Covers I Love: Recent Reads

The expression "You can't judge a book by its cover" makes a lot of sense. I can't imagine that once you read a book, loving or hating it is much influenced by anything other than what's written on its pages.

However, whether you pick up a book in the first place, that can have a lot to do with what sort of artwork is slapped on the front. Especially when you're browsing a bookstore and mesmerized by those tables with 40 books on them that I swear are designed for suckers like me who did NOT mean to buy 20 books when they walked in.

But I digress.

Here are two recent reads that got me to pick them up solely based on their covers. (Of course, I eventually bought and read them based on their jacket copy, too).

It's so deceptively simple, yet so striking, right? The book is a tightly wrought murder mystery (with a few creepy moments) and I think the cover conveys that perfectly.

It's illustrated by Jennifer Wang and designed by Nancy Resnick.

Obviously, a completely different book but striking all the same. Right away I get a sense of a time period, a certain playfulness and even a certain writing style. The book is a very clever (and funny) story of a governess in 19th century England bringing up three kids who were (literally) raised by wolves.

Illustrated by Jon Klassen (who also has wonderful full-page illustrations throughout the book) and typography by Sarah Hoy.

I'm happy to report that neither cover led me astray: I thoroughly enjoyed both books and would recommend them.

What about you? Any recent books you picked up because the cover stood out to you?