COVER in Canva for Children's Book (KDP)

In this video, I'll show you how to create a cover for your Amazon KDP children's book in the free software, Canva.
⬇️ 📚 MY COURSE! 🎨 ⬇️
I created a course to walk you step-by-step through creating and publishing a children's book in Canva from start to finish!
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KDP Help Page - Set Trim Size, Bleed, & Margins:
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After you're done with your cover, you can upload & publish your children's book! Here's my video where I walk you through that process:
• Upload & Publish Your ...
Then, be sure to check out the next video, Final Steps After Publishing!
• Final Steps After Publ...
Sign up for CANVA here (free!):
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📚 MY KDP TEMPLATES / help session / services 📚
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[@shaneaudette6763]

I am sitting in a car right now on lunch break trying to figure out a bunch of things for my children's book. Couldn't figure out cover template size so I Google it. Your video came up. Perfect, concise and thorough. You never know who is watching your video and when, you might think people are sitting at home all organized.... not me lol. Video came at perfect time Thank you very much!!

[@HeatherCashArt]

Aww I am so glad!! Hope you liked your lunch 😝 Let me know if you have any questions! ❤️

[@naya6780]

MY mummy is thankful to watching this video and the double spread one too.She learned a lot and you now have a new subscriber. Thanks for sharing your methods😊❤

[@HeatherCashArt]

Yay!!! Thank you so much!! ❤️

[@rsai1058]

Thank you so much! You are guiding me all the way through in making my first book. Thank you !!!!!!

[@HeatherCashArt]

Aw I'm so glad!! ❤️

[@hawksnestbooks]

So easy to understand. You are the BEST! Thanks Heather.

[@HeatherCashArt]

Aww you are so kind!! Thank you I'm so glad you like my videos ❤️

[@Diamond-zt2dc]

Heather, wonderful video. Many thanks for sharing your knowledge.💜🙏

[@shelleydawnsiddall5782]

Another fabulous video! I have written 22 other books (cozy mysteries, thrillers etc.); but now onto my children's books under a pen name. I'm probably five months away from publishing the first book so I'll be viewing these awesome videos of yours repeatedly. Thanks again!

[@HeatherCashArt]

Oh that's so exciting!! I'm going to try to find your books now!

[@thelowlychicken]

@@HeatherCashArt Thank you, Heather. I haven't published the 2nd edition of my children's book as I', watching your videos and learning. I've nearly finished the illustrations, thanks to you. The next step is to add the text and then, of course, the cover and once done, I'll let you know. If that's okay with you. Thank you again, I think I'll start calling you Hope :) Could you recommend a good channel on how to promote my book pls? Will need this for my next step :) tnx you :)

[@HeatherCashArt]

@@thelowlychicken Hi! Yes you can check out Paul Marles, and also this girl: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4LKoqWigKp_ibcsi=ScJ6lkjE4Quitzni

[@MyHarmony0_0]

I have done my cover book thanks to you and folllow the spin measurments that you mentioned 😎😎❤❤, and I didn't use the bleed cause my book doesn't have designs that I am afraid to cut off, but I will use them in my next story book, since it is coloured and have a lot of designs

[@HeatherCashArt]

That's awesome!

[@laurobelrecordingstudio]

Excellent presentation, thank you 😋

[@samp4050]

😮 all these calculations knot my old brain.

[@HeatherCashArt]

If you don't want to do the calculations, I sell templates on my website! www.heathercash.art/category/all-products

[@thepovthinker3572]

Hello Heather! Love your videos, very intuitive. I just had a question. Im on the KDP website and have used their cover calculator which asks an assortment of questions about your book. One of them is "page turn direction." I was wondering what you choose for your books? Right to left or left to right? because their seems to be some confusion about the wording of this question.

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! The page turn direction is the same as reading direction, so it would be LTR for most languages including English 🙂

[@richardparrot9202]

I agree that wording is confusing - which is confounding since there are only TWO choices. While it’s true I am reading lines from LTR, I am turning pages from RIGHT to LEFT. What am I missing here? 😱

[@DropsofJuniper77]

Heather, do you put a copyright page in if you don’t legally get it copyrighted? I’m a newb 😬 Your videos have been the best I’ve watched ❤

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! Thank you, I'm so glad you like my videos! It is optional whether you put the page in, but re: getting it copyrighted - you don't actually need to do anything in order for it to be copyrighted. It is automatically copyright the moment you create it under the Artist's Copyright.

