Book

Books are items in The Sims series that serve a variety of purposes throughout the different games.

They are stored in bookshelves, but Sims can put them down on most surfaces.

The Sims
Books are all identical. Sims can use them to study skills, or to increase the fun motive.

The Sims 2
In The Sims 2, all books are identical. Sims can use them to study mechanics or cooking, or to Read a Book, which increases the fun motive.

The Sims 2 added the ability to study cleaning, and to write a diary.

The Sims 3
In The Sims 3, the book system was massively overhauled.



General books
There are a variety of books in The Sims 3, including different genres and books with dramatically different properties such as skill books and compositions. There is a wide variety of possible book covers, and several different sizes. Generally books have the following properties:


 * Distinct genre/type cover
 * Small/Medium/Large
 * Number of pages
 * Price

Sims can buy many premade books from the bookstore, a rabbit hole found in premade neighborhoods such as Riverview. General books also appear to read in the library.

There are a wide range of premade books that cannot be bought, but instead are gained through opportunities in work or adventures.

Writing books
Sims learning the Writing skill can produce books, some of which are only accessible under certain conditions. Books produced by writer Sims will also be classified as either flops, normal, hit, or best seller. Sims rummaging through garbage will often find copies of flops. Books that Sims have written are available in the library, but can only be bought privately in multiple copies through a menu on a Sim's Writing skill journal.

Conditions for getting certain books

 * Books with Asian-style covers
 * Either travel to Shang Simla Market and buy one, or have a Sim with the Asian Culture hidden trait write books until you get one.


 * Books with French-style covers
 * Either travel to Circle of Knowledge Bookstore and buy one, or have a Sim with the French Culture hidden trait write books until you get one.


 * Books with Egyptian-style covers
 * Either travel to Al Simhara Market and buy one, or have a Sim with the Egyptian Culture hidden trait write books until you get one.

Special books
There several kinds of special books, all of which have properties beyond those of general books.

Skill books


Skill books have three levels, and can be too easy - or too advanced - for Sims to read depending on their skill level. Sims can find basic skill books at the library, but more advanced books need to be bought at the bookstore or at a market. Level one skill books will raise a Sim's skill up to a maximum of level three.

World Adventures skill books
These skill books are only found in markets in World Adventures sub-neighborhoods

Childhood development books
Childhood development books are mini-skill books for Toddler Sims.

They are also a way for players to improve the chances they will get to choose a trait for the Sim when it ages up into a Child.

Skills learned from these books will not appear in the skill panel until the Sim ages up, and Sims can only learn three points in any particular skill from these books.

Books written in the Children's genre do not have the same effects as these books.

Pregnancy books
Pregnancy books look like general books and can be used as such by non-pregnant Sims.

However, if a Sim is pregnant then reading from these books improves the outcome of the pregnancy.

Better pregnancies make it more likely that a player can choose the new baby's traits at birth (bad pregancies result in random traits).

Compositions
A composition is a book of sheet music that lets Sims learn new songs for the Guitar skill.

Once a Sim finishes reading one of these books, it will disappear completely and need to be bought all over again for other Sims.

Recipes
A recipe is a book that lets Sims learn new dishes for the Cooking skill.

Once a Sim finishes reading one of these books, it will disappear completely and need to be bought all over again for other Sims.

World Adventures recipe books
These recipe books are only found in markets in World Adventures sub-neighborhoods

Bait books
Reading bait books will teach baits for the Fishing skill.

World Adventures bait books
These bait books are only found in markets in World Adventures sub-neighborhoods