Typography for Children by Ilene Strizver Most children learn to
read going letter-by-letter, learning which sounds go with which
shapes until they can blend the sounds together to form words.
This is why new readers proceed slowly and sometimes struggle
with pronunciation and syllable stress. The efforts of new
readers can be supported by making sure their texts use
inviting, easy-to-read typefaces, set in the most readable way.
When selecting a typeface for a children’s text, look for a
warm, friendly design with simple, generous letter shapes. The
counters (the enclosed shapes within characters) should be
rounded and open, not angular or rectangular. Avoid non-
traditional letterforms. A good example of a typeface with these
attributes is Sassoon Primary, designed specifically for
children. Typefaces with larger x-heights are generally easier
to read than those with short x-heights, and this is especially
true for children. For very young readers, select designs with
one-story ‘a’s and ‘g’s (also called inf