We all know that we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover. It’s what’s on the inside that counts! But sometimes, it’s really hard to look past the exterior, especially if it features some absolutely terrible artwork.
Bored Panda has scoured the internet to find the worst examples of the book cover art the world has ever seen. From cringey illustrations to photos that have nothing to do with the actual plot, it’s clear that being a great writer doesn’t mean that someone also has a great eye for art. Enjoy scrolling through these hilarious books, and remember to upvote the images that you can’t help but giggle at!
#1 Crime And Punishemt - Fyodor Dostoevsky
© Photo: newghoststories
#2 The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka
© Photo: Genericuser212
#3 How To Let Bro Know That You Want To Be More Than Friends - B. J. Nomnom
© Photo: adolchristin98
According to WordsRated, the most common way that people decide to read a new book is based on recommendations from friends or family members. Other popular ways people pick their next read are because it’s from their favorite author, they saw it on social media, they heard about it on a book-related website, or they saw it on a best-sellers list.
If you’re an author who wants people to randomly pick up your book in a store, though, you’re going to have to rely on having a great cover. And apparently, that can be extremely difficult to achieve. The BBC notes that “a successful cover conveys something about the words inside.” If there’s a disconnect between what vibe the cover gives off and what the story is actually about, readers might be disappointed.
#4 But... You're A Horse - Jon Bon Pony
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#5 The Annotated Pride And Prejudice - Jane Austen
© Photo: MisterGravyBoy
#6 A Hero Of Our Time - Mikhail Lermontov
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Artists who design book covers know that they have to create something that will really stand out if they want the book to be picked up. “Bookshops are such a riot,” says Jon Gray, who’s been designing covers for popular writers for over two decades. “It’s like a big crowded party and you’re trying to get your face to stand out in the crowd. To make an impact and get someone to pick up a book and turn it over is getting harder and harder.”
#7 The Odyssey - Homer
© Photo: roguepandaCO
#8 La Metamorfosis By Kafka
© Photo: Flowesque
#9 Gumby 50 Shades Of Clay - Papercut
© Photo: saltyboodles
Whitefox also urges authors to invest in an excellent design before publishing their books. This can help build credibility and convey professionalism to readers. It also allows authors to target the right audience. We all know that certain genres have styles or fonts that loyal readers are used to seeing. So the cover should make it clear to readers what they’re getting themselves into.
#10 The Master And Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov
© Photo: BabaInformatyk
#11 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
© Photo: wrycountenance
#12 The Pig's Head, Part 1 - Demetri Paul
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When it comes to what makes a great book cover, Whitefox notes that it must, above all, be visually pleasing. Authors hope that their books will be on bookshelves for decades to come, so you’ll want something that’s going to look nice forever.
Meanwhile, it should represent the tone and genre of the story. And there should be extreme attention to detail in its design. If the book is part of a series, there should be consistency in each book’s design. And nowadays, the design should also translate well to digital formats, such as a Kindle.
#13 Do You Want To Play With My Balls? - The Cifaldi Brothers
© Photo: BrainNotRespondin
#14 Told My Spouse How Much I Love Terrible Book Covers And He Insisted I Show My Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
© Photo: maj--decoverley
#15 Loved The Book But Hated This Cover As A Kid
© Photo: Kolkarr
If you’re designing a book cover and you want to avoid making any mistakes that will hurt your sales, LitReactor has some advice. First, they recommend starting with a “bestseller swipe file.” Find the most popular books in your subgenre from recent years, and compile a list of all of their covers. Notice similarities in fonts, styles, colors, and more. You obviously don’t want to copy any of these covers, but they can provide you with inspiration and steer you in the right direction.
