What's in a cover

[pbray]

I continue to be amused by the differences between the cover art for the US and UK editions of the Harry Potter books. The newly revealed covers for HP7 continue the trend.

Illustrations behind the cut for kindness.



US cover (one size fits all):

UK children's cover:

UK adult cover:

Note novel text exactly the same, only difference between children's version and adult version is the packaging.

Comments

[jennifer-dunne.livejournal.com]

If you look at the covers in closeup, one of the most intriguing things is that in the UK Children's Cover, Harry is clearly AN ADULT. Ron and Hermione are on the edge of teen/adult, but I don't think anyone looking at the facial structure and musculature on Harry would think he was a boy.

In the US cover, on the other hand, Harry is shown as an older teenager.

Does this reflect the differences in UK/US opinions of the maturity of someone who is 17/18? Or just the UK cover recognizing that Harry's experiences have matured him well before his time?

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I also have the impression that the UK covers were scarier than the US covers (here Goblet of Fire springs to mind).

I was most struck by the Harry as lone hero versus the group shot on the UK cover.

Well, that and the fact that on the UK cover it appears that Harry and friends are posed in front of the Stargate, while an enormous (yet unseen) creature vomits on them.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

Harry and friends are posed in front of the Stargate

That's what I said, too!

[sylvia-rachel.livejournal.com]

My first thought was that the UK cover looks very Terry Pratchett.