Verified client reviews

Children's book formatting · from £97

Picture books.Laid out properly, spread by spread.

Not a template.

Fixed-layout ePub and a full-bleed print PDF from one production pass, with the text composed around your artwork rather than dropped on top of it.

Tell us the page count and trim size and we’ll price your book exactly — no call needed.

  • Fixed-layout ePub + print PDF
  • Full-bleed, edge to edge
  • You proof every spread

Get an exact children's formatting quote

Tell us about your picture book.

Page count, output formats, trim size and layout complexity — we recommend the right package and price it exactly.

Step 1 of 2
Verifying you’re human…

No call, no obligation. We reply within 1 business day. 5-10 days turnaround once we start.

What you receive

Fixed-layout ebook and full-bleed print, prepared together.

Real HMD-formatted children's book interior from Confidence Stories for Shy Girls
Print-ready PDF · full-bleed spreads
Children's picture book interior spreads designed and formatted by HMD Publishing
Fixed-layout ePub · same layout everywhere
  • KDP, IngramSpark and Apple Books-ready deliverables
  • Quote uses page count, trim size, and layout complexity
Children's picture book interior spreads designed and formatted by HMD Publishing

Real HMD-formatted picture book

Every spread is built around your illustrations.

The interior above is a real picture book our team designed and formatted — the same page-by-page fixed-layout and full-bleed production your book receives.

This service formats existing illustrations. If you still need artwork, see our children’s illustration packages, which can be combined with formatting.

Transparent pricing

Three packages. Fixed prices.

Choose by page count — from £97 with 5-10 days turnaround.

Most popular

Illustrated Pro

£197

Up to 48 pages

3 revisions
  • Everything in Picture Book
  • Enhanced text pop-ups
  • Multiple trim sizes
  • Kindle Kids compatibility
Get Started

Verified reviews

What formatting clients say

Verified reviews from authors who bought our book formatting — picture books, poetry, workbooks and novels. Children's layouts come off the same production line.

I was so nervous to edit and typeset my book that it became a source of frustration. HMD Publishing put that anxiety and frustrations aside through their professionalism, excellent communication, and vast understanding of the processes I needed to get my book published and ready to sell. If you have any hesitation or concerns about the process, go with HMD Publishing.
Cover of Onboard Like A FraternityChad TeagueAuthor of Onboard Like A Fraternity
Exceeded my expectations! The professionalism, attention to detail, and seamless communication made the process stress-free. The final formatting was polished, and they guided me through publishing with ease. Highly recommend their expertise for anyone looking to publish a book!
Cover of The Magic Ripple: The Secret to Finding True SuccessDanyl ChahalAuthor of The Magic Ripple: The Secret to Finding True Success
Oh my gosh. I can't praise this team enough. They did a fantastic job on my journal. They were creative. They were responsive to my clarifications and did a great job of implementing my vision. The journal turned out so nicely, I hired them to redo the format/layout of the book it accompanies. You must hire them if you are considering them.
Cover of The True You 2.0 Field Journal: An Accompaniment to Be The You That’s More You Than You’ve Ever BeenK CrabtreeAuthor of The True You 2.0 Field Journal: An Accompaniment to Be The You That’s More You Than You’ve Ever Been
This team truly paid attention to detail.
Cover of Robbie’s First HaircutL. KeShawn HarrisAuthor of Robbie’s First Haircut
These guys are amazing. They have exceeded my expectations. They were attentive, they responded quick to my comments or concerns. They understood my vision even better than I did. I thought I knew what I wanted, but it turned out that they knew what I was looking for. I feel as though this alignment was a divine intervention. We worked so well together and I can’t thank them enough. I will for sure hire them again for my second book or whatever other projects I may have. Thanks a million!
Cover of When Goodbye Comes Too Early: Learning To Breathe Again Through Love and LossLTP HOPEAuthor of When Goodbye Comes Too Early: Learning To Breathe Again Through Love and Loss
Thank you so much to the HMD Publishing Team! They have been amazing throughout this entire process. I had already worked with them to get my book ready to publish on Amazon but discovered (after the fact) that publishing to PublishDrive had different technical requirements. They were on it! They converted my book to meet the more stringent PublishDrive requirements and HMD Publishing very kindly answered all of my questions regarding the process. Thanks to the HMD Publishing Team’s patience and knowledge, I no longer feel lost in this whole publishing world and look very much forward to doing it all again with them in the future!
Cover of The NO NONSENSE Guide to Pendulums: Demystifying Pendulum Dowsing and Healing for New and Advanced PractitionersRenu AroraAuthor of The NO NONSENSE Guide to Pendulums: Demystifying Pendulum Dowsing and Healing for New and Advanced Practitioners

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Verified client reviews

Every package includes

Picture book production, not a squeezed adult template.

