pENGUIN publishers held a competition which involved creating a revised book cover for three books. The chosen book was noughts & crosses- it is a children's book cover that talks discusses about racism, prejudice and forbidden love. the book deals with serious topics such as crime and death however, the cover needed to be appealing to a younger audience. Therefore, the cover could not be too explicit.
WHEN RESEARCHING PREVIOUS COVERS FOR NOUGHTS & CROSSES AND LOOKING THROUGH PREVIOUS LOVE STORIES, TWO COMMON FACTORS WERE NOTICED: The 'x' & 'O' CHALK LETTERING ON PREVIOUS BOOK COVERS AND STEREOTYPICAL BOY AND GIRL FALLING IN LOVE IMAGERY.
THE IDEA BEHIND THIS COVER IS TO CONVEY THE TUMULTUOUS NATURE OF THIS STORY THROUGH A PATTERN. hENCE THE PATTER HAS A LOT OF TWISTS AND TURNS, THE USE OF BLACK AND WHITE TO DEPICT THE STORY OF TWO PEOPLE BELONGING TO DIFFERENT RACES FALLING IN LOVE WITH EAH OTHER AND RED PART OF THE PART CONNOTING DANGER. lAST THE DISTORTED 'X' AND 'O' SYMBOLISES THE TWO LOVERS BEING CONNECTED.
