By Laura Wallace, Megan Coote, Juliette Tulloch, Abbie Wright
The first official day of spring is upon us! So, we are looking at covers to celebrate the start of springtime and the long, bright days ahead.
Enchantment by Katherine May
In Enchantment, Katherine May embarks on a journey to discover how nature has therapeutic properties in a world full of overwhelm and anxiety. She finds enchantment through rituals and a relationship with the natural world around her.
The book cover has calming light colours, all signifying nature. The greens, yellows and blues are in soft, dreamy hues. The sky, sea and sand are not clearly defined but hazy, giving the reader a sense of softness. The plants in the foreground and the big, bright, white full moon bring the cover together perfectly, alluding to the natural world. The designer has used a sans serif font, giving the text simplicity, which is in keeping with the cover's theme.
This is a beautiful cover that will brighten any bookshelf for spring.
Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa
Sweet Bean Paste, by Durian Sukegawa and translated by Alison Watts, is a moving Japanese novella that resonates with the feeling of spring. Set in Tokyo, the book is about the burden of the past and the redemptive power of friendship. The story follows the blossoming friendship between Sentaro, a man who has lost all hope, and Tokue, an elderly woman with a talent for making sweet bean paste. Their friendship changes Sentaro’s outlook on life.
Cherry blossoms are described beautifully by the author throughout the book, marking the changing seasons and passing of time. The best time of year to see them in Tokyo is spring, and cherry blossom trees are featured on the cover in a beautiful pastel pink, giving the book a spring feel. Pastels are a colour palette typically associated with spring, and this design choice makes the cover just as charming as the story inside.
The story is centred around the friendship between the three main characters, Tokue, Sentaro, and Wakana, so it’s appropriate that they all feature on the cover. While all three of them are at completely different stages in life, they stand side-by-side and share a look of contentment. Spring is a season that marks hope and fresh beginnings, and that is the feeling you get when looking at the cover and reading the book, making this the perfect springtime read.
Song of the Six Realms by Judy I. Lin
From the author of the bestselling Book of Tea duology comes a new tale on April 23rd, steeped in Chinese mythology and following the life of orphaned Xue. Inspired by Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, this melodic tale takes a turn when young musician Xue is invited to put on a private performance for Duke Meng. From here, the tales uncover the dark past of the celestials and Xue’s pivotal role in preventing an impending war in the Six Realms.
The cover design follows Lin’s previous novels, courtesy of illustrator Sija Hong. It is adorned with a pastel colour palette of swirls and creatures. The position of Xue and the Duke is tense, illustrating the close bond they will form as the situation unfolds in the celestial realm and the opposite worlds they were born into. The watercolour style of the cover fits perfectly with the dreamlike world that Lin has created and the delicate poetry that’s included alongside it. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on the Waterstones edition, this includes beautiful sprayed edges! Sija Hong’s work also includes clients such as Penguin, Disney and Macmillan, and she is usually based in New York. You can find out more on her website.
Fresh Water for Flowers by Valerie Perrin
Fresh Water for Flowers is a poignant and beautiful novel about a cemetery’s caretaker and a number of employees at the graveyard. While the novel's themes may seem morbid at first glance, it also involves a lot of heart and is filled with laughter in times of darkness. The story revolves around a man who comes to the graveyard hoping to find his late mother’s past lover and in doing so, our protagonist’s past is also thrown into the forefront.
The cover is perfect for springtime as it contains a plethora of colours and pastel tones that would add beauty to any bookshelf. The mix of pinks, blues, yellows, and purples connotes the flowers that would be placed at the cemetery setting of the novel. Additionally, the bold font overlaying these colours ensures that the novel’s writing and message are its focal point. Overall, the cover is a gentle and warm companion to an equally heartwarming story.
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