[@AnnaMaledonPictureBookAuthor]

As long as you wrote it yourself, and not written by AI you can just put a copyright info there, no need to register and pay, but you could of course. AI written content can't be copyrighted though.

[@lilianaruiz]

Hi, thank you so much for all the content you have posted... I published two books for adults in another category, but I have stories created for children and am learning the whole procedure.... I don't know how to use Procreate or Prhotoshop so these Canva videos are very interesting. On the other hand, I want to ask you... if the cover is with gold foil, where can I send them to print? I didn't find in Amazon KDP the option to print it.... Thanks you again 🙏🏻

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! I have never done anything with gold foil - I'm guessing you'll need to find an independent printer and get them printed in bulk from SmartPress or Print Ninja - but that's a lot of upfront cost. However if you're sure you'll sell them all then it might be a good option for you. I'm not sure if there are any print on demand companies that offer the gold foil.

[@bhavsingh1812]

Thank you for your incredible videos. I am creating my first book cover. My book in canva has 30 pages but wouldn't this actually translate to 15 pages in print because it's back to back?

[@HeatherCashArt]

No it doesn't go by the # of pieces of paper, it goes by the # of pages in your PDF, so even though it's 1 piece of paper, it's actually two pages.

[@EmmanuelGakiza]

Hi Heather, thank you very much for sharing this, super helpful! One question I have is, can I add words on the spine? I would like to add my name and book title there but saw someone say that we can't do that. Thanks in advance for your reply

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! You can only have spine text if your book is at least 79 pages, otherwise your spine won't be thick enough for text. kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201953020

[@EmmanuelGakiza]

@@HeatherCashArt Thank you for answering.

[@nyamamarvel1747]

Hi thanks for sharing. This was extremely helpful

[@HeatherCashArt]

Yay!

[@pawneetales7037]

Thank you so much for these videos! Thanks to your wonderfully detailed videos, I just completed my first children's book. Yay! I have not been able to find how to add text and/or images to the inside cover, though. Many children's books have something on the inside of the paperback covers, and I'd like to do the same. Do you have a resource for this?

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! Thanks so much for your kind words! I'm so glad you like my videos!! Unfortunately KDP does not have this feature. IngramSpark does though, so you could consider publishing with them. If you look through my recent videos, I have one on KDP vs IngramSpark and how to decide which one you want to use. Hope that helps!

[@pawneetales7037]

@@HeatherCashArt That is very helpful, thank you! I'll watch that video today.

[@cathyhulet441]

I always learn so much from you! Thank you! Do you have an email? I thought you gave it on one of your videos, but I’ve watched so many I can’t remember which one.?

[@HeatherCashArt]

I'm so glad!! My email is [e-mail] 🙂 Also I made a Facebook group recently where we can share our projects and motivate each other, if you're interested! Only 5 members so far ha ha! facebook.com/groups/639760944682131/?ref=share

[@BlueDoveSong]

What a help! Thank you!

[@HeatherCashArt]

Yay!!

[@lilianaruiz-q7h]

thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank

[@cassiewilson9129]

So do you have to make a separate file for the cover page? I am new to this and made my cover page as "Page 1" in the story book format in Canva. Thanks for the tips!

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! Yes, here is the tutorial 🙂 kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4DWi2t-lpyBmas

[@MyHarmony0_0]

hello💗💗💗💗i have a question please, is there a video in you channel mention the hard cover book? because I have learnt from you set the measurments for paperback but I dont know the spine or the measurments for the hradcover book

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! Yes I do, for KDP hardcover. Here is the video :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5WQpYKbo693d5Ysi=NgdjUTOm2TNtfRwW

[@liudmilabozzi806]

Hi Heather, thanks very much for this! Your explanation is very clear. Do you have any advice of what tool our of all you tried works best for layouts - canva, photoshop or procreate?

