I Still Judge Books by Their Covers

I still judge books by their covers.

There. I said it. (Which reminds me of one of my favorite wine glasses which says, “Everyone was thinking it. I just said it.” Guess I know what wine glass I’ll be drinking from this evening. Anyway…)

I know we’re not supposed to judge books by their covers. We’ve all heard the saying forever. But when I was back in sixth grade, standing in the middle of a Scholastic Book Fair with only enough money for one or two books—priced at about $1.95 back then—the cover had to do pretty much all of the convincing.

Back in the day, I couldn’t read every first page. I couldn’t research reviews online (there was no “online”). Sometimes I didn’t even know the series. Sure, I could ask the librarian or a teacher, but the fear was always there that they’d try to push something “good for me.” (Not my thing at all.)

Which meant that all I had was the cover. One cover among a sea of covers. I had to make a choice.

Looking back, I don’t think I was choosing the books with the prettiest artwork. I was choosing the books that made the most irresistible promises. I still do the same thing today.

The best interactive adventures didn’t just tell you what the story was about. They made you ask a question. They sparked your curiosity. They convinced you that something amazing was waiting just beyond page one.

Here are five covers pulled from my bookshelf that still do exactly that.

The Promise: “What in the world is happening?”

At first glance, this cover almost feels chaotic. There’s a spaceship. Earth. Aliens. Ancient pyramids. A camel. A futuristic control room. A kid who looks completely overwhelmed.

None of it seems like it belongs together. And that’s exactly why it works.

Your brain immediately starts trying to connect the pieces. How are aliens connected to ancient Egypt? Why is Earth in danger? Why is this kid standing in the middle of it all?

The cover doesn’t answer any of those questions. It simply promises that you’ll find out if you’re brave enough to begin.

The Promise: “You’re already in danger.”

Some covers promise adventure. This one promises danger.

The villain dominates nearly the entire image, looming over two frightened kids trapped on the beach. Before you’ve read a single sentence, you already know the odds aren’t in your favor.

That immediately raises the question every great adventure wants you to ask: How are they going to get out of this?

It’s impossible not to want to find out.

The Promise: “Become the hero.”

Unlike some of the other covers, this one isn’t asking you to solve a mystery. It’s inviting you to become someone extraordinary.

A lone barbarian stands triumphantly surrounded by wolves, while mysterious riders approach in the distance. Above him wait two very different paths: wizard or warrior.

The cover isn’t just showing a fantasy world. It’s inviting you to step into one. And who doesn’t want to step into a fantasy world?

Before opening the book, you’re already imagining which role you’ll choose.

For the record, I’d pick the wizard…at least the first time around.

The Promise: “There’s a mystery waiting for you.”

This might be the simplest cover of the five (though in fairness, I believe it’s aimed at younger readers). There’s no monster. No explosion. No dramatic chase scene.

Just a child leaning over an empty sarcophagus (which I guess counts as a missing monster?).

Yet somehow it may be the most effective of them all.

One image tells you everything you need to know. The mummy is gone. And you are going to find it.

Sometimes curiosity is even more powerful than becoming an amazing barbarian. Sometimes.

The Promise: “This mystery is going to be fun.”

When I started designing the covers for my Pick Your Own Quest® books, I found myself thinking about all those covers I loved as a kid. Not because I wanted to copy them. But because I wanted to understand why they worked.

For Puppy Detective, in addition to an adorable puppy, I wanted readers to know exactly what kind of adventure they were about to have before they read a single word.

You’re a detective. You’re also a puppy. There are mysteries to solve.

There are dinosaurs, Egyptian clues, secret recipes, and a darling and curious puppy ready to investigate them all.

Most importantly, I wanted the cover to feel welcoming to any kid (or parent) that picked it up. This wasn’t a book about surviving horror. It was about having fun solving puzzles.

When someone picks this up at a comic con and smiles before they even opened it, I know the cover has done its job.

Last week I wrote about the importance of a great first page, which got me thinking.

The first page isn’t actually where the story begins. The cover is.

Long before readers meet the characters or make their first choice, they’ve already made one decision: Do I want to enter this world?

The best covers don’t answer questions. They create them. And that’s why, after all these years, I still judge books by their covers. The right cover doesn’t just promise a story. It promises that turning the page will be worth it.