#16 The Dragon With The Girl Tattoo - Adam Roberts
© Photo: mememachine27000
#17 What A Gem
© Photo: Lan_66Y
#18 The Iliad - Homer
© Photo: antilibrarian
When choosing the color scheme for a book cover, you want to choose something bold, but don’t go against the grain. LitReactor notes that if the vast majority of books in your genre use the same colors, you might need to follow suit, so readers understand the tone of your story. The same goes for fonts. First and foremost, it should be legible. But you might also need to pick something that is a popular choice for your particular genre.
#19 Pride And Prejudice - Jane Austen
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#20 The Picture Of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
© Photo: BookMansion
#21 Time Swirl (Binky Book 1) - John Pirillo
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While it’s great to have a book cover that clearly conveys what a book is about, designers still have to be careful not to include too many elements on the cover. Sometimes, less is more. And authors have to test the cover at thumbnail size to see if it’s still legible, as some people might look at it that way on mobile devices. If there’s too much happening on the cover, the details might get muddied when the image is shrunken down.
#22 The Girl Next Door - Jack Ketchum
© Photo: Away-Broccoli-406
#23 Coplete Works Of Oscar Wilde
© Photo: Nlearson
#24 Firestarter - Stephen King
© Photo: M1ldr
Are you enjoying this silly list of absolutely terrible book covers, pandas? Keep upvoting the ones that make you laugh, and let us know in the comments below what the worst book cover you’ve ever spotted in the wild was. Then, if you want to read another article from Bored Panda that’s made for avid readers, we recommend checking out this one next!
#25 How To Contact Space People - Ted Owens
© Photo: Dry-Impression-2403
#26 Anne Frank's Diary - Anne Frank
© Photo: UriahCanaff
#27 The Age Of Innocence - Edith Wharton
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#28 Texting Mr. Right - Diane Dean White
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#29 Children Of The Lambs: An Old Myth Brought To Life By Rogue Science! - John Aalborg
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#30 Sportin’ A ‘Tude - Patsy Clairmont
© Photo: sparrowhawkward
#31 Adolf - Osamu Tezuka
© Photo: Open-Sky-2392
#32 Daughter Of Smoke & Bone - Laini Taylor
© Photo: amazon.com
#33 Romeo And Juliet - William Shakespeare
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#34 Very Bold
© Photo: EdwinJDavies
#35 Demons - Fyodor Dostoevsky
© Photo: Howlingmutant0
#36 Answer To Job - Carl Jung
© Photo: meta_nomad
#37 The Brothers Karamazon - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
© Photo: reddit.com
#38 Eagle Bird One (The Voyage To Save The Earth) - Charles Hinton
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#39 On Wheels - John Jakes
© Photo: silveragecollector
#40 Frankenstein: Or The Modern Prometheus - Mary Shelley
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#41 All Change: Winston Can Hardly Wait For Puberty - Roger Day
© Photo: CryptographerKey2847
#42 The Grooming Of Alice - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
© Photo: GentlemanlyMeadow
#43 Gabi, A Girl In Pieces - Isabel Quintero
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#44 A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess
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#45 Haunted - Chuck Palahniuk
© Photo: Away_Housing4314
#46 The Portrait Of Dorian Gray (Brazilian Edition)
© Photo: Yeet-Absolution-4066
#47 That Is Some Cover
© Photo: Trummors
#48 This Gives Me Nightmares
© Photo: Nabla_Mat
#49 Frankenstein, Or The Modern Prometheus - Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
© Photo: BookMansion
#50 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
© Photo: Organic-Luck2344
#51 The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
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#52 Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
© Photo: Kriocxjo
#53 The Demon's Lexicon - Sarah Rees Brennan
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#54 La Morte Sous Les Glycines - Harry Street
© Photo: 65daysofsuffering
#55 Isis: The Beauty Myth - Shawn James
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#56 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street - George Dibdin Pitt
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#57 Boy Wonder: My Life In Tights - Burt Ward
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#58 Little Friend - Tartt Donna
© Photo: amazon.ca
#59 Blood Meridian - Cormac Mccarthy
© Photo: AmericanGwyn
