JOURNAL

A Reader's take on book covers we cannot forget

Words by Ankita Chakraborty & Illustration by Shruthi Hosabettu

October 13, 2025

The other day, I was speaking to a friend who has never read a book. She asked me for a book recommendation, and somehow, the conversation wandered back to the books I loved as a kid. 

Almost without thinking, I remembered Malory Towers, Darrell Rivers, and that grand, castle-like boarding school. Before Harry Potter came along and turned reading into something that would eventually carry me into adulthood, there was Enid Blyton. Her books were easy to return to and somehow always comforting. I can’t recall every detail of the stories now, but the covers are still clear. A girl jumping across, the famous five in a boat. It’s strange how those images seem vivid in my mind, although the plot has long faded.

Why I Sometimes Judge Books By Their Covers

Image Credits: The Great Gatsby Facebook Page

Even though I spend way too much time reading reviews and getting lost on Goodreads, it’s still the cover that catches me first. As a teenager, I never really thought about how covers were made or who designed them. But now, in true millennial fashion, I find myself curious about the process. After all, sometimes the story behind a cover is just as interesting as the one inside the book. 

One of the most iconic book covers in American literature was designed by Francis Cugat. He painted the floating, watchful eyes on The Great Gatsby — a cover so striking that Fitzgerald’s editor called it a masterpiece before the book was even published. That image has now become inseparable from the novel. Yet, this was the only book cover Cugat ever made. No one really knows how he got the job or where the idea came from. It is strangely fitting that a novel about illusion and mystery has a cover with an origin story just as interesting.

"Maybe that’s why book covers matter the way they do. It’s the first place a book asks to be taken seriously."

Another cover which also always intrigued me was The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. I have a tattoo of it, which probably says more about me than I would like to admit. Over the years, the book has had many covers, but the one that stayed with me is the 1966 edition designed by Shirley Tucker. It was published by Faber and Faber and captured the essence of the book without trying too hard. I have never been able to warm up to the newer version, with the woman putting on makeup. In my opinion, it flattens the discomfort into something too polished. 

What I also admire about Tucker’s version is the simple decision to place Sylvia Plath’s name in larger type than the title. It feels bold even now. So many women have had to hide behind initials or pen names to be taken seriously. Giving the author that kind of space on the cover feels like the least and also the most you can do.

Maybe that’s why book covers matter the way they do. It’s the first place a book asks to be taken seriously. When a cover strikes the perfect balance, it’s not just good design; it’s how we remember the book at all. 

In recent times, Yellowface is one of those books you don’t need to look at twice to remember. The cover does all the talking. While most book jackets are crammed with moody art and layered textures, this one does the opposite. No image, no fuss, just the word Yellowface in bold white, punched straight across a yellow background with the sneaky side-eye. It feels loud, uncomfortable, and completely intentional.

Books That Feel Like a Moodboard

Image Credits: Na Hoku News

However, my favourite style of book cover design is the one that leans into the aesthetics of dark academia. I, for one, love having Babel and The Secret History on my shelves — not just for their gripping, literature-obsessed plots, but for the warm, moody visuals that make my inner sixteen-year-old goth self very, very happy.

In 2025, as reading becomes more essential than ever, design plays a crucial role. It offers the first glimpse into the world of the book and sparks curiosity before a single word is read. What’s clear is that there is no single formula for a great cover. Like all things creative, it needs intention, process, and a lot of heart. So while we are often told not to judge a book by its cover, in a culture built on reels and split-second decisions, the cover is sometimes the only way a good story gets noticed.

To understand better, I spoke with Aashim Raj, Senior Design Manager at HarperCollins. He shared his journey, early inspirations, and thoughts on design trends with honesty and insight.

Aashim Raj

His work includes book covers  like Maria, Just Maria, Unashamed, and A Murder Is Fixed

To understand better, I spoke with Aashim Raj, Senior Design Manager at HarperCollins. He shared his journey, early inspirations, and thoughts on design trends with honesty and insight.

Aashim Raj

His work includes book covers  like Maria, Just Maria, Unashamed, and A Murder Is Fixed

Ankita:

Take me through your childhood. Did you read a lot as a kid? How did you get into designing books?

