I Always Judge a Book by Its Cover

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma. This design demonstrates the importance of perspective. Tilt the cover 90 degrees and you’d have a relatively interesting photo, but nothing fantastic. Yet this visual is gorgeous and impossible to look away from. The ripples of the water’s surface extend vertically with the length of the girl’s body, even as her auburn hair, flowing white dress, and bright red ribbon float perpendicular to her limp form. Due to the scene’s strange angle, her reflection within the ripples creates a sort of distorted portal, something to mirror her fears. The beautiful blue underwater surroundings set an oddly peaceful mood, yet the red ribbon starkly contrasts such a notion. The girl’s free-floating form and the ribbon wrapped around her arm like a trail of blood leads viewers to believe that this story is far from peaceful. My only complaint is the rather obvious, not to mention trite, tagline, though these are (unfortunately) common with YA covers.

Readers’ Average Rating: B

The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky. The artwork here is gorgeous. YA titles often have dazzling cover designs, but rarely through illustration, as is the case with this novel. The most stunning part of the cover is of course the dress, which is awash in sparkles, texture, and bounce. It is so grand that it seems to be wearing the girl, rather than the girl wearing it. The girl herself is clearly depicted as illustration, but it works terrifically with the dress and the background of subtle creams and pink baubles. The typography within the dress is fun, feminine, and fitting for such an interesting title. The black of the font does well to remind us of the other black accents, like the girl’s hair and stockings. This is a marvelous design that perfectly eludes to a girl’s journey through time and fashion.

Readers’ Average Rating: B+

Exposed by Kimberly Marcus. It’s unusual (and brave) to see a YA design devoid of color, but I find the desaturated state of this cover appropriate and effective. The black background provides extreme contrast to the titles. The reel of film looks at home in a black and white setting, and the way it winds and curves off into black oblivion gives viewers a sense of fading history. Only two photographs are clear to the eye, though even these are cloudy and vague. The two young women represent the storyline surrounding two best friends, one of whom finds love in photography. The haze of the photos likely symbolizes the way the two friends drift apart, for excruciating reasons. The design is simple but bespeaks the sorrow surrounding this young friendship.

Readers’ Average Rating: B+

Girl Wonder by Alexa Martin. This cover is a great example of how typography can “make” a design. Undoubtedly, the best part of the cover art here is the wonderfully flowing and elegant font for the novel’s title. The girl’s pink and blond hair blows back from her hidden face as though by a strong wind, and the title seems to curve and stretch back right with it, nestled in a colorful setting. The bright pink of the girl’s hair is also oddly attractive, both for its contrast against the large white title and its eye-popping saturation. The typography of the author’s name sticks with the color scheme and is very understated, as is appropriate next to the grandeur of the other title. The design shouts drama, youth, and femininity—perfect for a young woman’s high school tale.

Readers’ Average Rating: B+

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen. This UK design flawlessly illustrates the many charms behind every family’s history. The deep night sky of the background brings out the simple white details, the entirety of the color scheme. A glowing bracelet sits in the sky like a constellation, surrounded by a multitude of cute and unique charms: a kitten, a hummingbird, a butterfly, a cupcake, and hearts and flowers, all of which undoubtedly represent some facet of this inter-generational story. The cover uses the title of the novel in a literal sense, depicting a young girl who points toward the moon. A sprinkling of luminous stars and comets add the finishing touches. I’m not normally a fan of subtitles for fiction covers, but the simple description here really speaks to the design and the special story behind the art.

Readers’ Average Rating: B+

Wither by Lauren DeStefano. This hot YA dystopian is turning heads for more than just its reputation—look at the gorgeous cover! I daresay everything about this design is gorgeous. The rich blue and green hues bring out a color scheme that is busy, but flattering. The background has a velvety texture that fades into a lighter gradient behind the young woman. The girl herself possesses a kind of melodramatic beauty, with her voluminous golden hair, pouty face, and extravagant dress. The bird cage somehow fits with the antiquated feel of the design. What I also love about this cover is the use of lines and geometric shapes to both connect the cleverly-situated titles and subtly enhance certain features of the design, like the bird in the cage and the girl’s ring. This is a dynamo cover whose words within reportedly pack as much punch!

Readers’ Average Rating: A-

Deadly by Julie Chibbaro. I seem to be attracted to silhouettes lately, and this design is no exception. What first catches my eye about this cover is the jarring yellow background and the mix of yellow accents. Yellow doesn’t exactly scream “deadly,” but that adds to the intrigue of the design. I don’t think I would have chosen orange-red for the title color, but it certainly draws attention. I especially enjoy the detailed silhouette of a young woman from the early 1900s—the dress and the hairstyle immediately tell us that this is a historical novel. Finally, the spindly, cell-like images whirling around the black silhouette are a bit bizarre, but once viewers are aware that this tale surrounds Typhoid Mary, they make perfect, if not a bit grotesque, sense.

Readers’ Average Rating: B+

Among Others by Jo Walton. The starswept, child-like magic of this cover brings out the best of fantasy, coming-of-age stories. The design is tinted in a surreal orange glow, though if you look closer you can see that it in fact fades from yellow to red. In the background stand blurry, towering objects—whether trees or some sprawling castle-like structure is up to viewers to decide. The blurred image of a teenage girl dancing, or perhaps casting spells, barefoot in the grass clues readers in on the tale’s dreamy protagonist. The only clear visual element of the design is the stream of sparkling stars, apparently shooting from the girl’s hand in a spiral of magic. The blurred photography of the background and the stark, digital stream of stars dazzle together, creating a design that displays both real-world depth and fantastic elements.

Readers’ Average Rating: A-

Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. Appropriate for Valentine’s Day, this cover uses creative street signage and hearts to a perfect degree. With a colorful blurred-out cityscape serving as background, readers are immediately transported to an urban setting of love and youth. Both the book’s title and authors make clever use of the street signs, and one must note that these signs are in focus against the blurry city. The final lovely touch comes from the decoration of hearts, both as a walk sign and as scattering snowflakes. This design spectacularly showcases a New York romance for young adults.

Readers’ Average Rating: B+

Matched by Ally Condie. Because of its minimal aesthetics, this cover’s focus rests on the fantastic image of a girl trapped in a crystal ball. The green and yellow tinges of the sunbursts and girl’s dress bring just enough flavor to what is otherwise a very subtle color scheme. The title “Matched” is soft in hue and nearly blends into the grey background, forcing viewers to search for a name. The author’s title at the bottom is made more interesting due to the manipulation of certain stretched letters. Finally, the girl herself may be the most interesting feature of this cover—it is obvious she wants out of her crystal prison, yet she looks half-hearted in her attempts to escape. The image shows timidity and defiance of a society where individual choices are no longer possible.

Readers’ Average Rating: B+