{"id":625,"date":"2017-04-25T07:01:38","date_gmt":"2017-04-25T11:01:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rbicmsblog.reedbusiness.com\/elogic_660000266\/?p=625"},"modified":"2017-04-25T07:01:38","modified_gmt":"2017-04-25T11:01:38","slug":"smart-jackets-notes-on-great-book-covers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.publishersweekly.com\/blogs\/shelftalker\/?p=625","title":{"rendered":"Smart Jackets: Notes on Great Book Covers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright \" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51ltB-ubxgL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg\" width=\"201\" height=\"302\" \/>Everyone has an opinion about book covers: what sells, what kids will never pick up, what kids will pick up but their parents would never buy for them, what trends are in danger of oversaturation. Booksellers especially have opinions, because we see first-hand, all day long, how book covers (even their spines) affect how people select and reject books.<br \/>\nBecause we see SO MANY COVERS coming and going, we have a lot of comparative data. We spot design trends quickly, and note which ones work and which ones fall flat. Covers affect our bottom lines as much as they affect a publisher&#8217;s, so we&#8217;re all invested in the same outcome: a cover that perfectly suits its book. Easy, huh? Not so much.<br \/>\n<!--more-->(I&#8217;m especially talking here about middle grade and teen novels and nonfiction. Picture book covers, by and large, tend to be pretty good. I think we&#8217;re in another golden age of book design, much of the credit for which can be attributed to picture books.)<br \/>\nIn trying to nail down why some images draw in readers so much better than others, I came to the realization that a good front cover needs to accomplish three\u00a0main goals:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>to visually express something compelling and accurate about the story and its theme;<\/li>\n<li>to suggest STORY; to draw the reader in with the implication that something interesting, mysterious, exciting, funny, original, and\/or emotionally resonant\u00a0will happen in the book;<\/li>\n<li>to present\u00a0art appropriate to the book&#8217;s subject matter and the age range of the intended audience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft \" src=\"http:\/\/images.macmillan.com\/folio-assets\/macmillan_us_frontbookcovers_1000H\/9781250086662.jpg\" width=\"170\" height=\"255\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net\/book_images\/onix\/cvr9781481477826\/spy-school-secret-service-9781481477826_hr.jpg\" width=\"162\" height=\"251\" \/>On top of those three imperatives, a great cover manages to look strikingly original without losing the universal\u00a0markers that indicate who the book is for and what genre \/ interest category it fits into. Originality is a tough achievement\u00a0in a field where tens of thousands of books are published each year. And there are marketing pressures that come to bear on book design decisions, which create challenges for the original cover. Certain tried-and-true visual formulas sell books &#8212; even when they annoy us.<br \/>\nFor example, most booksellers I know are\u00a0sick of photos of kids on covers, especially photos of half faces, of the legs\/socks\/shoes trend, of those wistful girls in gowns in the woods endemic to fantasy novels, of bold\u00a0<em>Hunger Games<\/em>-esque symbols or insignias dominating the center of a cover. In general, this is true \u2014 we are sick of seeing so many knockoff covers \u2014 but it&#8217;s also true that many of these covers DO work, and are appealing, and even manage to feel original, even next to other book covers with similar images. So what&#8217;s the difference between the successful and unsuccessful cover? That can be as elusive as that old definition of pornography: you\u00a0know it when you see it.<br \/>\nHere&#8217;s one\u00a0problem: book designers work hard, often on several covers simultaneously, and generally don&#8217;t have the luxury of reading every book they design.\u00a0They must rely on what the editorial and marketing staff convey to them about a\u00a0book. Some publishers provide very vague marketing blurbs, and sometimes designers receive\u00a0conflicting directives. As a designer commented in a 2010 ShelfTalker blog post, <a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.publishersweekly.com\/blogs\/shelftalker\/?p=610\">What You Wish They Knew<\/a> (a conversation among authors,\u00a0publishing folks, and booksellers): &#8220;Rich information = rich and compelling jacket art. Vague information = bland cover art.&#8221;<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright \" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51otegl4fVL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg\" width=\"180\" height=\"271\" \/><br \/>\nI&#8217;ve noticed that good cover art often raises a question, involving a\u00a0reader&#8217;s participation in the story before even opening the book. Someone looks at an image and wonders, WHY is that hippo floating belly up? Hey, what&#8217;s that kid about to do with that spear? Who is the shadowy figure standing behind the three kids on the edge of the cliff? Why is one of those dogs so far away from the\u00a0others? Why\u00a0do that girl and that pig look so worried gazing at a spider?<br \/>\nNote: I think this &#8220;image that raises\u00a0a question&#8221; factor is\u00a0the missing ingredient from most nonfiction\u00a0jackets published for middle grade and teen readers. Famous people&#8217;s faces stare out at kids, whose eyes bounce off the page back at themselves. It&#8217;s a done deal, the story is finished, there&#8217;s no mystery or invitation suggested by\u00a0those covers. But publishers should\u00a0remember that, for the child reader, this\u00a0is likely to be brand new information; that book is unfolding a fascinating STORY for the reader, one that happens to be true, and therefore is potentially even more amazing than fiction! The covers of those books should reflect that, enticing a reader in just as enthusiastically as a novel.