Picture cover

A picture cover is a type of book cover which uses a method of bookbinding that preserves the contents as well as a normal hardbound book, but has the look of a paperback book. The pages are collated, stitched and trimmed as for hardbound, but a cover with a picture on it is attached instead of the normal hardbound cover with printing on the spine — and perhaps front. A hardbound book can achieve a similar look with a dust cover, but the cover is fragile and inconvenient when reading, being most useful while the book is shelved.

A picture cover spine

The term "picture cover" is mostly used by book collectors. Many early series books and later children's books have this binding, as do most modern textbooks.