Aashim:

I used to read a lot as a kid, mostly comics and graphic novels. My mom and dad were both avid readers of English novels…I think that’s where it started. I liked drawing and was always surrounded by creative people in the family. Some of them worked in advertising, so that influence was always there. At some point, when you realise you don’t want to be part of the usual rat race, design is one of those things that naturally steps in and takes its place.

Ankita:

What kind of novels or comics did you like reading?

Aashim:

I grew up reading Mad Magazine, Asterix and Obelix, Tintin, and the Archie comics. I still have a huge collection of the Archie comics. Then obviously, watching TV, cartoons and pop culture, I think it all started from there.

Ankita:

How did your journey as a designer begin?

Aashim:

I got a job with Penguin Books back in 2012. I had a really nice art director and publisher, Gavin and Chiki Sarkar. You had to pick up skills quickly and be confident about what you were doing, and I think that was a good learning curve for me back then.

Ankita:

What’s your process like as a designer?

Aashim:

So, we have these acquisition meetings. In these meetings, all the marketing team, the sales team, the commissioning editors, and the publishers get together and decides the vibe of the book, what audience they are going to pitch it to, what cover it needs — because being in the publishing industry, people know that every genre has a particular kind of look that the readers are used to and like so the design also has to be somewhere around that look.

 A brief is then crafted for us, which has notes from all the teams and, of course, the author as well. So you have all these different aspects. You are also given references to covers in the same genre. After all this, you sit together, compile all this information and create your cover.

Ankita:

What do you think about certain covers being designed in a way to fit the genre? For example, Babel has a certain dark academia vibe?

Aashim:

I mean, it’s arcane history, right? So, it makes sense for the book to be designed that way, as it makes it look regal. A lot of the production actually depends on the budgets you have for books. As a designer, you always want the best. I want spot UV, I want special paper on the cover, I can do all these things, but only certain books allow you to do that. The P&L margins need to be taken care of. The design of the cover shouldn’t cost more than what the book will make ultimately. A book with a small print run will have a lower cost because you know you will not be printing so many books.

Ankita:

I have noticed that the classics these days have beautiful covers that are leather-bound. So when they do that, does that mean there is a higher budget for it?

Aashim:

The classics are basically out of copyright. What that means is anyone can take them and print them commercially. So you are not paying any royalties to anyone. Those books eventually become gift items. They are keepsakes!

Ankita:

Is there a designer you personally like?

Aashim:

Rodrigo Corral, Emma Harding, Spaceout Studios. Also, book cover designers. They are a bit commercial, but it’s okay, they are good.

Ankita:

You have been doing this for a long time. Is there a trend you are excited about? What’s the future looking like?

Aashim:

People are getting back to high-production books. They know that readers like collectables, keepsakes. Books have always been one of the easiest things you can gift someone. To make that one book feel even more special is where I am seeing people put a lot of their money. For example, the book Yellowface — there is a regular version and then there is the hardback version, which is fully gold. It’s great, and it works!

Ankita:

I think the cover of Yellowface works better than the book itself... so it’s also intelligent work, right, even though you are not showing your illustration prowess?

Aashim:

No, no, I disagree. You are definitely showcasing your artistic talent by creating an illustration that works on so many levels, even though you are showing simple things.

Ankita:

One last question, what do you think makes a book cover stick over the years?

Aashim:

We use nostalgia as a way to recollect. When we used to read books as kids, we used to pore over the cover because we wanted to have that visual aid. It happens a lot with fantasy and young adult.

I think if you really like the book while you are reading it, then the cover that was there on that edition, which you really connected with the first time you read the book, that will be your ultimate, until you see a version where you are like, “This illustration is really good,” and then you will buy it because it’s another version of the book that you really love.

Ankita:

Take me through your childhood. Did you read a lot as a kid? How did you get into designing books?

Aashim:

I used to read a lot as a kid, mostly comics and graphic novels. My mom and dad were both avid readers of English novels…I think that’s where it started. I liked drawing and was always surrounded by creative people in the family. Some of them worked in advertising, so that influence was always there. At some point, when you realise you don’t want to be part of the usual rat race, design is one of those things that naturally steps in and takes its place.

