I Always Judge a Book by Its Cover

The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson. This is a pretty risky cover, but the designers pulled it off. Why risky? Because viewers have to adjust to two very different color schemes and two very different themes simultaneously. On the left side you have formal, bordered black and white parchment, complete with standard serif text and the stagnant image of a rabbit. Yet this side appears to have been ripped away to reveal the invading right side, which boasts psychedelic colors, shredded typography, funky texture, and a ferocious leopard, apparently out to eat the rabbit. It isn’t quite an inversion, but close. Yet this Jekyll-and-Hyde design speaks to the “madness” within the pages, which is somewhat unsurprising given the title. Rarely do we see covers with such outrageous contrast, but the risk is ultimately one worth taking.

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+

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-

Revolution by Deb Olin Unferth. With a design like this, the book should be called “revelation” instead of Revolution. The cover pops with a background color that is somewhere between red and fuchsia and suffused with a grunge texture. The multicolored diagonal title is probably my favorite part of the design. It is blocky in nature, but stretches across the cover in a flexible, fun manner. The white silhouette of a woman sitting atop one of the letters is another fun touch, and clearly signifies the author and her time spent roaming the war-town jungles of South America in 1987. Another indication of the memoir’s setting comes from the white (and occasionally black) silhouettes of palm trees and tropical birds in the lower left corner. This colorful design is an achievement in memoir creativity.

Readers’ Average Rating: B+

Monster High by Lisi Harrison. This design is more cutesy than what I’m normally interested in, yet I can’t help but enjoy the different textures of the cover images. The sewn leather of the background gleams “bad girl” while the little skull badge, complete with a pink bow, looks to be beaded or even one of those sugary cake decorations. The fuchsia and black “Monster High” crest completes this chic-meets-danger design, and the result is a pleasant symbol of girlhood and the awaiting school “horrors.”

Readers’ Average Rating: B+

The Left Hand of God by Paul Hoffman. I like how this dark fantasy cover art manages to be subtle as well as ominous. There isn’t much going on, but the characters’ flowing robe-like attire, drawn sword, and bowed head are enough to instill a sense of supernatural foreboding. I especially enjoy the shadowy, rolled-on paint texture of the design, complete with deep indigo and gray hues. The title typography is gothic and bold, perfect for this medieval-meets-modern tale.

Readers’ Average Rating: B

Fury by Koren Zailckas. This cover channels movie-poster vintage. Its use of color and texture is fantastic. The striking red title (appropriate, considering the word) transposed over the velvety dark green background presents a perfect contrast in hue and feel. The blurred face of the girl is just the right amount of creepy and intriguing. In class memoir fashion, the straight-forward, sans-serif text complements the bold simplicity of the design.

Readers’ Average Rating: B