When does a booklet become a book?

I know, when it grows up!

Seriously, I was working on a listing for a small "book" and I'm not sure whether to call it a book or a booklet.

It's about 8" x 5-1/2", has 26 pages, is staple bound, and has soft covers. It's not a catalog or an advertising pamphlet... it contains patterns and instructions for needlework.

So... is it a "booklet" or a "book" or do both terms fit so I can use either one?

I think I'll start my first Antiquers.com poll for this question. Please share your thoughts, too!

 

I would call something of that few pages, staple-bound with soft cover, and given the subject matter, a booklet.

 

MW> Booklet = a little book usually having paper covers and few pages

 

If it is saddle-stitched it is a booklet. if it is hard-bound, it is a book.

 

King, I saw that definition of "booklet" yet one of the definitions on Merriam Webster for "book" is so general that it seems to fit, too...

"a set of written, printed, or blank sheets bound together into a volume"

 

If it's a glue pot, it's a book. If it's a feather pillow, it's a booklet.

 

In addition to the dictionary definition, I'm interested in people's general usage, which so far is totally on the "booklet" side.

'Cept for MOS... not sure which side to put your reply! LOL

 

I think volume is key there.

 

Wait for Bookahtoo.

 

My Dad would ask; Is it colder in the winter than it is in the city?
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Or; Do you walk to school or carry your lunch ?

 

Be careful out there!!!

 

You all have convinced me to call it a "booklet," but now I have to figure out which words to change in my title so "booklet" will fit!

I was being lazy and hoping I could get away without spending more time on the title.

 

Let's put it this way: soft-bound, the critter can have rather a lot of pages, but if it's hard-bound and has only three pages, it is still a book.

 

All bomblets are bombs though not all bombs are bomblets.

 

But there are different kinds of book - folio vs scroll for example. Call it what ever you like, just say how its put together and include the number of pages in the title. So far as buyers are concerned, I bet a book would get more interest than a booklet.

 

OH, wow. Thanks for asking. My first reaction - a small book, thin but also not the average 9x6 or so.

Booklet is something you can put in your pocket.

Glad I then Googled it because it brought out the "WOW', #3 - what ancient and fun memories.

1.A small bound book or pamphlet, usually having a paper cover

2. A thin book, esp one having paper covers; pamphlet

3. blue book - a blue booklet used in universities for writing examinations.

 

Thanks for the all the comments. The plot thickens with some thinking a booklet is also a book!

I guess this is one of those words that we think we're all on the same page about until we compare are thoughts.

Since one of the things that can come back and bite an eBay seller in the rear is over-stating/over-glorifying an item, I'm going to play it safe and use "booklet" in the title even though technically using "book" might be correct at least in some people's minds. I'll probably say "booklet (small book)" in the description or something similar.

Or, now that I think about it more... if I eliminate a couple of other words from the title, I may put both terms in so buyers would find it regardless of which they use as a keyword in their search.

Oh, the stupid dilemmas one would never encounter if it weren't for online searches in general, and eBay searches in particular!