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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, December 14, 2010

Cover Stories: Matched by Ally Condie

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Ally Condie's Matched was just named #1 on the Winter 2010/2011 Kid's Indie Next List. And its cover is up there among the best of the year too, so I asked Ally to tell that tale, and here she is:

"I didn't have anything in mind for a cover. I'm not a very creative person visually. I certainly appreciate it in others--my mother is a professional artist, and I have grown up appreciating visual art in its many forms--but my mind doesn't seem to work that way. So, I was just excited to see what the designers had in mind!

"My publisher asked for ideas, and I didn't really have any suggestions for them.

"Honestly, when I first saw the cover I wanted to cry. Tears of joy. I thought it was perfect. The model is just how I pictured Cassia looking, but I like that she's in profile so we can imagine her features. The dress is beautiful and has significance to the story, as does the bubble/glass world and the color green. And that particular shade of green they selected is beautiful. I am also a fan of very clean design, and this cover has that in spades. Theresa Evangelista was the designer for the cover and she is amazing.

"Before this cover, there was another concept that Penguin had that we didn't use. It was also beautiful, but this one is even better..."

Read the rest of Ally's Cover Story at melissacwalker.com.

2 comments:

elfarmy17 said...

I saw Matched at my local independent bookstore two weeks ago when I went to see Orson Scott Card and had my writing club. The cover immediately caught my eye. My thoughts: "OMG THAT LOOKS AWESOME." And then I read the jacket copy. My thoughts: "OMG THIS SOUNDS AWESOME." I haven't read it yet, though.

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