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi!! It's so funny that you asked that because the video I'm working on right now, to post this weekend, is exactly that!! I should be able to have it up by tomorrow!!

[@liudmilabozzi806]

@@HeatherCashArt You are awesome! That would be great! so many applications out there, it would be great to better understand which one is best based on your experience!

[@engleesh2024]

You are awesome!

[@HeatherCashArt]

Aw thank you!! 🥰

[@AliReza-xk7if]

What size to be others page ? May I know why you didn't make the design of middle of the cover page for page binding?

[@emoralbookscom]

Hello, good evening. I am Nazari from the UAE. Is it possible for you to explain about the copyright and ISBN for children's books and placing them on the Amazon site? It is really necessary. Where should I get them? Thank you for your answers and videos.

[@emoralbookscom]

Hello, good evening. I am Nazari from the UAE. Is it possible for you to explain about the copyright and ISBN for children's books and placing them on the Amazon site? It is really necessary. Where should I get them? Thank you for your answers and videos.

[@shaneaudette6763]

Hi there, if my book in Canva is showing 45 pages and ends on the right side page- is that actually "46" pages I would enter into the spine calculation? Thank you

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! It actually would be 48 because the number of pages is always going to be a multiple of 4 🙂

[@autumnshuping6146]

Thank you, Heather! I need help with the measurements though. In canva, the measurements are gone. They are not on my screen, so i can't pull down and line them up for the "safe zone." And i would really like to have that, so that my text doesn't go over. Can you help me? How can i get the measurements/ruler to show?

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! It's in the menu, something like File -> Rulers -> Show Rulers & Guides or something similar

[@HeatherCashArt]

Oh BUT, not on mobile phones. Only web browser or desktop app (maybe iPad? I haven't used it on an iPad before)

[@rebeccarouse3137]

Loved this though my Canva doesn't have guides for me to split the cover page :( and I don't understand how you got it ?

[@HeatherCashArt]

Go to File -> View Settings -> Show Rulers & Guides 🙂

[@BecciBex]

Thank you so much

[@YokoChanAdventures]

I have really enjoyed your tutorials. But I am have a really hard time trying to match up the ruler in canva to meet the guides that you have. The bottom and the right sites are off a bit on my end. I hope I can match what you have. I already created a childrens book and all i have to do is set it up properly.

[@HeatherCashArt]

Glad you like my videos! Thank you for watching ☺️ Have you tried zooming in as much as possible? Also, if it's not perfect it's not a huge deal, just make sure you don't have anything important near the edges and give a good amount of margin for the text!

[@YokoChanAdventures]

@@HeatherCashArt okay! I did my best and created my cover similar to yours the best way I could in terms of Measurements. Thank you so much and I appreciate you and your channel. :)

[@luckyturtlegirl]

@@YokoChanAdventures I saw on another person's tutorial that they made a small box, fit it in their first measured margin, and then used that shape to line up the right and the bottom margins. Has been working well for me!

[@samp4050]

Same here. I have done 80 pages of illustrations and made the cover, but am battling to understand the ruler thing, sizes, and how to put all of them together in one pdf as Amazon KDP requests. Also feeling overwhelmed actually. And despondent. I also have 4 journal covers done, but don't know how to add the inside lined pages, and how to put it all together for KDP. 😢

[@marciamarcia7449]

Why do you not make the cover template in kdp? I see that is an option.

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! You can use it if you want, but in my opinion it is not ideal for layout. It's not super user-friendly. If you're already laying your book out in Canva, then you've already gotten comfortable using it and it will be much easier for you. If you use the cover creator that's a whole other interface you have to learn. Plus, cover creator just isn't as advanced. In Canva you have so many different options for fonts, adding extra elements, even photo filters, adding shapes, the possibilities are really endless. But again that's just my opinion, of course you can use cover creator if you want 🙃 I won't be mad 🤣

[@Theboujeemomdiaries]

How once you have made the split in the picture through the middle,how do you add the second picture from the project as the back cover without it swapping out for the front of book picture? Please help! 😢

[@HeatherCashArt]

I don't understand your question... If you want you can share your Canva project with me and maybe I can better see what you are trying to do. My email is [e-mail]

[@Ruthie888]

Thank you so much!

