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Books With a Blue Cover: What Does it Mean?

Books with blue covers | Photo by Ariel Parker | Edited by Kayli Thompson | The Wright State Guardian


When you look at bookshelves, do you ever notice the colors of your books? Aside from obvious colors like black or white, blue is probably one of the most common colors publishers use on book covers.

It has something to do with our psychological responses to the color blue, but book covers are designed to reflect the inside of the book and what it represents. While blue tends to represent tranquility, many of these books are sad and emotionally evocative. 

“Stargirl” by Jerry Spinelli 

This book was a childhood favorite of mine, following a new girl named Stargirl showing up at a school that looks down on difference. Leo, our point of view character, begins to fall for her even as she is mocked and bullied for her differences. The cover of this book is simple but memorable, the blue cover giving any potential reader the feeling of nostalgia.  

“Where Things Come Back” by John Corey Whaley 

“Where Things Come Back” is another old favorite, a book I read in high school, and takes after ‘Stargirl’s’ simple cover. A mysterious extinct bird shows up, throwing a small Alabama town into chaos, while across the world in Africa, we follow a young missionary.

As the book goes on, we see how these two stories become entwined emotionally. The cover itself shows readers that the bird is important and gives off the feeling of adventure, and the deep blue reveals just how emotional and dark that journey can be.  

“Watch Over Me” by Nina LaCour 

This book is a recent release by one of my favorite authors, one who is well-known for writing truly emotional and evocative books that stick with you long after you finish them.

When Mila takes a job at a remote farm at the Northern California Coast, she begins to see ghosts at the residence and struggles with her own internal demons. LaCour’s last two books have also had the color blue, which shows how much the books’ designers and marketers understand the power of a beautiful blue cover.  

“Salvage the Bones” by Jesmyn Ward 

“Salvage the Bones” is a highly anticipated read by an author I have had my eye on for a long time. This particular book takes place during Hurricane Katrina and follows a family in poverty as they try to survive during one of the most catastrophic events to happen in our country. The cover gives readers a sense of unease, and the contrast between dark yellow and blue is striking, letting us in on the angst that can be found on these pages. 

“A Tale for the Time Being” by Ruth Ozek 

“A Tale for the Time Being” is an all-time favorite book that I read at the perfect time in my life. While the entire cover is not technically blue, the blues on the collage-cover make it pop.

This follows a woman who finds a Hello Kitty lunch box washed up on her beach and a diary of a Japanese girl inside. Told in alternating timelines, we go on a journey to figure out what happened to that girl and if the past can be changed by the present.

The blue contrasts the other colors and gives it a whimsical, melancholy feeling that perfectly matches the tone of the story inside.  

Now go ahead and look at the books on your shelves and take note of how many covers have blue on them and what feelings that might give you. The book cover designers knew what they were doing when they created them. This can also be a perfect excuse to organize your shelves by color — or just see what one shelf would look like blue — giving your shelves an extra pop! 


Ariel Parker

Contributing Writer

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