20 Of The Most Beautiful YA Book Covers Of 2016

Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover is a regular feature on Pop! Goes The Reader in which I pay tribute to some of the best and brightest the publishing world has to offer in the way of book cover design. This feature is inspired by Katie’s feature Cover Love on her blog One Page At A Time. The idea is being used with her gracious permission.

Conventional wisdom would have us believe we should never judge a book by its cover, and while aesthetics should never be the sole component in determining a book’s worth, it would be disingenuous to suggest that cover design does not play a pivotal role in a book’s initial success. A book cover is one of the earliest introductions a reader is given to the story contained within its pages, and can help differentiate it from the thousands of other titles on the shelves. Given that I spend much of my year celebrating book cover design in its many shapes, forms and iterations, I thought it might be fun to compose a list of what I thought were some of the most effective, eye-catching and beautiful examples of book cover design for young adult novels in 2016. I’ve done my best to provide credit for the cover designers, illustrators and artists responsible for the work below whenever possible, but please let me know if I’ve made any mistakes or there’s anyone I’ve forgotten to include. The covers below are listed in no particular order.

01. Frannie and Tru by Karen Hattrup
Design by Ray Shappell


02. Exit, Pursued By A Bear by E.K. Johnston
Design by Kristin Logsdon


03. Iron Cast by Destiny Soria
Design by Alyssa Nassner, Art by Sam Wolfe Connelly


04. A Tyranny Of Petticoats by by Jessica Spotswood (Editor)
Design by James Weinberg


05. Traitor Angels by Anne Blankman
Design by Michelle Taormina, Art by Sean Freeman


06. Girl In The Shadows by Gwenda Bond
Design by M. S. Corley


07. The Graces by Laure Eve
Design by Maria T. Middleton, Art by Spencer Charles


08. A Study In Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
Design by Katie Fitch, Art by Dan Funderburgh


09. The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon
Design by Elaine C. Damasco, Art by Dominique Falla


10. Places No One Knows by Brenna Yovanoff
Jacket photo by Julia Presslauer, Jacket typography by Brian Levy


11. A Fierce And Subtle Poison by Samantha Mabry
Design by Allison Colpoys


12. After The Woods by Kim Savage
Design by Elizabeth H. Clark


13. Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke
Design by Kristin Smith, Art by Lisa Perrin


14. With Malice by Eileen Cook


15. Reign Of Shadows by Sophie Jordan
Design by Michelle Taormina


16. The Art Of Not Breathing by Sarah Alexander


17. Into White by Randi Pink
Design by April Ward


18. Beast by Brie Spangler
Design by Leo Nickolls


19. Of Fire And Stars by Audrey Coulthurst
Design by Michelle Taormina


20. Rebel Of The Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Design by Will Steele

Now it’s YOUR turn! What book covers did you think were particularly lovely this year? Let me know in the comments – I would love to hear from you!

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Hi! I’m Jen! I’m a thirty-something introvert who loves nothing more than the cozy comfort of home and snuggling my two rescue cats, Pepper and Pancakes. I also enjoy running, jigsaw puzzles, baking and everything Disney. Few things bring me more joy than helping a reader find the right book for them!

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