How to repair an old children's book

[TheSkiingGardener]

We have a 30 year old copy of a Richard Scarry book and DS now loves it and wants it read all the time. The problem is it is literally falling apart. Is Sellotape the best bet or is there a better way to try and hold it all together?

Sellotape will work, but tends to discolour over time...if you google 'repairing books' there are various suggestions for alternatives.
I had a very old and much-loved 'Busy, Busy World' which was falling to bits, and decided that it would be worth buying a new one! Richard Scarry books can go for £££s, but you can sometimes pick them up reasonably cheaply on Ebay/Amazon Marketplace. I thought it was worth buying one great hardback book which has been read over and over again, instead of buying a few picture books!

Thanks, will have a look. Funnily enough it is a copy of 'Busy, busy world' which needs repairing. They seem to go for a fair bit and I think with the amount of handling any copy would probably fall apart given their age.

Don't use Sellotape!!! If pages are ripped you can use Scotch Magic Tape which is (and stays) almost invisible. If pages are actually falling out it's much better to do an amateur rebinding job with Copydex and rubber bands. I'm a librarian and often have to rescue books which have been "repaired" by we'll-meaning parents.

no, don't use sellotape.
It will go brown and brittle and fall off and make the pages stained.

You can get special book tape.

If it's just the covers, then buy a roll of bookwrap.

I will get links, hang on.

book wrap
available at most book retailers.
(i can also get hold of it)

binding tape this is wholesale, but I bet you can get it in smaller amounts.
I've got a roll at home (but I bought it wholesale too)
is the stuff I've got

this is the stuff

BTW, don't think you can get away with buying a new one to replace it - some of the words have been changed and updated, and the book isn't as big now as it was (much shorter and narrower)

Right, I won't use Sellotape. It's not ripped at all, the pages are literally just falling out of the binding with age. I'm intrigued by how you use rubber bands to repair that so will have a google. If I use tape, do I just tape the pages to each other or is there something clever I can do?

normally just tape the pages together

Just wondering if there is a way to effectively reglue the binding, pretty lug every page will need taping otherwise.

I had seen a newer version on eBay but will avoid and waitformone of the originals to come up. I can see why they may have changed it though, some of the national stereotypes probably would be frowned on nowadays.

Yes PVA or the more flexible copydex down the spine and tightly push the pages against it and hold them there.

Large elastic bands are good. A hard back may need something to fill the step between pages and cover.

is it sticked or a paperback?

you can restitch a book.