We constantly hear the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” We try to apply this to ourselves metaphorically when it comes to observing other humans; however this advice is not as applicable in the world of books.
Covers of books are very important because a lot of times they can determine whether or not a reader will pick up the book! And it all depends on which details catch the reader’s eye.
There are many different kinds of book cover designs, and I will elaborate on the kinds that attract me.
- Simple Background vs. Crowded and Crazy
I prefer a simple background that draws more attention to the title of the book, as the title is often the main focal point of a cover that is bland. I like these kinds of covers because they allow me to think for myself what the book is about rather than already hinting at it for me. If a cover is too chaotic, I might just jump to a conclusion of what it is about rather than picking it up and reading the summary on the back. Some of the books below are examples of what I think are simply covered:
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
- Central Symbol
Many popular YA dystopian books have a circular symbol or design on the cover. Readers later discover what this symbol means or refers to if they feel drawn enough to pick up the book and find out. I like these kinds of book covers because they are usually pretty simple as well and they are vague enough to let me imagine for myself what the story might be. Here are some of the popular books that have been adapted from page to screen and/or follow the usual recipe for dystopia:
The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
The Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth
The Testing Trilogy by Joelle Charbonneau
- Central Figure
Covers that display a central figure, most of the time the main character of the story, always catch my eye because they are usually depicted in cool profile shots or with interesting outfits or in interesting situations. It is still vague enough to avoid spoiling the story. Below are examples of a few favorites of mine in the types of covers that I just mentioned:
The Selection Trilogy by Kiera Cass
Matched by Ally Condie
The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare
Teens across the nation vote each year for the 
It is the year 2027 and all diseases have been eradicated thanks to a genetically modified parasite created by SymboGen Cooperation. Once the tapeworm is inserted into the human being, that person begins a life guarded from illness. Behind the success of SymboGen, however, lies deep secrets that the company is hiding. Secrets that may come to light as, all around, the very parasites put in to protect people are now the ones taking over their lives. With zombie and dystopian stories more popular than ever, and especially beloved by teenagers, Grant’s Parasite is a great addition.
What would you do for love? Professor Don Tillman is an awkward, and incredibly smart genetics professor who decides to create a scientific formula to find his perfect wife. Despite being brilliant, he is clueless when it comes to love and is mostly socially disliked by both his peers and the general public. During his hunt for a wife, proclaiming it as “the Wife Project”, Tillman sets to stick to his strict rules that together form his ideal picture of a wife, yet realizes along the way that, a lot of times, the best people come unexpectedly. Similar to a lot of teen romance books, The Rosie Project features an unlikely couple falling in love, and the trials and trumps of discovering that perfect person the character was destined to be with.
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Perhaps you might recognize her name from her infamous 
This isn’t an archetypal love story. Lucy and Owen, through all their trials and the tribulations, would never forget the Blackout in New York that began this quixotic love story. It took that one unique moment and they were in love, and in an instantaneous moment they were separated. Jennifer Smith’s book is one of heartache and unconditional love. When the characters cried, you cried. The journey of The Geography of You and Me is one I will never forget.
Emma Watson as Lucy Patterson: in her later years as the shy, innocent type with a tad bit of wallflower in her.
Logan Lerman as Owen Buckley: the silent but mysteriously adventurous type.
Liam Neeson as George: the caring and nice doorman.
Teens across the nation voted for the 2014 Teens’ Top Ten list, and the 
