Fonts for children's books

[maltelunden]

This topic was imported from the Typophile platform

I'm working on my first book for children (with the text integrated in the full-page illustrations - usually, the illustration has left room for the text with a uniform colour or texture of some sort).

I might have more of these kind of jobs, so I'm on the lookout for fonts suitable for children's books (both display and text-fonts). I searched the forum, but it seems that nobody has discussed this before, so I'm looking forward to see what people think about it.

A personal preference: I wouldn't like to stereotypical fonts that could risk "talking down" to the children. In other words, being too childish. Also, I'm aware that the suitability of any font depends on the specific story, but my goal here is just to brainstorm away and create a whole bunch of inspiration!

Would Bello in small caps work for display text? My intuition tells me it would suit for young boys.

Thank you!
Malte

[Chipman223]

I've been in love with House Industries "Burbank" since I got their mailer...
http://www.houseind.com/index.php?page=showfont&id=565&subpage=viewfonts...

Veer (veer.com) also comes to mind. They have too many typefaces to name that have that hand-drawn, yet refined sensibility

[jupiterboy]

Have a look at Juvenis.

[pattyfab]

I also think quirky serif fonts like Oneleigh, Kennerley,Belucian, Della Robbia and Worcester can work nicely, depending on the art. They suggest vintage kids books. The main thing is that they be easy for kids to read and work at larger sizes.

[cuttlefish]

The classic suggestion for children's books is New Century Schoolbook, but don't be afraid to try something fresher. Hey, it was good enough for Dr. Seuss.

[Koppa]

Cuttlefish beat me to the punch. Century Schoolbook is the answer. My sentiments exactly. Only I wouldn't suggest trying something fresher. I'd just use it without question. But I'm like that. If you were to try something fresher, I'd suggest Georgia. I learned that on Typophile! It's fun to get smarter!

[Si_Daniels]

Surely Gotham & Myriad for contemporary subjects "Johnny gets an iPod" or "Our New President", Avenir and Frutiger for the retro look, and something scrawly for the Spiderwick set.

[crossgrove]

A kid's book is an opportunity to use those typefaces that are too showy or interesting for long or serious texts.

Chaparral, Goudy Californian Text (FontBureau), Garamond 3, Hightower, Truesdell, Eldorado, Alcuin, are all sitting in your font library waiting for a project like this.

[maltelunden]

Burbank looks really great to me! It reminds me of Zalamander, but just a bit more clean, soft and not so pointy. Perfect!

What do you guys think of Zalamander for children's books by the way?

Personally I would want to use quirky serifs, like Pattyfab suggested. I think I found all the ones you listed, but I find it difficult to visualize them in print, from just looking at the screen. I like Della Robbia though (maybe because the serifs are so neutral), Belucia seems a bit too sophisticated for most purposes and I don't know what to think about OneLeigh..

Chaparral was a really good idea! That could end up as a standard children's font for me. Thanks. I couldn't find Goudy California(n), but Garamond 3 and Hightower seem a bit too traditional. Eldorado looked interesting (especially the lower-case 'a'), but I think I need to see more of it (in print preferably).

– M

[Nick Shinn]

I know you're brainstorming, but why you would look for a generic "children's" face, without considering the content, illustration or layout of the book?
That's rather patronizing.
By choosing Burbank, you are discriminating against serious and sophisticated children, and those who may in future become graphic designers!

But if you must, Carl's approach makes a lot of sense.

Or, if you're stuck with the one-type-fits-all approach, give them Helvetica, and they will feel really grown-up :-)

[Dan Weaver]

I wouldn't bring any attention to the type. Allow the Illustrations to carry the message. Just make the type easy to read.

[Chipman223]

Nick, I agree that the typeface should compliment the illustration style and the story itself. I suggested Burbank on the premise that it had the same general class or style as Bello, but it is also better suited for body copy, and has many weights to choose from. I know Chris Van Allsburg would have never used it, but maybe Roald Dahl would have enjoyed it...

[Nick Shinn]

the typeface should compliment the illustration style

I'm working on it. It will be called "DudeThatsWicked".

[EK]

My son is in first grade, and I find that the measure and leading are more critical than the choice of typeface. By the way, at the library we never pick up books with "clever" type that goes up and down, or loops around the page.

[maltelunden]

Hello Nick,

Thanks for the input. I guess your argument is similar to those in the thread on "gay types": there's no point in finding a generic type, without considering the content. I have to say though, I'm certainly not looking for a catch-all type, but rather stirring up some inspiration – and now, apparently, debate :)

Put simply, first I want to familiarize myself with a whole lot of different types suitable for children's book (a generalization: assuming that children's books have something in common, and are more similar than, say scientific journals), which will make it much more fun to pick a specific one for a specific book (by considering its specific subject).