[@HeatherCashArt]

You're so welcome ☺️

[@senjos]

Nice! Could I do this also in Affinity Publisher?

[@HeatherCashArt]

Ooh I'll add that to my list!

[@senjos]

@@HeatherCashArt That is amazing! I have the whole Affinity suite and love this 3 apps :D

[@dawnjaco2975]

Help!! I should’ve watched this first dot I did all my pages as single pages 8.5×11 now I have to figure out how to put it in a spread but can’t figure out how to get my completed finished pages over? 😩

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! Your spreads do have to be separated into single pages in your PDF file... If you look at the previous videos in the series, you'll see where I explain how spreads work. I hope that helps!

[@ethnieferguson7092]

I am following this step by step using Canva Pro and its not working. There is no margin to adjust. Are you using an older version of Canva? Its just not working

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! If you don't see the guides, you can press shift + R on your keyboard to show the rulers, or show rulers & guides from the menu.

[@SphilileLelooow-yj9qx]

Am struggling with this paperback manuscript thing l can't upload .... doesn't allow me go through to file .... And also do l have to bleed the manuscrip with the same same of my page .... really am lost .....

[@HeatherCashArt]

Hi! You can email me at [e-mail] and I'll try to help 🙃

[@PropheticLionessC]

Do you have a video on making a hard cover book for children’s books

[@HeatherCashArt]

No I don't, but it is on my list! I have something else planned for this weekend, but I can probably do it the weekend after. Which program are you using to lay out your book?

[@PropheticLionessC]

I’m using canva and I would like to make a book for my grandson but would love hard cover instead of paper

[@HeatherCashArt]

@@PropheticLionessC ok great! Do you have at least 75 pages in your book? KDP requires 75 pages.

[@PropheticLionessC]

I don’t have 75 I haven’t really started it yet but I could probably get 75 or more.

[@rebecca-t1w]

Is there a way to tell if the images will look good in print or do you just have to find out ? Canva on my laptop looks great but when I edit on my iPad some images look pixelated

[@HeatherCashArt]

You can try printing from your home printer! If you don't have one, print at Staples or somewhere similar.

[@rebecca-t1w]

@@HeatherCashArt thank you!

[@byfaith314]

Is it true we should leave 3 blanket pages on Canva?

[@HeatherCashArt]

For your inside pages? It just depends on your individual book. The number of pages will always be a multiple of 4. So for example if your book is 29 pages, you can add 3 blank ones to make it 32. (Or if you don't add those, KDP will just add them for you)

[@byfaith314]

@@HeatherCashArt yes the inside thank you!

[@TruePower956]

I'm having trouble with the guidelines of my book cover, is this something that is offered in Canva Pro?

[@HeatherCashArt]

No, guides are in the free version of Canva. Are you not able to see them? You may need to turn them on which I think I went over in the video?

[@HeatherCashArt]

Ooh actually I forgot in this video! Just go to File -> View Settings -> Show Rulers and Guides 🙂

[@MaryJane-rd9og]

Is this for an 8.5x8.5 in book? I'm confused because you said 8.375x8.5

[@HeatherCashArt]

No this is for 8.25. You're always going to add .125 to the width and .25 to the height. So for an 8.5x8.5 you would do 8.625 wide x 8.75 high.

[@MaryJane-rd9og]

thank you! @@HeatherCashArt

[@melissafrancis2583]

Hi Heather, I just want to verify my thinking. Starting at about 2:10, you calculated the page dimensions, you used the spine calculations + 8.375 (Front) + 8.375 (Back) -- however the back dimensions are 8.50. Was this an error or are you duplicating the 8.375 measurement. If I understand it, it should be the measurements from KDP which is, in this example- spine calculations + 8.375 (Front) + 8.5 (Back)- I want to ensure I am calculating correctly! Thank you :-) @@HeatherCashArt

[@HeatherCashArt]

@@melissafrancis2583 Hi! No the width of the back is 8.375 because it is 8.25 + .125 bleed. 8.5 is the *height* of the cover (because there will be bleed on both the top and bottom, so 8.25 + .125 + .125). Does that make sense?

