Thursday, October 30, 2008

How dare they?

So y'all know I am a big fan of Shannon Hale and her Bayern books, right? Well, I think the following is an abomination (or for you politically-minded folks, an obamanation, which is a bit more extreme.).

The Goose Girl old cover



The Goose Girl new cover



Enna Burning old cover




Enna Burning new cover




River Secrets old cover




River Secrets new cover





This is what the Shannon Hale website says:

Bloomsbury is repackaging the Bayern books in the US. That means, the original Alison Jay covers will remain on the hardcovers, but the paperbacks get completely new looks.

Before I reveal, let me answer the probing question:

"WHY? Why, why, WHY?!"

Well, it's a good thing, really. I know we're all very attached to the original covers. Alison Jay's paintings are just beautiful. But repackaging paperbacks gives them new life. They figure everyone who would pick up the book based on its cover already has, so time to reach a new audience. Bookstores might order in the new books if they'd stopped stocking the old ones. It can revitalize a series.


On the other hand, these two posts of hers convinced me to read her blog.

10 comments:

  1. Wow, some of those are huge.

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  2. Gah! No!!!! And I don't have River Secrets yet so one will be horrid!!! (I haven't even read it yet! *sobs*)

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  3. after seeing this, I was browsing around in the college library, and found The Goose Girl and Enna Burning on the shelf, so I had to get them out... I stayed up until one last night reading the goose girl. Thanks for recommending these. They're great!

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  4. You're welcome.

    Enna Burning is my favorite, then The Goose Girl, then River Secrets. And coming out - maybe in January? - her next book in the series, "Forest Born" or something like that.

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  5. The girl on the Enna Burning cover is my best friend:)

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  6. Forest Born is out and with the new cover. OH MY GOSH!!!!! Used to be my fav was Goose Girl, Enna Burning, River Secrets. I definetly put Forest Born in front of Goose Girl. I love Rin! She's so like me!

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  7. Augh! Tempt me no more! I can't read it yet!!

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  8. Augh! Tempt me no more! I can't read it yet!!

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  9. I work at a Middle School library and I will say that the new covers are enticing the kids to read them more than the old ones. At first I was concerned (I liked the old covers) but once I realised what a GREAT job they did at making the pictures look like the characters...well, I am a convert. (And obamanation? really? seems rather petty and unloving of your fellow humans).

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  10. I love allll the books! It's a whole different world!!

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