Have you ever heard the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover”?
Well, when it comes to actual books, this statement does not make that much sense. The reason is that the cover can actually give the reader a sneak peek into the world waiting inside. It’s like a little hint that excites your imagination and piques your curiosity. That’s the magic of a book cover.
But when it comes to children, then it’s the one thing that matters the most. The fact is kids get attracted by something when it looks appealing to their eyes. Thus, if you want your children’s book to list as a best seller, then you must focus on its front page.
In this article, we will discuss a few major mistakes from designers that can affect the attractiveness of the book cover. So keep reading.
Make It Engaging: Top 5 Common Mistakes To Avoid While Designing Children’s Book
The children’s book cover is very different from the adult’s ones. It must consist of the elements of imagination and fun.
Most authors don’t have a clue about the psychology of a kid’s mind. Thus, they take assistance from various Fantasy Book Cover Designers. These professionals are aware of all the design components that appeal to the eyes of minors of all ages. As a result, they offer standing-out covers to the writers that perfectly complement their story. Try to avoid any of these below-mentioned mistakes if you want your book to be a smash hit.
Bombarded It With A lot Of Elements
One of the common errors that most designers make is adding a lot of elements to a single frame. It doesn’t look captivating but creates a mess.
Additionally, it is understandable that adding the main characters or symbols from the storyline of the book looks descriptive. It also offers an idea about what the reader will going to experience inside. However, the issue that is faced by filling the cover with a lot of elements is that it creates confusion in the mind of a child. They are unable to focus on one thing.
Don’t Know The Audience
Do you know that when you speak to everyone, each individual perceives a message according to their level of understanding?
This is why it is important to know about your target before composing a catch for it. The children of all ages have a different mindset. The things that attract the mind of the 2 to 5-year-old kids don’t appeal to the eyes of the 10 to 13-year-old ones. Therefore, it is recommended to grasp all the knowledge about the likes and dislikes of your viewer and then compose a cover.
For instance, a simple cover with only one cartoon will look attractive to a 2-year-old kid. On the other hand, the cover that consists of various elements can captivate kids who are about to enter their teenage.
Poor Or Wrong Font Choices
The swinging letters on the book cover are another element that catches the eyes of the kids.
As the alphabets are the first thing they are taught. Thus, you must choose fonts wisely. Most designers make a mistake here.
It is essential to understand that the text on the cover showcases the genre or category of the book. And other than that, each age group of children find different fonts captivating in Children’s Book Cover Design. For instance, the younger ones opt for big and bold fonts that are of a single colour. As a result, they can memorise it well and can focus on every alphabet.
But as the kids start growing older, they go for some creative and artistic fonts. You can use italics and various other ones that match the theme of the book.
Poor Choice Of Imagery
This element of the book cover plays the main part in making a book catchy to the eyes.
Thus, make sure to select it attentively. It is recommended to choose the imagery for the front page from the story of the book. The kids aged 2 to 5 finds animals, fruits or cute cartoon more attractive as they remind them of their toys and food.
But when it comes to the children bigger than that, they opt for the book which possesses the creative components. Hence, you can include imaginary characters from the storyline or even fill the cover with the cool elements mentioned inside.
Moreover, it is recommended to choose the colours carefully. This element can make or break the purpose of the book. The younger kids pick the brighter shades, but make sure not to include too many. On the other hand, the older they get, the more they find magical or blended pigments more appealing. So, opt for the right ones.
Poor Readability And View
Your book cover should be the one that compels children from a distance.
Thus, make sure to take care of the readability and the view of the front page. The attention span of a child is way less than that of an adult. Therefore, you have to be smart if you want to catch their attention. Be creative, but don’t let it affect the overall aesthetic view of the cover.
Moreover, the choice of colour also plays a huge part in increasing the readability of the title. Thus, it is suggested to choose brighter colours for the text, and its size should be big enough. The readers should notice it from a distance.
All in all, these are a few mistakes that you should avoid if you want a kid to pick your book. The fact is that children go for things that they find attractive and to which they can relate. Thus, keep these elements in mind and design a front page accordingly.
Conclusion
A book cover acts as one of those elements that aid in the success of the book.
When it comes to children’s books, they are most of the time picked due to their captivating covers. Thus, keep the mistakes that we have mentioned above in mind while composing your next cover. And follow the recommendations that we have given. We are sure that avoiding these errors will help you avail of the success you are waiting for.
Additionally, make sure to craft a cover according to the theme and the story that is mentioned inside. You can include one or two main characters. As a result, the kids can visualise them while reading. So what are you waiting for? Check the book cover you are working on right now and examine if you have made these mistakes or not.