It doesn't have to be either-or. You can work both generalizing and specific, by making a preselection.

But what do I know, I'm a child in this business anyway

– M

[jupiterboy]

How’s your spiral?

[mondoB]

On another thread, Jupiterboy drew my attention to a new Storm Foundry face called Tusar, which would be perfect for you: big fat friendly letter proportions, open clear counters, and stylish numbers--a real charmer. Take a peek. Not expensive either, $77 for the four-font package, all properly keystroke-linked, something I'm always grateful for from small foundries. Download from myfonts.

[Arild]

How about Sauna from Underware?

[Frode Bo Helland]

Talking of Underware: Dolly is very friendly.

[maltelunden]

Hello jupiterboy,

Thanks for asking :)
It's somewhat on standby, although the board of direction accepted the idea/sketch, and were very happy about the overall concept (even eager to conjure up new uses of it).

– Malte

[maltelunden]

MondoB, that looks interesting, thanks for the suggestion. I will check it out.

Apparently, Underware fonts seem to do a lot of what I personally look for.
– A colleague of mine actually used Sauna for the new danish edition of the Bible for children.
– I love the look of Dolly, and have waited for an occasion to use it, so maybe I should put that on my childrens-list. Actually, I have considered Auto (another Underware font) for this particular job, because it seems to complement Chaparral very well (I discovered this in another thread here on the forum – I think it was a comment by crossgrove there too, so I might as well say thank you twice)

After thinking about the subject of finding "children's fonts", I may have to accept that I am rather strongly selecting fonts from a personal aestaethic viewpoint. I'm definately not going for the neutral and don't-see-me-fonts, because I want the look of the text to compliment and "play" with the illustrations (though not necessarily in the "clever" way EK mentions). But I may have a slight bias towards certain kinds of fonts. I don't know if this is bad or good.

– Malte

[mondoB]

Another option with some of the same appeal as Underware's marvelous faces is ESTA from Portugal's DSType...to me, it has a unique Portuguese combo of funkiness and old-world courtliness. Also not expensive (certainly cheaper than Underware): $19 per font from myfonts.

[Chipman223]

"By choosing Burbank, you are discriminating against serious and sophisticated children"
I'll remember that next time I see the Duck Confit Happy Meal at McDonalds...

I don't think typographers/graphic designers should be afraid to play with typefaces, as long as the point size, leading (you're right EK), and legibility (none of those random cursive characters or such) are not affected. Take for instance, comic books. There you will have an excellent balance of type to image (and also the only time center-alligned paragraphs are acceptable) where there is in no way any indication of classic typography. Depending on the age group, I wouldn't hesitate to use a "handwritten" sans in a children's book, as long as it's still legible, and makes sense in it's usage. Maybe if they're a little older we can go to JK Rowling's 12pt Adobe Garamond (at least for us in the US).

[Kellie Strøm]

A number of children's picture books use type which is very unsympathetic to the art. Putting brittle type next to or over painted art looks ugly to me. For my own first book I used a version of Cooper Oldstyle. The blobby serifs went very well with the acrylic painting, I thought. Where the designer and editor suggested setting some of the type along curves, I created a new upright cursive non-joining font, which being my first I make no great claims for, but it was better than having serifs choo-chooing up and down curves, which is something that looks weird to me, unless it's handlettered.

I handlettered the cover letters, which led to some problems on foreign co-editions. Where I got the chance I created hand-lettering for co-editions also, but most of them were typeset, not always in the most pleasing way.

My current project is a Dutch language only picture book, which I intend to handletter.

I'm also working on another English language book where I plan to follow Maurice Sendak and use Cheltenham, mixing and matching the versions from a couple of suppliers so that I can get as traditional a 'g' as possible, and also approximate smallcaps by using a bold at a smaller size. I may have to draw that old 'r' myself, though. I can't see it for sale anywhere, nor can I see an 'ffi' for 'traffic'.

I'm very fond of Baskerville with art, as seen in the Danish children's comic Rasmus Klump.

Counter to all this, Lauren Child uses type in a way that is extremely ugly, but integrates with the art perfectly, and is in its own philistine way absolutely brilliant.

[DrDoc]

I've always thought that children's books should have as traditional a typeface as possible; they're just learning to read, so why give them a typeface that has interesting letterforms? I personally think something like Georgia would be a great choice, given the high x-height and overall legibility.