Yes!, kleinbl00 is correct. I'm the offspring of a rather well known bookbinder, and I have lots of experience working for him. If you or anyone else ever want any tips or pointers, feel free to hit me up. Glad to see the effort out there. It's a dying craft.
You kind of have to use binder's board to do it correctly, which you can buy on Amazon. It is sold in varying thicknesses for different book types. You can use tick card stock for the spine, with about 1/4" spacing between the spine and the boards. If you don't have a bone folder, you should pick one up. Again, <$5 on the internet, and you can use it to smooth the cover while the glue is wet, crease the edges, form the hinge, etc. It's a bookbinder's best friend.
I briefly considered getting a masters in book arts under Audrey Niffenegger, I think she was a professor at the School of the Art Institute a while back, but I already have one impractical degree. Handmade books are incredibly enticing to me for some reason.