When I was 11, my "friend" Allison and I went to the library to pick out book report books. While skimming through the usual fare about mice, fudge and Ramona and Beezus, I found a brand new book titled The Great Gilly Hopkins. It had just been put on the shelf and hadn't even been checked out yet. The book cover design consisted of a giant pink bubble being blown out of bubble gum. It was like nothing I had ever seen. Most of the books available to us at that time had beautiful paintings on the cover (because most children can appreciate beautiful paintings...?) While The Great Gilly Hopkins did have an illustration, the image was edgy and sophisticated. The face in the illustration was completely hidden by a chewing gum bubble. At the time, I was admonished routinely for blowing chewing gum bubbles, so a book with a picture of a giant bubble on it was alluring, and dare I say it, risque. I had never seen a children's book cover that utilized nuance before. Holding it in my hands, I felt like an adult.
I was smug and with no attempt to conceal my glee, crowed to Allison about my find. She immediately told me that we weren't allowed to use that kind of book for our report. Not wanting to get the wrong kind of book, I reluctantly put it down. She grabbed it laughing, saying we could use any book we wanted for our report. She wanted the book with the cool pink bubble on the cover for herself. Apparently, I wasn't the only one seduced by the cover.
Not wanting to make waves or seem like I cared, I grabbed a beat up copy of Misty of Chincoteague (Newberry Award Winner by Marguerite Henry, printed in 1947). Even with the shiny Newberry Award winner sticker, I was embarrassed because the book simply featured a painting of a horse. I resigned myself to a miserable story and book report. How good could a book be if the cover doesn't have a gigantic pink bubble and stylized fonts on it?
A week or so later, I asked Allison how the book was. Apparently, after reading one chapter, she returned it and picked another. Convinced she was illiterate or an idiot, I returned to the library and brought home The Great Gilly Hopkins. ( I still remember the title after 27 years, probably, because I was so traumatized.) After struggling through two chapters, ( I had to do at least one more than Allison), I returned the book. Allison was right, it really was horrific. I was deceived. Everyone has heard of the adage, "never judge a book by its cover" a million times, but falling for it in real life was hard to swallow. A book that due to its cover, seemed at first glance to be so fun and entertaining, could barely hold my attention for two chapters when it came time to read it.
For this blog, discuss a book you chose based on it's cover and whether or not is was worth reading. I still pick up books and read the squibs based on their covers, but if the plot doesn't interest me, I won't buy it.
Incidentally, I've devoured every Marguerite Henry book ever written and have decided to start collecting them. As for the Great Gilly Hopkins, despite it and its author Katherine Patterson going on to win numerous literary awards, I still can't get myself to finish it. I've tried four different times. The only other book I've started and couldn't finish was "The Lamb: the Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" by Christopher Moore. As for Allison, I read somewhere that she became a lawyer.
