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Book cover illustration has a long and colorful history, and in the world of children’s books, dates bake, arguably, to the 17th century with a book titled Orbis Pictus, an illustrated children’s book. By the 19th and early 20th centuries, books of Fairy tales by Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson began to find popularity. The interior illustrations, as well as the book cover illustrations were done by such notable artists of the time as Gustave Dore, George Cruikshank and John Bauer, among others. Among the many memorable children’s books — perhaps equally as memorable for their book cover illustrations — are: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1866, the original version by John Tenniel); The Wizard of Oz (1900, the original, by L.Frank Baum); all of the Beatrix Potter books, from around 1913 forward; the Babar books and Dr. Seuss in the 1930s; and the Little Golden books of the 1940s. The style of these original book front cover designs is familiar, and beloved to this day. There are many sites available from which to browse the rich heritage of book cover illustration, as well as to view the outstanding work continuing today by illustrators who have taken up the torch and brought this art forward. Among titles that stand out distinctly as classics in the field, with fine book front cover design and illustration, I would include: the Narnia series published in 2002 by Harper Collins; the Harry Potter series, published in 2003 by Scholastic Press; and the Wrinkle in Time series, published by Bantam Books, originally in 1962, and reissued in 1988. For book cover illustration alone, there are many striking examples on the stands (and in your browser) today, outside the realm of the children’s book. The Art of Pasta by Lucio Galletto & David Dale (Penguin), designed by Daniel New; Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe; and Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, the Harper Perennial Modern Classics edition (October 17, 2006). The Brave New World cover deserves special mention as a totally unique treatment of a very familiar and much illustrated cover. All of these are notable not simply because of the quality and style of their book front cover design, but because of their uniqueness as illustrated covers in a field that is predominantly photographic or simply designed. Book cover illustrations lend a personality and style that is difficult if not impossible to convey in any other form. As a designer, an illustrator, an author, or simply an interested reader, do yourself the favor of exploring Amazon, The New York Times Review of Books, readings.com goodreads, and the many other visual resources available.
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