have the good feeling that a paper book gives you! I love the idea.
What do you think?
Check out the video of the launch in the Netherlands. It’s in Dutch, of course, but the visuals are interesting.
September 14th, 2009 at 6:23 am
I have a collection of miniature books, from Cicely Mary Barker’s fairy books, to the Red Fox mini editions, many Running Press books – they have two sizes, 4 inches and 2 inches, and my smallest, a set I got as a child, that are only an inch high!
September 14th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
They absolutely delight me. Somehow they are that much more precious for being teency weency.
September 14th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Jennifer, I love the sound of your collection! And oh, a set an inch high? It sounds adorable! Is it a picture book, or a novel?
September 14th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Ms S, they delight me, too.
I’m so glad I’m not alone in that.
September 16th, 2009 at 2:45 am
Hi
I hadn’t heard of mini-books before.
They look interesting.
Thank you for sharing,
@RKCharron
xoxo
September 16th, 2009 at 4:28 am
RKCharron–maybe you’ll spot some now that you know about them.
I don’t know what they’re formally called–I just call them mini books or miniature books because they’re small in size. Usually a children’s bookstore will have a few.
September 21st, 2009 at 8:40 am
Those minibooks look cute!! But I wonder if there will be a market for them when it becomes more common to read ebooks on cell phones? If it becomes as easy to read off a screen as to read off a page, I can see people preferring to carry one device with their entire library on it, rather than collecting minibooks.
But who knows, maybe there’s room for both ways of reading!