Thoughts on Book Covers

I've been thinking about book covers lately. I like to say the cover doesn't matter when I'm choosing what to read, because now I mostly discover books based on reviews or descriptions from other bloggers or publishers. But I don't totally ignore the front cover. It's a clue to what's inside. And when I'm browsing at the bookstore or library, I rely on a book's cover to catch my eye, even before I read the jacket flap.

When my daughters were reading middle grade books, they definitely made decisions based completely on the front cover. One daughter often rejected books because they had "bad covers", though she could never quite explain what that meant. The other one was more drawn to covers with subject matter that reflected her interests--books with animals or fantastical creatures.

The cover gives that important first impression. If I feel like the story is wildly different than what I expected from the cover, I feel a little disappointed. I like covers that hint at the mood or emotion in the story. How do you feel about covers? Do you "judge a book by its cover"?

One of the reasons I've been thinking about covers is because four of my writing group friends have books coming out soon! It's interesting how a unique cover captures the tone and feeling of the story.




Carmella Van Vleet has her middle grade debut with ELIZA BING IS (NOT) A BIG FAT QUITTER! (Holiday House Books) on February 14, 2014. This is a funny and touching story of a girl with ADHD who must prove to others (and herself) that she can stick with something to the very end.

Here's the Amazon blurb:

In this uplifting novel about determination and the rewards of hard work, a preteen girl struggling with ADHD must stick with a summer taekwondo class to prove that she s dedicated enough to pursue her true passion: cake decorating.

Even if I hadn't read early drafts of this one, I could totally tell from the cover that it's going to be humorous and about an ordinary kid in an interesting situation.




Christina Farley has recently revealed the cover of her debut YA novel, GILDED (Skyscape), which is scheduled for publication in early March. Here's some more info:

When sixteen-year old, Jae Hwa, is uprooted from her home in L.A. to Korea, she thought her biggest problem would be fitting in with her classmates and dealing with her dismissive grandfather. But she was wrong. A Korean demi-god, Haemosu, has been stealing the soul of the oldest daughter of each generation in her family for centuries. And she’s next.

This cover really sets the tone for this mythological adventure! Christina shares her thoughts about the cover over at YA Books Central. And you also have a chance to win a Kindle Paperwhite.




S.J. Laidlaw, author of AN INFIDEL IN PARADISE has a second book coming out in March 2014, THE VOICE INSIDE MY HEAD  (Tundra Books). Doesn't this mysterious cover get you asking questions? Here's the blurb:

 Seventeen-year-old Luke's older sister, Pat, has always been his moral compass, like a voice inside his head, every time he has a decision to make. So when Pat disappears on a tiny island off the coast of Honduras and the authorities claim she's drowned - despite the fact that they can't produce a body - Luke heads to Honduras to find her because he knows something the authorities don't. From the moment of her disappearance, Pat's voice has become real, guiding him to Utila, where she had accepted a summer internship to study whale sharks. Once there, he meets several characters who describe his sister as a very different girl from the one he knows. Does someone have a motive for wanting her dead? Determined to get to the bottom of Pat's disappearance, Luke risks everything, including his own life, to find the answer.



And last but not least, here's a book that I just know will be funny from the title and cover! Debbie Ridpath Ohi, created the cover and illustrations for NAKED! (written by Michael Ian Black, Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers), which is scheduled for April 29, 2014.