2009 Middle Grade Cover Finalists

Freaky Flyday by David Farland
Publisher: Covenant

The 13th Reality: The Hunt for Dark Infinity by James Dashner
Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder by Obert Skye
Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books

Reiyalindis by Cory Poulson
Publisher: Sweetwater (Cedar Fort)

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13 thoughts on “2009 Middle Grade Cover Finalists”

  1. I'm not big on Fantasy novels, and the covers are often loud or confusing. That might be why I liked Princess of the Midnight Ball the most–because it's more classic, and yet still gives a good feel for what the book is about.

  2. I'm with Josi (although I LOVE fantasy). It's an unusual cover for the genre because it's a photograph instead of a drawing or painting. But it's clean and elaborate (with dress detail) all at the same time–and with the colors and background, it has a mystique that makes you know there's more to it than just a princess and a ball.

  3. I love the cover for the David Farland book. It goes so well with the title — Freaky Flyday — not to mention the sense of peril that is communicated by the huge fly coming up behind those two little mice. It really grabs my attention and makes me want to find out more.

  4. I picked Princess of the Midnight Ball too because it doesn't look childish and I'm not sure teens want to carry around books that look like they belong to an eight- year-old.

  5. The Princess one does it for me. In fact, based on this cover, I think I'm going to pick it up now. It's lush and lovely and fairy tale-ish and mysterious.

  6. I loved Hunt for Dark Infinity. I always have because I love the way her cloak wraps around her and the position of her hand. It looks both serene and menacing.

  7. Since these are Middle Grade it is about what attracts kids so I would go with what the kid in me would have liked the most and thats Freaky Flyday-as a kid the Princess Midnight Ball would have made me run away even if it is a great book.

  8. I went with the 13th Reality because I just love the way that cloak is swirling around the woman and the sphere of light in her hand.

  9. Freaky Flyday is a winner. The bright color along with the menacing fly and endangered mice will appeal to a middle-grader.

  10. A first vote for Leven Thumps. I find the graphic crisp and enticing. I also love the font of the title and am always a sucker for hues of blue.

    Princess of the Midnight Ball is a close second for me.

  11. These are all pretty great. But in comparison, Princess of the Midnight Ball is the most striking. But then again, I love princesses 🙂

  12. This category was extremely hard for me to judge because I absolutely LOVE all of these covers. This time, I'm going from least fav to first.

    The Readers Choice for this category was actually my least favorite cover (and by least fav, I mean of the five, because I do really like it). I liked the cover of Princess of the Midnight Ball because of its uniqueness for a fairy tale story. It's a photo, not an illustration. I love the dress, her expression, the fact that she's walking. BUT this books is for middle grade readers. While I like the cover as an adult, I think it has the least appeal to the 9 to 12 year old age group.

    Next least fav is Reiyalindis. Another [altered] photo, but this one DOES appeal to the right age group (9 to 12) and to the right reader (girl). I love the font, the scroll, the fairy dust. But most of all, I love the model's face (and ear).

    The remaining three covers I like almost evenly, for different reasons.

    13th Reality: Hunt for Dark Infinity is one of my favorite overall covers from 2009. I love the colors, the font work and placement of title and author name. And I love that image in the middle, the swirling cape. However, I'm not sure a middle grade reader would love it quite as much as I do.

    Leven Thumps is also totally cool. I love the blue tones, the font work, the possibly dead boy on the front—especially since this is a series and the main character is definitely in a world of hurt. I'd want to read it JUST for the cover.

    In the final analysis, however, Freaky Flyday gets my vote—but only by a very thin hair. It totally matches the illustration to the title. I love the reds, the big and menacing fly, the font. If I were a 5th grade boy, I'd grab this book first. If I were a girl, I'd grab it too, but by the edges. (Eww, don't want to touch that creepy fly!)

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