Ankita:

What kind of novels or comics did you like reading?

Aashim:

I grew up reading Mad Magazine, Asterix and Obelix, Tintin, and the Archie comics. I still have a huge collection of the Archie comics. Then obviously, watching TV, cartoons and pop culture, I think it all started from there.

Ankita:

How did your journey as a designer begin?

Aashim:

I got a job with Penguin Books back in 2012. I had a really nice art director and publisher, Gavin and Chiki Sarkar. You had to pick up skills quickly and be confident about what you were doing, and I think that was a good learning curve for me back then.

Ankita:

What’s your process like as a designer?

Aashim:

So, we have these acquisition meetings. In these meetings, all the marketing team, the sales team, the commissioning editors, and the publishers get together and decides the vibe of the book, what audience they are going to pitch it to, what cover it needs — because being in the publishing industry, people know that every genre has a particular kind of look that the readers are used to and like so the design also has to be somewhere around that look.

A brief is then crafted for us, which has notes from all the teams and, of course, the author as well. So you have all these different aspects. You are also given references to covers in the same genre. After all this, you sit together, compile all this information and create your cover.

Ankita:

What do you think about certain covers being designed in a way to fit the genre? For example, Babel has a certain dark academia vibe?

Aashim:

I mean, it’s arcane history, right? So, it makes sense for the book to be designed that way, as it makes it look regal. A lot of the production actually depends on the budgets you have for books. As a designer, you always want the best. I want spot UV, I want special paper on the cover, I can do all these things, but only certain books allow you to do that. The P&L margins need to be taken care of. The design of the cover shouldn’t cost more than what the book will make ultimately. A book with a small print run will have a lower cost because you know you will not be printing so many books.

Ankita:

I have noticed that the classics these days have beautiful covers that are leather-bound. So when they do that, does that mean there is a higher budget for it?

Aashim:

The classics are basically out of copyright. What that means is anyone can take them and print them commercially. So you are not paying any royalties to anyone. Those books eventually become gift items. They are keepsakes!

Ankita:

Is there a designer you personally like?

Aashim:

Rodrigo Corral, Emma Harding, Spaceout Studios. Also, book cover designers. They are a bit commercial, but it’s okay, they are good.

Ankita:

You have been doing this for a long time. Is there a trend you are excited about? What’s the future looking like?

Aashim:

People are getting back to high-production books. They know that readers like collectables, keepsakes. Books have always been one of the easiest things you can gift someone. To make that one book feel even more special is where I am seeing people put a lot of their money. For example, the book Yellowface — there is a regular version and then there is the hardback version, which is fully gold. It’s great, and it works!

Ankita:

I think the cover of Yellowface works better than the book itself... so it’s also intelligent work, right, even though you are not showing your illustration prowess?

Aashim:

No, no, I disagree. You are definitely showcasing your artistic talent by creating an illustration that works on so many levels, even though you are showing simple things.

Ankita:

One last question, what do you think makes a book cover stick over the years?

Aashim:

We use nostalgia as a way to recollect. When we used to read books as kids, we used to pore over the cover because we wanted to have that visual aid. It happens a lot with fantasy and young adult.

I think if you really like the book while you are reading it, then the cover that was there on that edition, which you really connected with the first time you read the book, that will be your ultimate, until you see a version where you are like, “This illustration is really good,” and then you will buy it because it’s another version of the book that you really love.

Looking to learn more about book covers? Aashim Raj recommends checking out the website ineedabookcover.com.

About the writer

Ankita is a copywriter at TOD. She’s a true-blue couch potato and has an innate love for books, old movies, and everything pop culture.

A note about the Journal

For us at Thought Over Design ‘Creativity’ isn’t an end product. It’s an ongoing journey of inspiration that comes from fresh observations of the world, headlong dives into curious obsessions, explorations of art and culture, listening to diverse voices, and a million more places we’re still discovering.

The Journal is an experiment in sharing these musings with the world. It’s a mixed bag of scribbles from our research, inspiration sessions, lateral think pieces, work from designers we admire, pop-culture takes and often our own agenda-free creative pursuits.

The stories and ideas we share here are an attempt to not just gather our own thoughts but also leave the world a little more inspired than we found it.