How to Make Books in Minecraft

Reading is for everyone!

You may not think it on first look, but books in Minecraft are essential items for a variety of reasons. Besides being able to make stylish bookshelves for all your decorative desires, books are used for other valuable crafting and enchanting recipes that are almost necessary for later stages of the game. Get your tools ready, and learn how to make Books in Minecraft below.

Recommended Videos

Related: How to Make a Chest in Minecraft

How to Make Books in Minecraft

The resources needed to craft books are not the easiest to obtain, but can be easily farmable with the proper setup. To make books in Minecraft, you’ll need:

  • 3 Paper
  • 1 Leather

Paper can be crafted using three Sugarcanes in a horizontal line, or looted from various chests in Shipwrecks, Strongholds, and Villages.

Leather can be crafted using four Rabbit Hides in a 2×2 square, and is dropped upon death by cows, mooshrooms, horses, donkeys, mules, llamas, and trader llamas. It can also be found in various chests.

Arrange the materials in a 2×2 square, with the three papers in the top-left, top-right, and bottom-left and the leather in the bottom-right. This crafting recipe yields one Book.

Books can also be found in various chests within Ancient Cities, Shipwreck map chests, Strongholds, and Villages. Additionally, destroying a pre-made bookshelf will drop three books.

Related: How Many Bookshelves are Necessary for Level 30 Enchantment in Minecraft? – Answered

Books can be used alongside Obsidian blocks and Diamonds to craft an Enchanting Table, which are necessary in adding essential perks to all of your gear. Books are also necessary in crafting bookshelves, which are required to power up your Enchanting Table to its maximum capabilities.

Finally, books can be used to create the Book and Quill, allowing players to write up to 79,800 words (Java Edition) or 12,800 words (Bedrock Edition) in them, which doesn’t actually do anything but, hey, this is Minecraft.

For more information on Minecraft, check out our other guides here at Prima Games.


Prima Games is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy

About the Author

Matt Vatankhah

Matt's writing career began when he joined Prima Games in 2022. As Managing Editor, he tries to make sure everything you read looks as pretty as possible. He's had a passion for video games all of his life and really loves Final Fantasy, retro FPS, roguelikes, and metroidvanias. He will absolutely stomp you in Tetris.