“You can’t judge a book by its cover,” it’s often said, but can you and will you be the judge for the cover for my new book? A short time ago I asked students at two California schools, Palo Alto High School and Castilleja, to help create the cover for my new book, Below C Level: Why It Pays to be Average in Public Education (and what WE can do about it).
The students submitted dozens of possibilities, and I have selected three finalists—for your consideration. Understand that these are drafts and can be changed, so I am NOT asking for an up-or-down vote but for your preference AND your suggestions as to how to improve the eventual winner.
Here they are. Please submit your vote and suggestions to the blog itself, so we can post your views. I ask you to remember that the designers are high school students who have put a lot of time and energy into this. They’re in the game, and they know they might not be chosen, but they deserve credit for their efforts, not snarky comments.
I am publishing the book on Amazon, meaning that there’s only one way to buy it—and it should be available for purchase in less than a month.
I’m donating a sizable portion of the royalties to Learning Matters, so, when you buy it, you will be supporting our in-depth coverage of education.
As for the book itself, here’s a snippet from the preface:
Schools are at the proverbial crossroads. Think of it this way: Just a few years ago, children went to schools (and libraries) to have access to knowledge, but today knowledge is everywhere, thanks to technology and the Internet. So why should kids go to school?
Just a few years ago, children went to school to socialize and be socialized, but today there’s an app for that! Kids have Facebook, Farmville, Myspace, Twitter and other powerful social media, so why should kids go to school?
I am asking the question, “Is School Obsolete?” And my answer is, essentially, “No, but…..”
As I will argue, many adults want schools to keep an eye on their kids and keep them safe. Those are not good enough reasons from a youth’s perspective, and so effective schools will teach young people how to evaluate knowledge, how to separate the wheat from the chaff—and how to choose the wheat. Yes, schools must teach values!Good teachers will be like musical conductors, but the music won’t be classical. It will be jazz, full of riffs and tangents, and changing from performance to performance. Teaching will be tougher but infinitely more rewarding in these schools–if we are smart enough to build them.
Thanks for participating in this competition. I look forward to reading your ideas.
The Merrow Report 
Cover #3
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I like 3 best; great visual and super use fonts. 2 is fun because of the wordplay (C and Sea)
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hard to choose, all three r good.
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I choose Cover # 2.
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3 catches your i but I thin #2 will sell more books and is a better metaphore.
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cover #2
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All good, but Cover #3 is the best at capturing attention. Nice work CA kids!
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I like Cover #1 best. Clean contemporary visuals and the most eye-catching. Conceptually all the designs work however. Kudos to the artists!
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Cover #3, please! It is immediate, wonderfully graphic, and has your name (which I hope is more than moderately well known) right at the top and visible. It also has a sense of humor, which you are right to be selling as it is a part of how you do business, part of what lies behind your very readable writing style, and many education policy books lack this ingredient!
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Hi John,
I vote for #3. In my view, #1 and #2 are too ordinary. On the other hand, #3 has strong appeal because of the arresting visual and type which are student-centered.
Stay happy,
Dick
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John, I vote for Cover #3. At first glance, it looks like a book about education. #2 looks like it might be a novel and #1 looks like a government publication. All are good designs. I just prefer #3 for first impressions. Good luck with the book!
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3 for sure.
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If I saw the three books on a table at Borders, cover #2 is the one that would draw me to look further.
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LOVE #3! Makes me want to buy it (and that’s what you want!) and read it, too (can you change the font in the subtitle to something slightly easier-to-read).
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COVER #3 PLEASE!
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Number 3 reminds me of some papers returned to me by my teachers,especially the “see me” at the bottom. I think many folks will relate to the comment and the visual that cover 3 evokes. Gongrats to all the kids who participated in this effort!
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Having directed creative services for a non-fiction publisher, I heartily vote for #2! It’s totally compelling: the chalkboard gives context; the desk floating in an ocean of we-don’t-know-what intrigues — makes me want to open that book ASAP.
#1 looks way too much like every other business/ed book out there.
#3 gives the impression that you’re in a war zone (the font) and the cover art dwarfs the book title, which I feel is very important and strong. It also looks like it will be an anthology of kids’ experiences (probably very young, given the handwriting), probably in their own words.
