A turtleback book is a type of hardcover book that uses a unique binding process used to protect against wear and tear. Turtleback books are durable, and thus usually found in schools or libraries. In fact, turtleback books are sometimes referred to as library bound books.
For example, Amazon describes this Harry Potter book as Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition):
While turtleback books offer superior durability over paperback, turtlebacks are also considered more durable than traditional hardcovers. Specifically, hardcover books have a smoother, more flexible cover where turtleback books feature almost a reinforced and tougher cover.
Here is a video comparing the two:
In terms of looks, the library bound turtleback resembles a paperback, but is rebound as the turtleback. In addition, turtleback cooks won’t have dust jackets, which many appreciate because it’s one less thing to have to worry about damaging.
Here is a review of Stephen King’s IT as a turtleback:
Are Turtleback Books More Expensive?
Not usually, but let’s take a look at a couple of real examples.
Here we have Of Mice and Men in paperback, hardcover, and turtleback/library binding.
The pricing between the three is as follows:
- Paperback: $9.99
- Hardcover: $20.30
- Library Binding: $19.29
So, not much of a difference between hardcover and library binding, so at this point it just comes down to personal preference.
How about Harry Potter? Here we have the three options for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
A little bit bigger of a difference here, with:
- Paperback: $9.33
- Hardcover: $20
- Library Binding: $24.50
So in these two examples, library binding and turtleback books might be slightly more expensive than hardcover books, but they should also offer increased durability. Here is a quick video to end, talking about the differences and the benefits in the light of the higher price:
