Cover

Cover Rationale

"But a knife ain't just a thing, is it? It's a choice, it's something you do."
-Todd

Front Cover

The cover we designed shows Todd and Viola, the protagonists, hodling hands as they’re facing the Prentiss army that is coming to capture Todd. It symbolizes the innocence and unity that Todd and Viola display in the face of violence, corruption and cruelty.

We decided not the feature the knife so prominently, as other covers have. The knife, we decided, is a symbol for something much larger. The knife in Never Letting Go represents Todd’s choices: his choice to defy the oppressive, horrific society he was raised in; his choice to warn others of the danger rather than save himself; and most importantly, his choice to stay with and protect Viola. We felt his bond with her was the most important and shaping choice Todd makes in the book, and that’s why the cover depicts them holding hands tightly and facing down an army, not letting go.

Back Cover

Much of the young adult population feels trapped and looked down upon by the adult population, and so we choose to personify that feeling by showing two kids, alone, facing a mob of grown-ups. The backdrop is red, orange and brown, to symbolize anger. In contrast, we showed Todd and Viola in cooler, darker colors to emphasize the fact they’re not a part of the violence of the society of Prentisstown. We also included Todd’s knife and the army wielding guns and fire to show that the book will have action in it and appeal to readers who love action.

The back cover is simple. We wanted to include Manchee on the cover, because he's such an integral part of the story. We also included a Spackle hiding behind a tree, to pique interest--an alien peeking around a tree is mysterious! Our blurb, "Can YOU escape the Noise?" suggests tension and captivity, and we wanted to highlight the Noise to create more mystery.