This is the first installation of a new online column showcasing books that have eye-catching covers. Let’s give in and just judge a book by its cover, even though we’ve been admonished to never, ever do that.
These children’s books caught our eye:
1. “The ALMOST Fearless Hamilton Squidlegger”
Written and illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering, Candlewick Press, 48 pp., $16.99
Who and what is Hamilton Squidlegger? Is he some pink frog-like bandit, waiting to happily duel a lone flower? This spirited cover dares the reader to find out, and join Hamilton on his whimsically illustrated adventures before dusk. Perfect for a bedtime read, Ering’s lovable tale reminds children that sometimes, it’s okay to be afraid.
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2. “Imaginary FRED”
By Eoin Colfter, Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, HarperCollins, 48 pp., $18.99
Embossed gold scrawl and translucent friends beneath a pillowy cloud lend this cover to ethereal fantasy. The daydream blue supplies a soothing background to minimal ink illustrations, as Colfter invites the reader to consider their thoughts a reality in themselves.
3. “W Is for Webster: Noah Webster and His American Dictionary”
By Tracey Fern, Illustrated by Boris Kulikov, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 40 pp., $17.99
New England author Fern knows how near and dear Noah Webster is to the east coast heart. Book-ception takes full flight with Kulikov’s artsy cover. Noah Webster’s dictionary unfolds into a three-dimensional W, making dictionaries seem a whole lot more intriguing to a child than they might have been.
Mallory Abreu can be reached at mallory.abreu@globe.com.