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/s1.nyt.com\/du\/books\/images\/9780399186219.jpg\" width=\"165\" height=\"249\" \/>A great cover also needs great flap copy. Kids always, always read the back cover of a book (or, if they know to look for it, the inside flap) when they are choosing among titles. They are also always surprised to learn that authors aren&#8217;t usually the people who write that back copy; they think what they&#8217;re reading is a foretaste of the book itself, so it&#8217;s especially important to get that part right. They want to read that copy and know what the story&#8217;s about and whether it&#8217;s likely to be lively.<br \/>\nSeries designers have the added tasks of creating cohesive, harmonious design among titles, and of clearly labeling the series order on front and spine.<br \/>\nI am in awe of the work that designers and artists do. Being creative on command, with several projects in progress simultaneously, involving so many people to please \u2014 it&#8217;s daunting and brilliant\u00a0work.<br \/>\nReaders, what are some of your favorite MG and teen covers so far this year? Some of mine are sprinkled throughout this post and below. My personal taste shows &#8211; I love clean covers, graphic covers, interesting font use, smooth design. Would that I had space for all of the covers I love, but here are a few more of my favorites. Some are beautiful, some are striking, some make a statement, and some are simply pleasing\u00a0\u2014 but they all do (or will when published) stand out on a face-out shelf:<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/darkxmatters.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/03\/the-hate-u-give.jpg?w=560&amp;h=846\" width=\"201\" height=\"303\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/516k%2Ba5sIdL.jpg\" width=\"199\" height=\"299\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/booksatdawn.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/02\/34338278.jpg?w=630\" width=\"198\" height=\"296\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"http:\/\/images.gr-assets.com\/books\/1461532652l\/28379901.jpg\" width=\"196\" height=\"292\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"http:\/\/d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net\/book_images\/onix\/cvr9781481450188\/patina-9781481450188_hr.jpg\" width=\"199\" height=\"305\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51mDroxtd3L.jpg\" width=\"198\" height=\"299\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51SSrQzANuL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg\" width=\"198\" height=\"297\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"http:\/\/images.penguinrandomhouse.com\/cover\/9780399554322\" width=\"195\" height=\"293\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51ci-z0O-fL.SX316.jpg\" width=\"194\" height=\"285\" \/><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/515jSrq0PcL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg\" width=\"195\" height=\"271\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/519cqS1xZdL._SX353_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg\" width=\"196\" height=\"276\" \/><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"http:\/\/static.wixstatic.com\/media\/1cec37_f73b7ab3fceb4b50a5b6f68d0c280817.jpg_512\" width=\"203\" height=\"305\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/api.curtisbrown.co.uk\/media\/60839\/show\/328x328\" width=\"201\" height=\"302\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51vUa5F21EL._SX260_.jpg\" width=\"198\" height=\"252\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/calebzanehuett.com\/images\/topelfcover.png\" width=\"197\" height=\"299\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/i.harperapps.com\/covers\/9780062377579\/x500.png\" width=\"195\" height=\"295\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51IYnSbRa7L.SX316.jpg\" width=\"201\" height=\"310\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"http:\/\/images.macmillan.com\/folio-assets\/macmillan_us_frontbookcovers_1000H\/9781626721715.jpg\" width=\"201\" height=\"301\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/blog\/kids\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2017\/01\/Cactus.jpg\" width=\"199\" height=\"288\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"http:\/\/i.gr-assets.com\/images\/S\/compressed.photo.goodreads.com\/books\/1487740799i\/31447598._UY200_.jpg\" width=\"195\" height=\"288\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51-ktFjoIhL._SY445_QL70_.jpg\" width=\"202\" height=\"294\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"http:\/\/images.penguinrandomhouse.com\/cover\/9780553510126\" width=\"197\" height=\"301\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"http:\/\/images.gr-assets.com\/books\/1479858385l\/28525367.jpg\" width=\"199\" height=\"301\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I also really liked this cover:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51zfIHfsygL._SX341_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg\" width=\"177\" height=\"258\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">until I saw and loved this (presumably non-U.S.) one:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"http:\/\/alexandermccallsmithbooks.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Sands-of-Shark-Island-1.jpg\" width=\"181\" height=\"265\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Now I can&#8217;t tell which I like better.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">What are your favorites this year?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Plus, some of my favorite 2017 book cover designs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.publishersweekly.com\/blogs\/shelftalker\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.publishersweekly.com\/blogs\/shelftalker\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.publishersweekly.com\/blogs\/shelftalker\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.publishersweekly.com\/blogs\/shelftalker\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.publishersweekly.com\/blogs\/shelftalker\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=625"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.publishersweekly.com\/blogs\/shelftalker\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/625\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.publishersweekly.com\/blogs\/shelftalker\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.publishersweekly.com\/blogs\/shelftalker\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.publishersweekly.com\/blogs\/shelftalker\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}