Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover Issue 150: Middle Grade (Part 48)

Today’s post is sponsored by Candlewick and Cress Watercress by Gregory Maguire!

Title Cress Watercress
Author Gregory Maguire
Intended Target Audience Middle Grade
Publication Date March 29th 2022 by Candlewick
Find It On GoodreadsAmazonChaptersThe Book DepositoryBarnes & NobleIndieBound

A lavishly illustrated woodland tale with a classic sensibility and modern flair, from the fertile imagination behind Wicked.

Gregory Maguire turns his trademark wit and wisdom to an animal adventure about growing up, moving on, and finding community.

When Papa doesn’t return from a nocturnal honey-gathering expedition, Cress holds out hope, but her mother assumes the worst. It’s a dangerous world for rabbits, after all. Mama moves what’s left of the Watercress family to the basement unit of the Broken Arms, a run-down apartment oak with a suspect owl landlord, a nosy mouse super, a rowdy family of squirrels, and a pair of songbirds who broadcast everyone’s business. Can a dead tree full of annoying neighbors, and no Papa, ever be home?

In the timeless spirit of E. B. White and The Wind and The Willows — yet thoroughly of its time — this read-aloud and read-alone gem for animal lovers of all ages features an unforgettable cast that leaps off the page in glowing illustrations by David Litchfield. This tender meditation on coming-of-age invites us to flourish wherever we find ourselves.

Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover is a regular feature on Pop! Goes The Reader in which I celebrate some of the best and brightest the publishing world has to offer in the way of book cover design and the designers and artists responsible for creating them.


Please Note: As always, I’ve done my best to credit the designers and artists responsible for the stunning covers below, but was unable to find this information for a number of those listed. If you know of an uncredited designer and/or artist responsible for any of these book covers, please let me know and I would be happy to include proper attribution in this post. Their work is lovely and deserves to be credited.


01. The Best Liars In Riverview by Lin Thompson
Cover design by Karina Granda, Cover art by Celia Krampien


02. The School for Whatnots by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Cover art by Rebecca Mock


03. Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee
Cover design by Sylvia Bi, Cover art by Rebecca Shieh


04. Be Real, Macy Weaver by Lakita Wilson
Cover design by Tony Sahara, Cover art by Maike Plenzke


05. Those Kids From Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly
Cover design by Sylvie Le Floc’h, Cover art by Celia Krampien


06. Out of Range by Heidi Lang


07. Golden Girl by Reem Faruqi
Cover design by Molly Fehr, Cover art by Anoosha Syed


08. The Summer of June by Jamie Sumner
Cover art by Elysia Case


09. A Reluctant Witch’s Guide To Magic by Shivaun Plozza
Cover art by Wendy Tan


10. Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff
Cover design by Maria Fazio, Cover art by Ana Vonhuben


11. Onyeka and The Academy Of The Sun by Tola Okogwu
Cover art by Brittany Jackson


12. We Are The Song by Catherine Bakewell
Cover art by Karmen Loh


13. Pilar Ramirez and The Escape From Zafa by Julian Randall
Cover design by Aurora Parlagreco, Cover art by Mayara Sampaio


14. The Tarnished Garden by Alyssa Colman
Cover design by Aurora Parlagreco, Cover art by Genevieve Godbout


15. Sweet and Sour by Debbi Michiko Florence
Cover design by Stephanie Yang, Cover art by Jacqueline Li


16. Operation Sisterhood by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Cover design by Katrina Damkoehler, Cover art by Brittney Bond


17. The Impossible Destiny of Cutie Grakkle by Shawn K. Stout
Cover design by Lily Steele and Adela Pons, Cover art by Alona Millgram


18. Osmo Unknown and The Eightpenny Woods by Catherynne M. Valente
Cover art by Lauren Myers


19. The Ghoul of Windydown Vale by Jake Burt
Cover design by Aurora Parlagreco, Cover art by Brian Edward Miller


20. Spirit Hunters: Something Wicked by Ellen Oh
Cover design by Joel Tippie, Cover art by Matt Rockefeller

One Response

  1. Thank you for this amazing retrospective.
    I am a book designer myself and that’s the kind of references that really helps me to understand the last trend in book covers. There is so much creativity and talent in the books you selected!

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Hi! I’m Jen! I’m a thirty-something introvert who loves nothing more than the cozy comfort of home and snuggling my two rescue cats, Pepper and Pancakes. I also enjoy running, jigsaw puzzles, baking and everything Disney. Few things bring me more joy than helping a reader find the right book for them!

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