I have a friend (actually, a relative – who is also a friend – I digress) who asked me for some help today. She works for a publishing company and she asked me to give and get some feedback on the cover of a book they are “repackaging.” She knows that I sometimes masquerade as a youth pastor and so she wanted my opinion, the opinions of students, parents, and other ministry workers. The book is I think primarily geared towards high school and maybe college students, but she knows that it is often parents and pastors who buy books for students.
Anyway, here’s the task. If you saw this book in a bookstore, would it appeal to you in any way. Or not. And I think more importantly, what would draw you to it and what would put you off about it.
Love to be able to give her a wide range of feedback. You may or may not be interested in the book, but if you leave a comment there are some free copies to be given away. I’ll put your names in a hat and draw winners. You know how it works. Have at it…
By the way, there is a certain amount of irony at work here. In the last fifteen years, I don’t remember one time buying a book because I liked or disliked the cover.
Very drawn to the doors. I love that they create this great, human profile. Fits with the title. Very smart. But I think the doors do enough of the work for you. Once you start throwing a pretty wild font on top of it on a background of empty white space, I think you’re stealing from what’s really working.
I think I would be more drawn to the profile of the head being the main focus…and having the title of the book significantly toned down. The amount of colors and the font itself makes me think of a more elementary-age audience instead of high school and college.
Generally, those teenagers and pre-twenty-somethings want to be thinking of themselves as older then they are, not younger. So giving everything a smart, maybe even tongue-in-cheek cover is great. But complementing it with simpler, cleaner font choices might be a good idea.
I think it’s a pretty cool cover, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter much. Like most things, referrals turn anything ‘iffy’ or borderline, into either a success or a dud. I would love to check out what is on the inside. But that is not what you asked…you wanted to know about the cover…in which I would say that I kinda dig it…although I am not so sure about the purple. Kinda girly…but that may work to their advantage as well.
The colors are good and eye catching. I would change the many doors to just one. I agree with Bobby, the font is completely wrong! The book looks like it is geared to a younger child than a high school or college age kid.