Parenthetical.net

Alison just started an interesting converstation over at Shelftalker about trends in book covers.

I see the photo-of-girl-lying-on-grass thing way more often than I see the silhouette thing (girls’ school, ya know). It does express a message:

Dear potential readers,

This book is about an introspective teenage girl with dreams for her future. She is white and lives in the suburbs.

Love, Generic Publisher.

P.S. The book takes place in the summer.

All of which is true, more or less, of all the books in Alison’s post (plus Shug, the one I mentioned in my comment). And Shug and Criss Cross sort of are lying-in-the-grass books: not much happens, they’re more about Relationships and Finding Yourself. But Dairy Queen and Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place? Cows! And a girl playing football! And freakin’ giant towers* made out of junk by eccentric uncles! This is graphical inspiration at its best, people!

*These aren’t the actual towers featured in the book; it’s not based-on-a-true-story. But they might have been the inspiration.

What cover design trends have you noticed?