Flipping Book Loader
An open book whose pages turn from right to left, one after another in a steady rhythm. Pages rotate in 3D around the spine with rotateY, so it needs no images or JavaScript.
Also known as: book page flip animation, reading loader, flipping pages css.
HTML
<div class="ldr-book-pages" role="status" aria-label="Loading"> <span></span><span></span><span></span> </div>
CSS
.ldr-book-pages {
--s: var(--ldr-size, 48px);
--c: var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6);
--page: color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 14%, #fff);
--lines: repeating-linear-gradient(to bottom, transparent 0 calc(var(--s) * 0.07), color-mix(in srgb, var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6) 45%, transparent) 0 calc(var(--s) * 0.095)) 22% 26% / 62% 56% no-repeat;
position: relative;
width: var(--s);
height: var(--s);
perspective: calc(var(--s) * 3);
}
.ldr-book-pages::before,
.ldr-book-pages::after {
content: "";
position: absolute;
top: 20%;
bottom: 20%;
}
.ldr-book-pages::before {
left: 2%;
right: 2%;
border-radius: calc(var(--s) / 14);
background:
var(--lines),
linear-gradient(var(--page) 0 0) calc(var(--s) * 0.04) calc(var(--s) * 0.035) / calc(50% - var(--s) * 0.055) calc(100% - var(--s) * 0.1) no-repeat,
var(--c);
}
.ldr-book-pages::after {
left: 50%;
width: calc(48% - var(--s) * 0.04);
margin-left: calc(var(--s) * 0.015);
margin-top: calc(var(--s) * 0.035);
bottom: calc(20% + var(--s) * 0.065);
border-radius: 0 calc(var(--s) / 30) calc(var(--s) / 30) 0;
background: var(--lines), var(--page);
}
.ldr-book-pages span {
position: absolute;
z-index: 1;
left: calc(50% + var(--s) * 0.015);
top: calc(20% + var(--s) * 0.035);
bottom: calc(20% + var(--s) * 0.065);
width: calc(48% - var(--s) * 0.04);
border-radius: 0 calc(var(--s) / 30) calc(var(--s) / 30) 0;
background: var(--lines), linear-gradient(90deg, color-mix(in srgb, var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6) 30%, transparent), transparent 45%), var(--page);
transform-origin: 0 50%;
animation: ldr-book-pages-turn 1.8s cubic-bezier(0.45, 0.05, 0.35, 1) infinite;
}
.ldr-book-pages span:nth-child(2) { animation-delay: 0.3s; }
.ldr-book-pages span:nth-child(3) { animation-delay: 0.6s; }
@keyframes ldr-book-pages-turn {
0% { transform: rotateY(0); }
50%, 100% { transform: rotateY(-180deg); }
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.ldr-book-pages, .ldr-book-pages *, .ldr-book-pages::before, .ldr-book-pages::after, .ldr-book-pages *::before, .ldr-book-pages *::after {
animation-duration: 3s;
}
}Customizing this loader
- Color: set
--ldr-coloron the element or a parent. Currently previewing#3b82f6. - Size: set
--ldr-size. Every dimension in the snippet is derived from it. Currently previewing64px. - Speed: change the duration on the
animationshorthand. Delays on the children are relative, so they keep their rhythm. - Accessibility: the root carries
role="status"and anaria-labelso screen readers announce the wait. The reduced-motion rule at the end slows the animation for users who asked for less motion.