Cover changes are one of my favorite things to look at since they’re not uncommon in YA books. Not only do I love analyzing why it is that a hardcover design changed when it went to paperback, I also love looking at how cover designs look different around the world. International editions of YA can take on entirely new identities for a number of reasons, including a market that gravitates toward very different design aesthetics in their books, rights acquisition for the design of US covers, or simply the preference of the publisher.
Let’s take a look at five YA books that have some significantly different looks in some of their international editions. These books published between 2019 and 2020. I’ve done the best I can to identify the country for the international edition, but know they might be incorrect, as seeking that information out is even more challenging than finding the US cover designer.
I’ve stuck to one changed design for each of the below, except for the final one, which I’ll showcase three international editions.
I’d love to hear what you think and which is your favorite. I’ve put the US edition on the left, with the alternate cover on the right.
YA International Cover Designs
Diana Urban’s All Your Twisted Secrets takes its cue from the other thrillers on the US YA market, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’ll immediately tell readers whether or not the story i for them. Like so many covers, too, it’s illustrated, with a large, centered title. The cover was illustrated by Evgeni Koroliov, and design direction was by Corina Lupp and Alison Klapthor.
The French edition of this book cover is SO great. It feels absolutely like a twisted mystery, and it mirrors so much of the design of J-Horror films and books, with a hint of old school Lois Duncan books. The title was slightly altered, too, to Who Should Die? I really dig this look.
Both of these covers are so lovely, and they play against each other perfectly. I hadn’t looked at the smaller details of the US version of Kristina Forest’s I Wanna Be Where You Are as closely as I did when I looked at the Indonesian edition — I was going to note that it’s interesting the female lead is driving in that edition, but it looks like she’s in the driver’s seat of the US version, too. I love the two color palates, and I love the clever green-blue color car in both. Even though the way they evoke a dreamy look differs, both succeed in showcasing how this is a story about a girl chasing her dreams.
Cassie Gonzales designed the US cover and worked with artist Alex Cabel. If cover nerdery is your jam, this look behind the process is awesome. I especially love how one of the rejected designs really looks like the Indonesian edition.
There is no question that Abdi Nazemian’s Like a Love Story is set in the city, is there? In the US edition, we have the tall buildings that comprise an urban landscape, while in the French edition, we have the inside of a graffiti-covered subway. Both covers are bright, and both feature three teenagers who are clearly close with one another. More, the story is set in the 1980s and both absolutely reflect that. They’re gritty and showcase the fashion choices of that time and yet, they also feel contemporary.
The US jacket art is by Dave Homer and the design is by Michelle Taormina.
On The Come Up, Angie Thomas’s sophomore YA novel, has such an iconic design on the US cover, and it pairs so well with The Hate U Give. But how striking is the Swedish cover? It’s electric, and even though we don’t have a great view of the model’s body language, her expression and the neon color way is so expressive. This book is electric and propulsive, and the look in that girl’s eyes doesn’t shy away from that.
Cover art for the US edition is by Anjola Coker.
David Yoon’s debut Frankly In Love has so many different international editions and what’s interesting is how they can all both look so different and yet clearly also look like the same book. The US edition in hardcover — which got a new look in paperback — is really simple and eye-catching. It’s all font work. There’s a huge sense of this particular cover looking like adult book covers, suggesting that while the book is YA, the visual marketing of the hardcover angled for those adult readers who like YA, as well as those who might be skeptical of it. I think the paperback is much more teen friendly, but both designs capture a solid feel for the story.
The Italian cover on the right features a teen boy, holding a bouquet of flowers, waiting on a park bench. There’s clearly a romantic angle at play here, though the title font stands out as well. BUT the real reason I wanted to include this cover design is the bit at the bottom which I can’t say I’ve seen before: I don’t read Italian but know enough to translate the words that this book is by the husband of bestseller Nicola Yoon. That’s wild, seeing a male author referred to as the partner of a bestselling female author.
The cover on the left is the Portuguese cover, and I love that it uses such a romantic color selection, as well as a clear indication that romance is a big theme in the story — we see the male lead appearing to look at the person with him adoringly. Finally, the Swedish edition of Frankly In Love is interesting to think about because it carries the same emphasis on being font driven, without any standout images of people on it, but the font work looks nothing like the US edition (Note: I believe this is the Swedish edition, but the title itself appears to be in Danish). And the title? It’s Planet Frank. I love the use of the planet to capture that shift in name.
The US cover artist is Owen Gildersleeve, and you should definitely read this interview about how he created the design. You’ll see how it was replicated on a couple other international editions as well.