OUGD503: Responsive- Penguin Brief

The Brief

Carrie's War by Nina Bawden

‘I did a dreadful thing . . . or I feel that I did, and nothing can change it . . .’

It's wartime, and Carrie and her little brother, Nick, have been evacuated to Wales to live with grumpy old Mr Evans and his timid mouse of a sister. Their friend Albert is luckier, living in Druid's Bottom with the strange Mister Johnny and Hepzibah Green, who tells wonderful stories. Gradually they begin to settle into their new surroundings, but then Carrie does the worst thing she ever did in her life . . .

Full of unforgettable characters, and based on her own childhood, Nina Bawden's Carrie's War has delighted children for over 40 years.

The Brief

Students are invited to design a whole new cover look for Carrie's Warto bring this classic to a new generation of readers. The design should ensure that this original and heartwarming story remains a must-read for every child.

Your cover design needs to include all the cover copy as supplied and be designed to the specified design template (B format, 198mm high x 129mm wide, spine width 18mm), incorporating the A PUFFIN BOOK branding.

What the judges are looking for:

We are looking for a striking cover design that is well executed, has an imaginative concept and clearly places the book for its market. The cover should encourage children to pick the book up and buy it for themselves and should also engage adults to want to buy it for them.

While all elements of the cover (front, back and spine) need to work together as a cohesive whole, remember that the front cover has to be able to work on its own, and to be eye-catching within a crowded bookshop setting as well as on screen at a reduced size for digital retailers.

The winning design will need to:

• have an imaginative concept and original interpretation of the brief
• be competently executed with strong use of typography
• appeal to the broadest possible audience for the book
• show a good understanding of the marketplace
• have a point of difference from the many other book covers it is competing against
• be able to sit on the shelves of a supermarket or ebook store as easily as it sits on those of more traditional bookshops

Template:

Cover copy: