What is Covering the Newbery? 1992: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Original Cover: My Redo: Side by Side: Verdict: I went photo, which I like to try to avoid, but this is one time where I think the kid interest would be high. As the old book cover adage goes – “when in doubt, put […]

I firmly believe a person can only look at so many Flickr search results pages before going insane. I met that threshold this time out and so: 1. I am now insane. 2. I resorted to something I’ve never done before – I made my own drawing. Here goes… 1991: Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli […]

I am now convinced that I’ve spent more time browsing Flickr creative commons licensed photos than anyone. Top five at least. That’s how I come up with the Covering the Newbery covers, with occasional assists from Photoshop and Splashup, and always with the help of PicMonkey. Today we close out the 80s with… 1989: Joyful […]

1988: Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman Original Cover: My Redo: Side by Side: Verdict: I like this one. Mine doesn’t use a photo, which seems kinda crazy, but I like how it uses words (in this case, the text of the Gettysburg Address) to resemble a well-known photo of Lincoln. Click here for the […]

For every attempt so far in the Covering the Newbery series, I do the same thing. I enter keywords from the book into a Flickr creative commons search. After I find an image, I sometimes will have to adjust something in Splashup or Photoshop. Otherwise, I just throw the image into PicMonkey, add text, and […]

1985: The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley Original Cover: My Redo: Side by Side: Click here for the Covering the Newbery gallery. Up next week: Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (Source image “Procrastination King” http://flic.kr/p/bEV6pH)

Sure it’s easy to crack wise with The Story of Mankind and it’s ages-old cover. Just giving any sort of modern spin would be an improvement. Now we’re getting into books that ain’t so ancient. Today, for example, is the beloved Dear Mr. Henshaw, complete with iconic Paul O. Zelinsky cover. It is with books […]

Oooh boy. I’m up against the only book to have won the Newbery Medal and Caldecott Honor today. This is pretty silly – trying to redo the cover on a Caldecott Honor-winning book. The Provensens are unbeatable. But according to the contract I signed with myself at the beginning of this project (weird, I know) […]

1981: Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson Original Cover: My Redo: Side by Side: Click here for the Covering the Newbery Gallery. Up next week: A Visit to William Blake’s Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers by Nancy Willard (Source image: “edadid 04” http://flic.kr/p/8Ynb72)

1980: A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl’s Journal, 1830-1832 by Joan W. Blos Original Cover: My Redo: Side by Side: Verdict: The original is a cover in need of jazzing up. My jazzing may not be jazzy enough. Click here for the Covering the Newbery Gallery. Up next week: Jacob Have I Loved […]

Jerry Pinkney, everyone. That’s who created the original illustration for today’s cover redo candidate. Can I throw in the towel now? No? Well, here we go… 1977: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor Original: My Redo: Side by Side: Verdict: I’m never a big fan of swapping a photo for an […]

The weekly cover red0-athon known as Covering the Newbery continues today with the fourth book in a beloved fantasy series. Just for kicks, lets look at a few of the covers that have graced The Grey King over the years: Click here for the Covering the Newbery Gallery 1976: The Grey King by Susan Cooper […]

Click here for the Covering the Newbery Gallery 1975: M. C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia Hamilton Original Cover: My Redo: Side by Side: Verdict: I like this one, but am pretty sure kids would not be leaping to grab it off the shelf. Up next week: The Grey King by Susan Cooper (Source image: “Pole […]

Here we are on Monday – the day I like to try my extremely amateur hand at giving Newbery-winning books new covers. It’s a just-for-kicks project that I’m calling Covering the Newbery. Click here for the Covering the Newbery Gallery 1974: The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox Original Cover: My Redo: Verdict: Hmm – I […]