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readergirlz is a literacy and social media project for teens, awarded the National Book Foundation's Innovations in Reading Prize. The rgz blog serves as a depot for news and YA reviews from industry professionals and teens. As volunteers return full force to their own YA writing, the organization continues to hold one initiative a year to impact teen literacy. All are welcome to "like" us on Facebook!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Cover Stories: North of Beautiful by Justina Chen

north20of20beautiful.jpg
Today, readergirlz diva and fantabulous author Justina Chen's North of Beautiful comes out in paperback! Yay! And the cover is the same as the hardcover, because if it ain't broke....

Here's Justina:

"My book has a twin: Alyson Noel's Evermore. The funny thing is, North of Beautiful and Evermore don't just share the cover girl. They were also published on virtually the same day in 2009. Twins separated at birth!

"A bunch of people have asked me whether it's been a problem sharing the same cover girl. I don't think so. If anything, that anomaly has raised the profile of our books. Publishers Weekly even did a story about it.
Evermore2.jpg
Plus, the treatment of the cover girl is so different I didn't even realize it was the same girl until a blogger pointed it out to me.

"I've hit the jackpot with all my book covers, thanks to my art director, Gail Doobinin who designed my first two books--Girl Overboard and Nothing but the Truth
(and a few white lies). And my new book designer, Saho Fujii who created North of B
eautiful.
girloverboard.jpg
NothingButTheTruth.jpg
I know I'm lucky to love all my covers and to have a publisher who honors my opinion.

"For North of Beautiful, Saho played around with a bunch of different concepts--and obviously had read my book. One of her initial ideas was to collage the cover just the way Terra herself may have created. But then Saho found the perfect photo representation for Terra: hair draped over her cheek, downcast eyes. It was precisely how I imagined Terra holding herself in public.

"Then, the brilliance that is Saho found a fabulous old-fashioned compass rose that she used to separate the three parts of the story. My one and only request was that she somehow integrate that compass image on the front cover. Her treatment of the compass--placing it as a watermark over Terra's cheek--was inspired! It is a truly and exceptionally beautiful cover."

I agree--it looks so different on each cover that I can totally see it as both Terra and Ever--separate girls in two fantastic books. I also love how Justina's three books are blue, pink and yellow in overall color palette--gorgeous! What do you guys think?

And don't forget to check out Alea's Pop Culture Junkie Lookalikes post on this cover--you'll find even more twins (or triplets?).


11 comments:

Marjolein Reads said...

great post! and I just discovered another book with the same cover girl (so Justina's book has a new addition to the cover girl family) it is on the cover of Selina Penaluna by Jan Page

Silvia said...

Having read Evermore and enjoyed it, as soon as I saw North of beautiful cover I relized they were the same girl, but as written above, the different ways in which the photo of the girl has been changed, makes you think of them as different girls.
The cover for Evermore gives the book a mysterious aura, which totally fits with the story itself. And, altough I haven't read North of beautiful (yet!) the cover gives me the feeling of a pure and powerful story.


Marjolein is totally righ; the girl from Selina Penaluna by Jan Page is the same!

holly cupala said...

Such a beautiful cover! And an equally gorgeous book.

Bianca said...

Amazing post!!
I can't tell you how much I want to read North of Beautiful! And actually, her other 2 books, too!

And wow. Usually I'm really good at noticing similar covers but I didn't even realize they were the same girl!!!!!! The covers are soo pretty!

Lorie Ann Grover said...

Silvia, you are spot on. It's a pure and powerful story!

Lorie Ann Grover said...

Wow, thanks, Marjolein. Selina is beautiful, too!

Little Willow said...

I love the cover. It suits her. :)

Melissa Walker said...

Marjolein, you should alert Alea for LOOKALIKES!

Unknown said...

Cover girl is a great mark cosmetic, i never could change it because i always get the appearance that i want.I simply love it. Cover girl is a great alternative when i have a date and i want look splendid. But the man must to buy viagra because when i feel sexy i´m never feel tired.

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