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Penguin’s 2024 Cover Design Award winners are creative perfection
By Natalie Fear,
2 days ago
(Image credit: Charlotte Jennings/Cadi Rhind/George Griffiths)
The winners are in for Penguin's Cover Design Award 2024, celebrating the colourful, creative and diverse world of book publishing. Entrants were given the choice of three different Penguin publications to redesign: City of Stolen Magic by Nazneen Ahmed Pathak, Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Atomic Habits by James Clear. The brief? Make an outstanding piece of cover art that blows away the competition. The prize? A coveted six-month mentorship with a member of the Penguin Art Department.
While I'm a firm believer that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, this is one of those rare occasions where it's what's on the outside that counts. Embracing whimsical illustration, retro-inspired design and bold graphics, each winner showcases the diversity of book cover design across the genres.
Adult Fiction Cover Design Award Winners
Winners of the Adult Fiction Cover Design Award created by Cadi Rhind (1st place), Max Bicknell (2nd place)and Rebekah Sinclair (3rd place). (Image credit: Cadi Rhind/Max Bicknell/Rebekah Sinclair)
1st place: Cadi Rhind
2nd place: Max Bicknell
3rd place: Rebekah Sinclair
Before the hit Amazon Prime series, Daisy Jones and the Six was first and foremost a New York Times Bestseller by Taylor Jenkins-Reid. Chronicling the tale of an iconic rock band, the book echoes a hazy '70s aesthetic that's reflected in the winning designs. With its sleek retro appeal, winner Cadi Rhind's cover expertly blends '70s typography with more contemporary design beats, giving the cover a fresh yet classic feel.
On the inspiration behind her design, Cadi shares: "Growing up, car journeys were soundtracked by my father’s love for 1970s Californian music. This influenced my love for that era and its creative world of album artworks and gig posters. This, paired with my love for vintage typography and design are my inspirations."
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Children’s Cover Design Award Winners
Winners of the Children’s Cover Design Award created by Charlotte Jennings (1st place) Evan Connolly (2nd place) Karin Keratova (3rd place). (Image credit: Charlotte Jennings/Evan Connolly/Karin Keratova)
1st place: Charlotte Jennings
2nd place: Evan Connolly
3rd place: Karin Keratova
Briefed with redesigning the whimsical children's novel City of Stolen Magic by Nazneen Ahmed Pathak, entrants were asked to create a cover that would engage with the 9-11-year-old demographic. Balancing the key themes of magic, secrets and colonial history, the winning cover by Charlotte Jennings is a stunning homage to the story, embracing powerful imagery with rich, colourful illustrations.
"I focused on using colour and shape language to convey the essence of Chompa's journey from beginning to end, using a spiral composition to guide the viewer’s eye around the cover," Charlotte shares. "I used orange hues to depict the warmth and familiarity of India along with its connection to Chompa’s fiery magic," she adds.
Adult Non-Fiction Cover Design Award Winners
Winners of the Adult Non-Fiction Cover Design Award created by George Griffiths (1st place), James Gregory (2nd place) and Craig Ferdinando (3rd place). (Image credit: George Griffiths/James Gregory/Craig Ferdinando)
1st place: George Griffiths
2nd place: James Gregory
3rd place: Craig Ferdinando
Atomic Habits by James Clear is a nonfiction bestseller about how small tweaks can make a big impact on your life. The winning covers capture the book's inspirational tone and accessible readability in a visually engaging way that strikes interest and intrigue. Winner George Griffiths embodies the book's multilayered narrative using collage and bold minimalist design to create a sense of authoritative style.
Discussing the inspiration behind his design, George explained: "My book concept is based upon this combination of small, different habits, building and layering together to have a larger effect than they would on their own." Taking a bespoke approach, George adds "I created my design by taking small rips of cardboard, paper and other physical materials, and piecing them together to form the words 'Atomic Habits' – just as small habits piece together to transform your life."
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Natalie is Creative Bloq's staff writer. With an eye for trending topics and a passion for internet culture, she brings you the latest in art and design news. A recent English Literature graduate, Natalie enjoys covering the lighter side of the news and brings a fresh and fun take to her articles. Outside of work (if she’s not glued to her phone), she loves all things music and enjoys singing sweet folky tunes.
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