I recently read an article from The New York Times about some of the best books for teenagers. I’ve read a couple on the list, but most were unfamiliar to me. I thought it would be fun to look at the cover of each book and write some of my thoughts on what the book could possibly be about – essentially judging the books by their covers.
#1 ~ The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
I have read this book, so my interpretation of the cover is not entirely unbiased. Although it’s a lovely design (great use of negative space), if I hadn’t read the book I wouldn’t have much of an idea what it’s about. I would know that John Green likes it, so I would assume it’s very good. The person with the sign is the main character, Starr. I think the poster she has represents the protests that go on in the book.
#2 ~ Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel by Val Emmich
I know this is a musical about a kid… I think the kid is in high school, and I’m pretty sure his name is Evan Hansen. The blue color scheme might suggest some kind of tragedy? That and the fact that People thinks it’s moving, which almost always means sad. I’m not entirely sure what the tree could represent. Maybe there is some kind of treehouse in the book, or a pivotal scene in a forest or park. Once again, great use of negative space!
#3 ~ I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
This cover looks so happy! The rainbows and the radiating lines have a very summer-y vibe. I think, based on the title, it could be a romance, or it might be a cute family story. Either way, I really like this cover.
#4 ~ The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
This cover has a lot to unpack, as it is much more detailed than the others. I think the most obvious clues to the nature of the book are the three huge medals on the cover; they suggest that the book has been very well received. Other than that, the title and the words definitely suggest that the person on the cover is a poet. The paint splashes in the background maybe represent rebellion? Paint splashing is a common art style for YA covers, and young adult books are often about rebellion. I can also see a bird in the upper right, but I have absolutely no idea what that could signify.
#5 ~ We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
John Green likes this one too! He must be a very popular peer reviewer. The cover shows what appears to be some kids out in the ocean. I think it’s set on an island, or maybe the kids are on vacation. The letters fading out at the end are a little scary. It’s possible that one of the kids dies. Either that, or there’s some kind of conspiracy.
#6 ~ The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
This cover is cool, I like the colors! I can’t really discern much about the book, though. The title seems a bit nonsensical. Maybe all of the strings represent complication or confusion? It’s probably a romance, like most YA books. And it’s another example of a white cover with lots of negative space. It must be a thing.
#7 ~ The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
A book that’s actually by John Green! I have also read this one, but I would say the cover gives away a lot about the book. It’s obviously a love story, because of the romantic nature of the cover photo. The person on the left has a breathing tube (which I understand because I’ve read the book), and that could be a big clue, an allusion to an illness, perhaps. This is a pretty cover as well.
- Anna
Nice analysis. This blog idea is very fresh, I like it. One thing I found interesting was that even if the cover is only made of a splash of color or a few rainbow lines, you can tell the basic mood or subject of the story.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I also find it interesting how much information is (or isn't) given to us just by looking at the cover of a book.
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting post to read. Made me think about how I subconsciously like to choose books with negative space and not a flat our image like "We were Liars" and "The Fault in our Stars," even though I liked the book by John Green.
ReplyDeleteMany of the covers seem to be rather simple. A few are more complicated and detailed, which does not necessarily mean that the story is less complicated, but could mean that the small details are more important in those stories. Of course, the small graphical features are most/all metaphors, but they could mean so many things. In things as popular as book covers, the most "popular" or widely acknowledged meaning is probably what it signifies, but looking at them differently will certainly reveal other possible meanings, whether accurate or not. Overall, interesting post. The descriptions aren't too detailed, leaving the reader room to speculate about what the graphics mean for them, but provide possible guiding lines.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post! The cover artists for books don't get enough credit (especially because of the "don't judge a book by it's cover" saying). I haven't read all of the books, but you seem to have gotten your judgements right on for the ones I have.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post! I have only read one book on this list, The Hate U Give, but the thought of judging a book by its cover is always looked past, mostly because of the popular saying. But otherwise this was a creative post.
ReplyDeleteThis was a really creative take on the common phrase, "Don't judge a book by it's cover". This really puts into perspective how people can see a book cover and subconsciously decide if the book is something they are interested in. I also liked the analysis of the different parts of the covers and the use of background knowledge to come to a consensus at the end of each paragraph.
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