TRENDY: 5 YA Book Cover Trends from 2022

Just like we see trends in fashion and interior design, book covers fluctuate in design trends through the years.

I am no expert in cover design or trend predictions however, I do spend an inordinate amount of time reading books, shopping for books, talking about books, and generally just looking at books. And I feel that makes me at least aware enough of the YA book world to speak on it. I am also a nerd when it comes to aesthetics and graphic design, so I know that the colors and fonts publishers choose matter. It impacts how readers see a story and whether they will pick a particular book up over another. Every book cover will overlap in some ways but often designs become popular enough to create a domino effect of a trend. There is nothing wrong with trends - there are reasons things become popular. However, instead of getting unique designs, we readers find (and mix up) books that have similar covers even if the story inside is different. It's quite a balance to create and communicate a cover that represents the book properly. But even with trends, sometimes we can understand the publisher's design choice better if we look at all the covers side by side!

Cover design - especially in the traditional YA publishing world - is so interesting to me so I can't wait to show you what I've found! Here are the trends I saw this past year on YA book covers...

Teenagers Going Swimming

We all have memories of swimming with cousins or friends in our childhood - the slow summer days filled with innocent fun, feeling on top of the world. But something is unsettling about coming back to those places as a teenager - something has changed, and you feel smaller and foreign, even to yourself. Each of these book covers portray these feelings perfectly. The varying shades of water and the depth of the waves symbolize uncertainty, change, and estrangement. Water can be both beautiful and deadly, freeing and dangerous. The combination creates covers that hint at a coming of age for the main character, for better or worse.

 

  

Bloody Good Time

Instead of illustrating or insinuating blood on a cover, this year seemed to have a trend of making the blood look wet and realistic. Not only is it cool and morbid, but the "real" blood is also often juxtaposed with something beautiful or innocent (like a crown, cat ears, snow, flowers, etc.) to create an uncanny sense of dread. Readers love questions, and nothing is more intriguing than a combination of beauty and death or innocence and fear.

 

Women Hiding in Bushes

It sounds funny but it's true! There are at least 8 different books published in 2022 that feature one woman slowly becoming one with the nature of the wild. Each expression is different - some are peaceful, others fearful, and many are fearsome. But each cover shows a wildness outside each woman while simultaneously symbolizing the wildness they battle inside. Not only is it fascinating to look at, but the art also hints at the external and internal conflict we will watch unfold if we read the story inside.

Cotton Candy Contemporary

Writers are constantly coming out with new rom-coms or contemporary dramas - each with unique plot lines. But something that stayed the same this year was the color palette chosen for the cover. Varying shades of blue and pink spread throughout the designs tell a story on their own. The cotton candy hues symbolize both new and dying dreams like the sun's daily cycle of sunrises and sunsets. The colors also show the contrast of two lives or two possibilities - the merging of two worlds for better or worse. It's drama on the cover that a reader can't resist.

 

Positively Portrait Perfect

Silhouettes reigned supreme in 2022, giving a taste of historical mystery with each profile on the cover. The shadowed shapes and tiny details hint at a wealth of aesthetics and hidden identities. It's a throwback to the 18th century and the intricacies of hand embroidery. These covers inform the reader that every detail is important, even the ones we can't see clearly. It not only creates a sense of instant mystery, but it also invites the reader to slow down and discover a new story, even as they live in a world where instant understanding is ever available. 

My favorite covers of 2022

Although there aren't many similarities between my favorite book covers from this year, you can tell that I love bold color palettes, unique fonts, and engaging images. I have only read 2 of the books pictured above, but I find each of these design choices unforgettable.

What are the trends you saw for book covers in this last year? I'd love to hear!

Until next time!

~ K.J. Haakenson