Pages

Monday, August 22, 2011

In Which I Judge Books by Their Covers

I mean, we all do it, don't we?

And I can't really explain why I am drawn to certain book covers over others.  Much of it is just personal preference. Some people like Swiss cheese, some like Monterey Jack.  Some don't like cheese at all (but I really can't conceive of this situation myself) but you get the idea.

That being said,  here are I few books that are soon to release (or have just released in the last few months) that draw me to their covers.


First up is Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver.  I love this cover so much!  I love how it's like I am looking through a magical peep-hole--and oh, what a peep-hole!  Love the carvings.  (I am guessing that they are supporting characters to the story)  Again, I know very little about this book ,but I am guessing that the friendship of the girl in the picture (probably Liesl) and the little furry thing beside her is a very important part of the story.  Oh, I can't wait.  Releases in Sept.

Next, we have Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier.  It's no secret that I love  a cover with a silhouette on the front.  And, oooohhh, look at the sneakiness of  the boy!  I bought this the other day based on the description ( the greatest thief, who is really a boy with no eyes who has three sets of FANTASTIC eyes), but I picked it off of the shelf in the first place due to the cover.  Love.  Looking forward to digging into this one.  Released in Aug.

When I look at the cover of With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo, it tells me that this book is going to be full of heart.  I am kind of expecting to cry a little when I read this, but I love a good middle-grade book that makes me tear up.  I love how the pieces of paper floating by seem a little mysterious.  Disclosure:  I have read Tess's blog for a couple of years, but she is in no way forcing me to love her cover.  I simply do.  Releases in Sept.

Kat Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis.  Nothing says fun like a floating teapot!  Seriously folks, this cover simply oozes fun (or pours fun, I should say.  Difficult for tea to ooze.  At least I wouldn't drink it if it did ooze.)  I love the old-fashionedness of the setting, yet look at our girl's hair.  Ha!  She is going to do things her way, I can just tell.  Love, love, love a strong middle-grade heroine.  Released in April.

Finally, we have Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by  Ransom Riggs.  Okay, is this the creepiest cover you have ever seen or what??  And I don't like scary things.  I really don't.  And yet, I am drawn to this cover, for it seems ghosty-scary, but there is also something that is so compelling about it.  I cannot stop thinking about what secrets must lurk between the pages.  And the curiosity is getting the better of me!  Released in June.


So there you have it. Books judged by their covers.  By me.

Isn't book art wonderful?

hrh

Feel free to share your cover love, recent or far in the past.  Your choice.

17 comments:

Julia Karr said...

Oooh! I love all of these!

Tess said...

Wow, Shelly...this is so cool! Thanks for including With a Name Like Love. As you know, we authors get little say in our covers and it can be stressful but, honestly, I think Matt Mahurin and the good folks at FSG did a great job here...couldn't be happier.

And, I've read Kat Incorrigable - it was fun and fantastic. I'd highly recommend it ... regency magic at its finest!

cant wait to see your cover....

Stasia said...

Great post, Shelley. I recently did a "judge a book by its cover" roundtable with my teen reader group. It was fascinating to learn what caught different their attention in terms of colors, realistic photo styles versus manga and graphic themes, etc. I have an ever-growing appreciation for book designers!

Kelly Polark said...

I love Swiss cheese!
And wow, amazing covers. They look retro with a splash of freshness!

Natalie said...

These are such lovely covers! I am so stoked for "Liesel & Po". "Before I Fall" blew me away (still haven't read Delerium ... I have to be prodded just a smidge before I take on a dystopian :). "Kat" and "Name Like Love" are both lovely too. MG covers are usually my favorite. There's so much whimsy and imagination. Also, few things inspire me more than cheese. It is the stuff my dreams are made of (or, at least, the stuff that makes my dreams so weird ... :) Love your blog!

Aylee said...

Oh, how I love MG covers. Especially if they're very whimsical, like Kat, Incorrigible. Not only do I agree that these are all great covers, but they also make me want to read them really badly!

Myrna Foster said...

I pick up books because I love their covers all of the time. These all look interesting.

Jess said...

The cover for Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children scares the bejeezus out of me. It's soooo creepy, I can hardly stand it, and I hate to be scared. But I'm already incredibly curious about what's inside that cover :)

Love the one for Liesel and Po! I love MG covers. It seems like YA covers always have real photos on them lately, and I much prefer drawings.

MG Higgins said...

I'm with Jess, I much prefer illustrated to photo-realistic covers. And have you noticed the slew of recent YA covers with seemingly dead people lying on their sides staring out at you? Yucko.

storyqueen said...

Julia-Me too! I'm glad, though, that I didn't force myself to pick a favorite. Too hard.

Tess-I just love it. There is something so sweet about it.

Stasia-I am going to do a similar thing with kids at my school. I mean, I know what I like, but I am interested to see what they like.

Kelly-Maybe that's what I like about them...the retro-ness. These are the kinds of books I would have loved to pick up as a kid.

Natalie-Thank you so much for stopping by! yes, I think it's the whimsical element that pulls me in. I love me some whimsy!

Aylee-I can't believe that I haven't got my hands on a copy of Kat yet. What have I been waiting for?

Myrna-It's hard not to, right? I mean, that's the coolest thing about bookstores, the sheer number of covers to inspect.

Jess-ME TOO! And I hate to be scared. Yet I cannot look away.

MG-I love illustrated covers, too!

Lacie Myers said...

What a fun post. I shared a link to it on my blog as part of the Liebster Award!

Laura Pauling said...

I totally judge books by their cover! I bought Kat Incorrigible based on the cover. And I love the Nimble cover. It's awesome - even better in person. The peculiar children one is very peculiar. Makes me curious. All that said, covers are important!

MG Higgins said...

A blogging award may be the last thing you want, but I've left one for you on my bog anyway! :)

Carla said...

Great choices... I had not seen all of these, so thank you for sharing them. (We saw the author of "Miss Peregrine's..." at our local indie bookstore earlier this month; the photographs are eerie and irresistible.)

I wrote about book art on our blog, too:(http://2girlslostinabook.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/books-as-art-2/)

kjmckendry said...

I am definitely drawn to certain books based on their covers. I think I might be too freaked out to pick up the Home for Peculiar Children though!

Karen Lange said...

When I was young, I always loved the cover of Island of the Blue Dolphins. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today!

Have a great weekend! :)

Carla said...

I'd by Peter Nimble based on the cover! I like a cover that's easy to take in but has more for me when I look closer. I do love silhouettes.

Carla