Booking Through Thursday - Cover-Up

While acknowledging that we can’t judge books by their covers, how much does the design of a book affect your reading enjoyment? Hardcover vs. softcover? Trade paperback vs. mass market paperback? Font? Illustrations? Etc.?

I so wish that I was not superficial and could confidently state that I am not swayed by mere looks. Sadly, I admit that I am just another sucker for a pretty cover. Covers grab the eye and a good one will cause me to pause in my perusing of the shelves or tables. As much as I love Amazon, I love bookstores more. Reading is more than just the words. For me, reading is a complete sensory experience. There is the visual aspect from the cover and the font. Then there is the tactile aspect as my fingers flit through the pages (I am particularly fond of the deckle-edge pages that trick me into thinking the book is older or more expensive than it really is). Finally, there is the olfactory pleasure in opening up a new book or one that is aged to perfection.

Another cover lover is Elizabeth Bird. I love how she critiques the covers in her book reviews. If a publisher is aiming to snag those coveted young readers (to give them a life-long addiction), they need to pay attention to the cover and aim for the intended audience!

Illustrations are another matter. I must say that I agree with Mae Carden on this one. I prefer my books without illustrations unless they are exceedingly well done. Okay, so The Peterkin Papers would not have been the same without its lovely sketches. Most illustrations just annoy me because the illustrators don't seem to have read the same book that have in my hands.