Fixed-layout ePub + print-ready PDF from one production pass
Full-bleed setup for edge-to-edge illustration printing
Text-image integration composed spread by spread
KDP + IngramSpark ready with Kindle Kids compatibility
Cover formatting + source files included with your delivery

Formatting-rejection correction: if a retailer rejects the delivered file because of our formatting, we correct that formatting issue free. It does not count against your revision rounds.

Popular add-ons: Extra pages £77 · Activity-book elements £197

Want to read a whole one?

Download a full children’s book sample we formatted.

Confidence Stories for Shy Girls is a 14-page children’s interior typeset by HMD. Open the sample PDF to see the text placement, spreads and print margins up close — or get a quote for your own book.

Process

Your illustrations and text, combined page by page.

You review a proof of every spread before the final files are delivered.

Step 1
Review

We review your illustrations and text, confirm the trim size, and flag anything that would affect print quality.

Step 2
Layout

We combine text and art into a cohesive fixed-layout design with full-bleed setup on every spread.

Step 3
Proof

You check the flow, readability and text placement page by page, and request changes.

Step 4
Finalize

We deliver files ready for KDP, IngramSpark, Apple Books and other retailers.

A printed children's picture book lying open, showing a full-bleed illustrated spread with the text set around the artwork.

Managed delivery

One coordinated workflow replaces the vendor handoffs, duplicated feedback, and platform admin that usually slow a book launch down.

FAQ

Questions authors usually ask before they commit.

Clear answers on timeline, scope, rights, revisions, and what happens after checkout.

What is the difference between a manuscript format and an interior layout?

A manuscript format is the plain double-spaced document you send to an agent or publisher — the words only, with illustration notes in brackets. An interior layout is the finished book: every spread composed, text positioned around the artwork, trim size and bleed set for print. Free picture-book templates almost always give you the first one. This service produces the second.

Can I use a free Canva or Blurb template instead of a professional layout?

You can, and for a simple text-led book it may be enough. Templates struggle with the two things picture books depend on: full-bleed print PDFs, where artwork has to run past the trim edge without losing anything important, and fixed-layout ePub, where the text has to stay exactly where you placed it on every device rather than reflowing over the illustration. Those are the two failure points we set up by hand.

How much does children's book formatting cost?

Children's book formatting starts at £97 for Picture Book Starter (up to 24 pages), £197 for Illustrated Pro (up to 48 pages), and £297 for Full Creative (up to 72 pages). Extra pages and activity-book elements are available as add-ons.

Does fixed-layout formatting cover both print and Kindle in one pass?

Yes. Each package produces a full-bleed print-ready PDF and a fixed-layout ePub from the same production pass, so the printed book and the Kindle edition show the same spreads. Files are prepared for Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Apple Books and Kobo, and the ePub includes text pop-up coding for Kindle Kids compatibility.

What makes children's book formatting different?

Children's books require fixed-layout formatting to preserve the precise placement of text and images. We create files that maintain your design across all devices and include special features like text pop-ups for accessibility.

How long does children's book formatting take?

Picture Book Starter (up to 24 pages) takes 5 days, Illustrated Pro (up to 48 pages) takes 7 days, and Full Creative (up to 72 pages) takes 10 days. Complex layouts may require additional time, which we confirm before work starts.

Can you help if I don't have illustrations yet?

We focus on formatting existing illustrations. If you need illustration services, check out our custom illustration packages which can be bundled with formatting.

Will my book work on Kindle Kids?

Absolutely! We ensure full compatibility with Kindle Kids, including proper text pop-up coding and age-appropriate formatting standards.

One page, one decision

Ready to bring your picture book to life?

Board book, activity book, or over 72 pages? Send us your project and we’ll price it exactly, free. No call needed.