Children's Book Covers: Great Book Jacket and Cover Design

by Alan Powers

Structured chronologically, this text charts over 100 years in children's book covers and jackets, dating back to the 18th century. It features authors and illustrators predominantly working in the UK and the USA including Edward Lear, Randolph Caldecott, Beatrix Potter, Kenneth Grahame, Arthur Ransome, Jean de Brunhoff, Maurice Sendak and Raymond Briggs. This volume contains colour images of over 400 books, both rare and familiar, with surveys of classic titles such as "Struwwelpeter", through the pioneer works of the mid-20th century such as the "Babar" books, to the varied products of the post-war period, including the "Harry Potter" and "Lemony Snicket" books. The author offers insights into developments in printing and binding techniques, publishing, marketing as well as detail and comment on authors and illustrators. It should be of interest to collectors, design enthusiasts and lover's of children's literature.

Genres: Design, Nonfiction, Art, Books About Books

144 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2003

About the author

Alan Powers is a teacher, researcher and writer specialising in architecture and design.

Powers trained as an art historian at University of Cambridge, gaining an undergraduate degree and a PhD.

As a writer Powers has been prolific, writing reviews, magazine articles, obituaries of artists and architects as well as books. He has concentrated on 20th century British architecture and architectural conservation. He has also written books on the design of book jackets, shop fronts, book collectors, and the artist Eric Ravilious as well as monographs on Serge Chermayeff, and the British firms of Tayler and Green and of Aldington, Graig and Collinge.

Reviews

[Lenore Kuipers-Cummins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not for everyone. It is for those interested in children's literature, and in particular, children's book covers from the 1700's on. It is done, when possible, in color. History is involved about the different publishers, how the differences existed between the British and American publishers and their book covers, book cover designers and their styles during different time periods, as well as their biographical information.

The book was divided by the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, and the 80's and 90's. I thought the best part of the whole book was the pictures of the book covers themselves. I had heard of so many of the books, but never seen the covers; and then there were my favorite books/covers of books that brought back so many memories of books I studied in college, I read myself, and to my children. There are many of the books themselves that I hope to find so that I can read them.

There is also an excellent bibliography, acknowledgments, and index section at the end of the book. If you are a bibliophile like myself, you will find this section interesting too.

A great book to have in the literature section of your library, if for nothing else to bring back some fond memories and to read some of the books mentioned.

[Kaitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

read for college

[nidah05 (SleepDreamWrite) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Been in a reading books about books and or book art kind of mood lately. Some of the covers are either familiar or ones I hadn't seen before. Interesting read though.

[Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great reference for children book covers designer.

[Paula Cruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Que livro chaaaaaaaaaaaato. O conteúdo é bom, mas a escrita deixa a desejar. Recomendo que seja lido que nem dicionário, porque ler de cabo a rabo é maçante.

[Lady Dazy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting reference book for collectors of Children`s books nice images and interesting text.


https://discover.hubpages.com/literat...