Having said that, if this accurately depicts the book, I’ve just argued my way into voting for it!
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#3 is my choice – #1 too tight, predictable, #2 too much of a one liner visual. Bon chance!
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They are all great! I get number #2 and think that the cover makes it intriguing. However #3 really speaks to me! Having seen many papers of students with a “c” on it in red and the “See me” below speaks volumes! I vote for #3!
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Cover #1, if you take the ‘C’ down a few notches.
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Cover #3
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Awesome idea to get students involved, John. All three are good, but cater to different audiences I think.
Cover #1 looks the most like a book for edu wonks.
Cover #2 is probably the most neutral but might be a little over the top with the metaphor.
Cover #3 is the one that would pop the most if I saw it on a shelf. It’s playing to a more general crowd, which is probably what you want.
If I had to choose one in a bookstore just by the cover (I swear I don’t do that in real life!) I’d go with #3.
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I like #1 best. It’s visually appealing and professional. I also like #3. The crumpled paper background depicts a powerful image of struggle. Very tough choice!
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Cover #3 speaks directly to the teacher in me; the crumpled paper is a visual for the frustration and anger felt by a child when he/she isn’t successful. The red ink is so loud, but a true reflection of classroom culture. The first cover looks too sterile, like a policy textbook, and the second, too abstract.
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Cover #3, I think captures the school liffe and at least what is intended by the title.
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Cover #3 is it. The script depicts a stronger message.
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Definitely 3. First looks government manual-y. Second is a bit abstract and self help-y. On the third, I’d move your name under the title and make “Below C Level” a bit smaller and thicker.
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who is your audience? I think #3 is the best if you’re going for general public. Definitely the most catching. But if you’re going for the education scientists, policy wonks, people know know the language, i’d say #1. That’s the one that looks “cite-able.”
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John:
I vote for Cover 3. It is not too busy, but hits you in the right place. Cover 1 is too academic looking, #2 is too subdued, but 3 is right out there and lets you know that the book should be read.
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cover 3 pops out as edgy and eye catching.
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I love #3. #2 is extremely cleaver, but it takes a moment to catch the play on words. If you have to think about it, forget it. #3 says it all and has an immediate emotional connection for most who have responded. I would love to have any one of the three young artists in my shop.
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All are excellent! I couldn’t choose. Congrats to the artists!
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Cover #3 really tells it like it is! John Ittelson also votes for #3.
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#2 – curiosity about the cover picture forced me to read the cover words.
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#1 is serious, looks like a dense, informative read.
#3 appeals to a wider audience, pops, looks like it might be fun and informative.
i’d go with #3.
i left out #2 because i think it’s too heavy-handed and bleak to be considered
go gettum pop!
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#3 Definitely. #2 is cute/clever, but a bit silly.
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I love #2! But I suspect #3 will sell better.
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cover #3 by a landslide…attention grabbing, quick to grasp. #1 makes my eyes glaze over and #2 gets me hung up on why the desk is floating in the water, but doesn’t communicate the title. one vote for #3.
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I like #3 the best — the title, and author are legible and large on the cover. The image is immediately familiar and subtly fun. #2 has a great visual, but the font on the subtitle is quite difficult to read.
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#3 is the only one that will really work as a thumbnail image on Amazon. I like it the best too.
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I would choose #3.
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#3 gets my vote for its eye catching graphics. However the “see me” note implies that a teacher is always physically present in the learning process. It sounds like your book is looking at virtual learning as well as traditional learning so that may not jive with your theme..(email me?)#1 seems too institutional–like a textbook. I like #2 for its metaphorical take on your title.
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I vote for Cover #2. The desk is above sea level indicating that treading water (status quo in education currently)is not acceptable.
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All three are great. But I choose cover #2.
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Number 3 is very clever, and relevant to the title/subject.
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Definitely #3… for all the reasons stated above.
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cover 2 looks more professional, yet it has a child-like feeling.
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cover C. Brought back memories, not good ones.
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actually, cover 3. [read the instructions before answering]
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#3
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