Daily Archives: August 24, 2014

Cover Controversy

My April 28, 2013 blog – The Great Cover-Up – discussed the impact of book covers on sales. I was reminded of the post when I learned of the uproar over a recently released edition of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It seems the latest cover of the classic book – written for children but carrying the undercurrent of adult themes – has a decidedly adult image; it features a young girl who hauntingly resembles the murdered Jon Benet Ramsey and most little pageant queens in the Toddlers and Tiaras television show.

Presumably, the girl on the cover represents one of the significant characters in the book, but she is not the most significant character or even the most significant secondary character. However, her depiction on the cover is intentionally shocking. Some critics call the new cover “creepy”.

This is a far cry from previous covers of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that are brightly colored and usually cartoonish; the most famous popular cover was the 1995 fourth edition cover, created by illustrator Quentin Blake who frequently collaborated with Dahl on his books.

While the publisher of the Modern Classic edition (Penguin UK) intended their new version to attract adult readers, it is disconcerting to readers who consider this as solely a children’s book, imagining the characters as depicted on earlier covers or through Technicolor fantasy movies.

A similar backlash was launched after the Leonardo DiCaprio movie version of The Great Gatsby became the source of a new book cover, replacing the iconic design chosen by the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald.

“People respond the way they do because they care, and they care about the book the way they remember it,” said Chip Kidd, a New York-based graphic designer who churns out about 75 book covers a year.

Classics are classics for a reason. People embrace the full book experience – at least with printed books; eBooks are less likely to build the same adoration. Classics remain with us, they are ageless. They feel more solid and reliable, not fleeting like the images and messages that bombard us daily through modern technology and a changing culture.

Covers count.

Recommended

One of the most touching covers you’ll see is the one on Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power by Romina Power. If you’ll be in the Wilmington, North Carolina, area September 18th or 19th, you’ll have a double chance to buy a collector’s quality limited edition of the book as part of a 2-day Centennial celebration of screen legend Tyrone Power. This updated and expanded English language version of Romina’s 1998 Italian best seller made its debut this year and is available only at Centennial events.

On September 18th, a March of Dimes fundraiser luncheon at the Country Club of Landfall will honor Tyrone Power who, among his many charitable activities, was a longtime supporter of March of Dimes. On September 19th, historic Thalian Hall (where Tyrone Power Sr. starred in Macbeth in 1888) will hold a special reception and screening of the great John Ford film, The Long Gray Line, showcasing Tyrone Power’s superb acting and enduring appeal.

You’ll have a chance to meet Romina (an international star in her own right), along with her acting siblings Taryn and Tyrone Jr. at both events where they will autograph books. If you can’t make it to Wilmington but would like information about other Centennial events, the collector’s first edition of Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power or the trade edition of the book that will be published later this year, contact tyronepwer.firstedition@gmail.com.