Generally we're told not to follow the advice in the title of this post. But let's be honest, we all do it, at least when it comes to actual book-shopping. When I'm looking for something new to read at a brick-and-mortar, I scan the spines and covers of unknown books. If it looks interesting, I pick it up and read the jacket copy. If that's good, I scan the first page, then make my decision. But none of them would've caught my attention in the first place if it weren't for the cover. My shopping's similar on Amazon or any other online retailer, and I tend not to even consider titles that don't provide a thumbnail image of the cover.
Sometimes it's okay to judge a book by its cover, as long as we're talking literally and not metaphorically. There's so many books out there--especially with the growing plethora of digital publishers--that we have to start the narrow-down somewhere, and what easier place to start than with the cover?
This week The Atlantic Wire updated their Y.A. for Grownups blog with a list of 25 of the Most Wonderful Book Covers of the Year, including covers from some of my favorite YA writers like John Green and Maggie Stiefvater. If you're looking for a shortlist of what to check out this year and feel like judging a smattering of books by their covers, start with this list. You'll likely find that the words inside will match.
TJ
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