Research Focus

The Shape of Reading explores how typography shaped the reading experience of children in Whitcombe & Tombs publications. While the content and illustrations of children’s books are often the most visible parts of a page, this project focuses on less noticeable design elements such as type size, line spacing, text density, white space, page structure and the relationship between text and images. These elements can influence how information is organised, followed and understood.

The project uses three Whitcombe & Tombs children’s books as comparative case studies: Fourth Progressive Primer, The Cottage in the Forest and Little Women. They represent different forms of children’s reading, from early reading practice to more continuous story reading. By analysing the books using the same method, the project compares how their page structures and typographic relationships change across different reading situations.

Exhibition Experience

For the exhibition, these findings will be translated into a physical and interactive experience. Historical page reproductions will remain visible, while transparent layers, movable elements and abstract visual translations will allow visitors to reveal, compare and interact with typographic structures. The aim is to encourage visitors to notice that reading is shaped not only by what is written or illustrated, but also by how information is designed on the page.