Best Middle-Grade Covers of 2012!

Project Mayhem Team Member, Yahong Chi, posted on Wednesday about what draws us to a book. Of course I read the jacket flap, but what initially attracts my attention is a great cover. A striking cover can cause you to buy a book you'd normally not read and a weak cover can cause you to pass by a book you might go gaga over.

I'm a visual artist, as well as a writer, so maybe that has a little to do with my obsessive cover love, but I deem we all see fantastic book covers and immediately reach for certain books. 

Below are some of my favorite covers of 2012. You'll notice most of these covers are hues of blue and green. Hopefully red toned covers make a come back next year. I hope my publisher is reading this, because I love red! ;) Take a look at these brilliant covers below and then tell us about your favorites!!

What kid wouldn't go nuts over this cover of Artemis Fowl, The Last Guardian? It's hip, cool, and edgy, with the just the right amount of fantasy. GQ meets Harry Potter!

Next we have The Drowned Vault, Ashtown Burials II. This cover combines mystery with fantasy and creepiness, but at the same time using a dazzling blue color forcing your eyes to land on it. Definitely something I would pick up!

Here we have Caught, The Missing Book 5. Similar color scheme to the Artemis Foul cover, yet completely different feel. This gives a sense of mystery and fantasy, at the same time harking back to the past. It screams, "You better read me or you will soon regret it!"

I love the cover of The Last Dragonslayer because it's downright quirky and utterly unique.  You can tell right away this story is going to be far more than some medieval prince slaying a dragon! Yes, bring on the quirky! When it comes to new dragon books originality is key!

What can be said about this haunting cover of The One and Only Ivan? It's simple, yet so complex. Displayed on a stage, under a spotlight, you can tell Ivan (the gorilla) is hurting in some way, but you're unsure how. Even though he's a gorilla, you just want to give Ivan a hug and rescue him from whatever pain he's enduring.

I love covers like The High-Skies Adventures of Blue Jay the Pirate. They are primitive in nature and entirely cool! What self-respecting nine-year-old wouldn't want to read it?

I adored the cover of A Tale Dark & Grimm and the companion book, In A Glass Grimmly, is no exception. Something about the shadowy silhouettes against the rich color is just a winning combo to behold!

Okay, so there are some of my top picks from 2012! How about you? What 2012 middle-grade books have you read or seen that dazzle you? Did you ever buy anything based on the cover? What would you like to see more of? Do you think sometimes publishers make mistakes in their cover selection? If you don't have a favorite 2012 cover, then tell us your favorite middle-grade cover of all time! 

Thanks all! Hilary