Print it well
A4, 100% scale, and paper that takes colour. Five minutes of setup saves a whole book.
1. Print at 100%, not “fit to page”
Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader, Foxit or your printer's own app. In the print dialog choose A4 and Actual size / 100%. “Fit to page” shrinks the page and leaves uneven white edges. If your printer cannot print borderless, keep the built-in margin — it is designed for home printers, not trimmed off.
2. Paper and binding
For the interior, 120–160 gsm matte paper feels like a real picture book; ordinary 80 gsm copy paper is fine for a first proof. Print the cover on 200–250 gsm cardstock if you can. Duplex: flip on the long edge. Bind with three staples on the fold (saddle stitch) or a spiral; leave the 12 mm margin clear.
3. Colour and screen reading
Choose “high quality” rather than draft, and let the printer manage colour. On a tablet, the same PDF works in night mode; the reader's night mode is for the screen, not for printing. If colours look dull on paper, check that the paper is matte, not glossy, and that “economy” mode is off.
4. Read it aloud
Before you start, ask one question: “What do you think happens next?” During the reading, let the child turn the page. After the last page, ask “Which part would you keep?” and “What would you change?” Three questions are enough; a book is not a worksheet. If a page is cut off or the file will not open, email [email protected] with the order number and a photo of the printout.