Covers, Judging Books by

This blog entry features a history of covers for the same book by Lois Lowry. I really like not only the eeek-that's-dated feel, I also like that her publisher seems to have done a nice job keeping up with the styles of the day. And remember, fashion can change fast for kids.

Yet, I am still shocked to find that books with terrible 1980s covers have checked out of my lib recently. I don't know if some kids are drawn to the old-fashioned covers, if they are blind to the datedness, or if some grown up made them get a book and the kid just grabbed the skinniest thing she saw.

See also:
Awful Library Books
Guys Lit Wire "Get Past this Cover!"
"Cover Stories" stories at Reader Girlz.