[@melissafrancis2583]

Yes! Thank you for straightening me out, I was trying to use the height in the calculations and not the 2nd page of width. Blonde Moment.. THANK YOU FOR AMAZING VIDEOS@@HeatherCashArt

[@amylychock4163]

How can you make it a hard cover?

[@HeatherCashArt]

You will need at least 75 pages to create a hardcover in KDP. Here is the tutorial: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5WQpYKbo693d5Ysi=R-gObLExjnZXSCZv

[@samp4050]

I downloaded the template from Amazon earlier today and suddenly there's some stupid security app (so it says), but I can't get rid of it now!😮 It keeps running and asks me to pay a subscription fee, which I can't and won't. When I tried to open the downloaded file, it doesn't do anything, so I think my laptop must have picked up a bug! Has anyone else also had this problem? I put my laptop off for 10 minutes and rebooted it again, and this stupid security app starts running again! 😠

[@HeatherCashArt]

Oh wow I've definitely never heard of that happening. Did you try googling the name of the security app?

[@samp4050]

​@@HeatherCashArtit's under the disguise of some 'tune up' app or something.

[@HeatherCashArt]

@@samp4050 yikes that wasn't from Amazon, you must have gotten it some other way. Are you able to uninstall it?

[@BloominDailyPub]

Does flattening the artwork reduce the quality?

[@HeatherCashArt]

No it doesn't reduce the quality, just makes it a non-editable PDF.

[@lashawnrichards5697]

@@HeatherCashArt okie thanks

[@xiaozhong2704]

Hi, anyone knows where to print out the book?

[@HeatherCashArt]

What do you mean? This tutorial is for KDP, so Amazing KDP will be the one printing it.

[@rainbow_warrioress]

It's ok not to use bleed for the cover?

[@HeatherCashArt]

You should use bleed for the cover. Especially if the rest of the pages have bleed. Is there a reason why you don't want to?

[@rainbow_warrioress]

@@HeatherCashArt I didn't see you click on bleed when you downloaded it on canva but I remember in another video you said to use bleed on the inside pages. I've been trying to download a book on canva several times and kdp keeps sending me this: We checked your files and found issues you need to fix before your book can be published on KDP: Cover Resize the background or image on your cover so that it extends 0.125” (3.2 mm) beyond the trim line. All covers must be sized for bleed, which means you need to add an extra 0.125" (3.2 mm) along the top, bottom, and sides of your cover file. Once you have increased the size of your cover, extend any images or backgrounds that you want to reach all the way to the edge of the page 0.125” (3.2 mm) beyond the trim line. This prevents manufacturing issues when the cover is trimmed to size. Learn more about bleed . I was thinking maybe it was because I shouldn't use bleed on my cover. I'm trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

[@rainbow_warrioress]

I've never clicked on flatten pdf and I use many layers. Maybe that's the problem? Because I'm pretty sure I'm using the right size. I even added the .125 like they asked and they still reject it.

[@HeatherCashArt]

@@rainbow_warrioress re: using the bleed setting in Canva - don't use Canva's bleed setting, because it's whatever Canva wants it to be instead if what KDP needs. When we created the cover, we calculated the page size with bleed, so you don't need to use Canva's bleed thing. Hope that makes sense. If all else fails, just listen to what KDP is telling you. When you upload your cover file to KDP, if it's the wrong size then it will say something like "your cover file is (blah blah blah) but the expected cover size is (yadda yadda). Look at what it says the expected cover size is, and make that the dimensions of your file. When it says resize the background on your cover so that it extends - that's because you need to have the background image go all the way to the edge. No white margin around the edges. If you use the Canva bleed setting, it's going to add white around it. So just make sure the size in canva matches the KDP expected cover size, and make sure your background goes to the edge. Does that help? You can also email me at [e-mail]

[@rainbow_warrioress]

@@HeatherCashArt that could be the problem. I didn't think of trying that. Thank you! 🙂

[@jkaat7373]

I need help with putting my book together on Canva to be submitted to KDP. I have everything in a zip file, im just overwhlemed and need help 🥲

[@HeatherCashArt]

Do you already have text laid out on your pages, and just need them combined together as a PDF? Email me at [e-mail]