An approach to describing the design of children’s reading and information books

Abstract

This paper describes an approach to description of book design. It is part of a project that aims to develop an
approach to description for identifying typical visual characteristics of children’s reading and information books
from 1830 to 1960 in order to identify different or innovative approaches to design, and to identify changes
over time. It proposes description of design elements at macro and micro levels under ‘document structure
and articulation of content’, ‘typography’, and ‘material attributes’. In resulting descriptions it is proposed that
these elements should be discussed in relation to the context of use that affects the design decisions that are
made.