A book bag can hold a larger load, and does a better job of distributing the load over a larger surface area causing less stress on the bones. Book bags are not necessarily unprofessional, but they do tend to put out a student feel. A messenger bag usually can't hold as much as a book bag, and unlike book bags they only have one strap that tends to rest against your collarbone, this puts a large amount of pressure on a very small surface area. Certain messenger bags look more professional than book bags, but at the end of the day book bags tend to be more comfortable, durable, and can hold more than a messenger bag.
Some suggestions from personal experience:
http://www.amazon.com/Wenger-SwissGear-IBEX/dp/B000VSFLCI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1261982535&sr=1-5 Pros: SwissGear IBEX gets me through a lot really durable back pack. I love it so much I bought one for my brother. Cons: Pretty damn expensive.
http://www.amazon.com/SwissGear-Computer-Backpack-Black-Gray/dp/B0019M6GP6/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1261982674&sr=1-32 Pros: another SwissGear, pretty durable price is average got me through high school. Cons: the computer pocket left me wanting for more.
Brands that I personally have experience with or that come highly recommended.
- SwissGear
- Targus
- High Sierra
In short, messenger bags do seem more professional than book bags, but book bags can hold more and tend to be better for the body, and more comfortable. In my opinion.