Book Front Matter Order: What Pages Come First in a Book?

The standard book front matter order is: half title page, title page, copyright page, dedication, epigraph, table of contents, foreword, preface, acknowledgments, and introduction. This sequence follows The Chicago Manual of Style, the guide most US publishers use. Only the title page and copyright page are required; every other page is optional.

Front matter is everything that appears before Chapter One. Get the order wrong and your book looks self-made in the worst way, to readers, reviewers, and bookstore buyers alike. Below, we break down each page in sequence, which ones you can skip, and how the rules change for Kindle eBooks.

New to front matter? Start with our complete guide to book front matter, then come back here for the exact page order.

Book Front Matter Order

Here is the book front matter order, page by page, as most US trade books print it:

1. Praise page (optional) — Endorsements and review quotes. Common in commercial nonfiction; it sits before everything else.
2. Half title page — The book’s title only, no subtitle or author name. This is page i.
3. Also By page (optional) — A list of the author’s other books, printed on the back of the half title.
4. Title page — Full title, subtitle, author name, and publisher or imprint. Learn how to pair these in book title vs subtitle.
5. Copyright page — The © notice, year, rights statement, ISBN, edition, and credits. It always prints on the back of the title page.
6. Dedication (optional) — A short line honoring someone. See book dedication examples.
7. Epigraph (optional) — A brief quote that sets the book’s tone. Public-domain quotes avoid permission issues.
8. Table of contents — Chapter titles and page numbers. Essential for nonfiction and every eBook.
9. List of illustrations or tables (optional) — Used in academic, technical, and heavily illustrated books.
10. Foreword (optional) — Written by someone other than the author, signed with their name.
11. Preface (optional) — The author explains why and how the book was written.
12. Acknowledgments (optional) — Thanks to people who helped. Many authors move this to the back matter.
13. Introduction (optional) — Sets up the main content. It can close the front matter or open the main text as page 1.

Not sure how the foreword, preface, and introduction differ? Our guide to preface vs foreword vs introduction explains who writes each one and what goes inside.

Which Front Matter Pages Are Required?

Only two front matter pages are truly required: the title page and the copyright page. A table of contents is close to required for nonfiction and all eBooks. Everything else depends on your genre and goals.

Torn between a dedication and an acknowledgments page? Read dedication page vs acknowledgment page to choose the right one.

Recto vs Verso: Where Each Page Falls in Print

In a printed book, major front matter pages start on the recto (right-hand, odd-numbered) page. The verso (left-hand, even-numbered) page holds supporting material.

• Recto (right side): half title, title page, dedication, table of contents, foreword, preface, introduction.
• Verso (left side): Also By list, copyright page. Blank versos are normal and expected.
• Page numbers: Front matter uses lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii). The count starts at the half title.
• Hidden numbers: Display pages, such as the half title, title, copyright, and dedication, are counted but not printed with a number.
• Chapter One: Starts on a recto page as Arabic page 1.

Front Matter Order for Kindle and eBooks

eBook front matter should be shorter than print front matter. Amazon’s Look Inside preview and free Kindle samples show the opening pages first. Every page of front matter pushes your story further from the reader.

• Keep: title page, copyright page, a clickable table of contents, and a short dedication.
• Drop: the half title page and blank versos. eBooks have no left or right pages.
• Move to back matter: acknowledgments, Also By lists, and long author notes.
• ISBN: Kindle eBooks do not need an ISBN; Amazon assigns an ASIN. Print editions do need one.

The formatting team at eBook Writing (ebookwriting.co) builds lean eBook front matter as standard practice. In 2025, the studio reported zero first-submission KDP rejections across 47 titles. If you want files built correctly the first time, see our Kindle KDP formatting service or EPUB 3 formatting. Ready to upload? Follow our guide on how to publish a book on Amazon.

5 Common Front Matter Mistakes Authors Make

1. Putting the prologue in the front matter. A prologue is part of the story, so it belongs in the main text, after the table of contents.
2. Placing the copyright page on the right. It always goes on the verso, behind the title page.
3. Printing page numbers on display pages. The title and copyright pages are counted but left unnumbered.
4. Overloading the opening. Five pages of praise, thanks, and notes before Chapter One lose browsing readers.
5. Mixing up the foreword and preface. A foreword is written by someone else; a preface is written by you.

A professional editing and proofreading pass catches these placement errors before your book goes to print.

FAQs About Book Front Matter Order

What is the first page in a book?

The first page in most printed books is the half title page, which shows only the book’s title. Some commercial books place a praise page of endorsements before it.

Does the copyright page go before or after the title page?

The copyright page goes directly after the title page, printed on its back (verso) side. In eBooks, it simply follows the title page.

Does the dedication come before the table of contents?

Yes. The dedication and epigraph come before the table of contents. The foreword, preface, acknowledgments, and introduction come after it.

Is the acknowledgments page front matter or back matter?

It can be either. Chicago style places it in the front matter after the preface, but many modern authors move it to the back. For writing tips, see our book acknowledgment examples.

Is a prologue part of the front matter?

No. A prologue is part of the main story and begins after the front matter, usually just before Chapter One.

Do self-published books need front matter?

Yes. At minimum, every self-published book needs a title page and a copyright page. A table of contents is strongly recommended for eBooks and nonfiction.

Get Your Front Matter Right the First Time

The right book front matter order makes your book look professional before a reader turns to Chapter One. eBook Writing is a US publishing house, with an office in White Plains, New York, that has helped authors since 2015. The team handles book formatting and typesetting, cover design, and KDP publishing, and authors keep 100% of their rights.

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