Every day, we inch closer to the launch of Bobbledy Books, but today we took a major step forward. Until today, there had been plenty of Bobbledy floating about, but no actual books. But today, we received an envelope in the mail.

We knew right away what it was: the final printer’s proof of the very first Bobbledy Book, The Girl With Frogs in Her Ears.

Our hopes were sky high. We have decided, with Bobbledy Books, to invest in really nice printing, which meant finding a local printer we could work with closely to get it right. We splurged for the finest paper (100lb Mohawk silk). We chose a cover with an attractive, yet child-resistant coating. We paid extra for lush, full-bleed endpapers. It was almost impossible that the book could look as nice as we’d hoped it would.

I opened the envelope with a mixture of excitement and dread.

The verdict: the book looks beautiful.

The printing is gorgeous, and the colors are spot on. The paper is so silky and supple that I want to spread it on the floor and roll around in it. To us, the book looks and feels “real” in a way that our other books haven’t. It’s amazing what a difference materials and print quality can make.

Robbi shared my enthusiasm.

We reviewed the proof carefully, found it to our liking, and promptly ordered 400 copies. We should have the rest within a week or so.

We can’t wait to share it with you all.