Book Covers: Before and After

While I tend to think I can spot a cover that will not be a huge success, it can be very difficult to know which covers will draw positive attention – and for what reasons. There are certainly times when I think as I set a book face out, “I better reinforce the carpet in this area of the library due to the swarms of kids who are going to lose control of themselves and start running when they see this cover.” Only to have it do the opposite.

Colby Sharp sent me a message one day. He said, “Hey Travis, you like covers, you should do a post about books that have updated covers.” Thanks Colby, I do and I will.

Here are a few recent books getting cover updates.

Skinny-Bones by Barbara Park

A Previous Cover:

New Cover:

It was not that long ago, just a couple years back, when it seemed like photography was going to completely take over the cover world. Lovers of illustrated covers (me included) saw it as something of a threat – dismembered stock images seeping down from the adult book world, to YA, and making their way onto more and more middle grade and even chapter book covers. It seems like the pendulum has begun to swing back toward illustration lately. One example: the new edition of Skinny-Bones (and it’s sequels). A good thing in my book.

Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

A Previous Cover:

New Cover:

I think I let out a “Whoa” when I first saw this. Kadir Nelson’s work tends to have that effect on people. Penguin went big for this 40 anniversary edition.

Calico the Wonder Horse by Virginia Lee Burton

A Previous Cover:

New Cover:

Generally speaking, middle grade fiction gets new covers all the time, but a picture book cover update is rare. I haven’t read this book before, and when I saw the first cover I at first didn’t think it was a book cover – at first glance it looks like a spread from inside the book. Cool, but I can see how the updated edition might have more modern appeal.

It’s interesting to me to think of art department folks trying to update the cover of a legend like Burton. Because you can’t just say, “This looks good.” – you have to think, “Does this look like how this artist wold have made a cover?” and then, “Does it look good?” That must be difficult.

Roscoe Riley Rules by Katherine Applegate

Previous Cover:

New Cover:

There are some books that get overhauls (new illustrator, new colors, an “Is that a different book?” design), and there are some that get tweaks. This one? This is a tweak (the kind of backlist tinkering that a Newbery Medal earns an author). Brian Biggs is still at the illustration helm for this update of the entire Rocoe Riley run.

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