The cover of a book can tell you a lot about the book’s contents. Its designers want you to see the cover, become interested and take the book (to buy, usually, if not just to read). For example, if you’re into Gossip Girl-type books, it’s pretty easy to find know which other books are similar – the covers will be a photograph of one or more fashionable & and wealthy girls. (I’m not so sure about the Ashleys’ fashion sense, to be honest.)
Interestingly, boys are less likely to read a book that has a girl on the cover than a girl is to read a book with a boy on the cover. And YA fantasy books seem to really favour circles on the cover (part II).
What is your favourite book cover? Do you think it matters if a book has a girl or boy on the cover? Do you often choose books by their covers alone?
The Savage by David Almond at the moment. Also The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman – Chris Riddell is a good illustrator.
Abarat, by Clive Barker. I also like the cover of Margaret Mahy’s The Changeover.