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Judging books by their covers,
The Wolves in the Walls Originally I was going to include this cover in the discussion of Madonna’s book, but really, it needs its own page so I can gush about it without any needless interruptions. After witnessing the unbelievable chutzpah displayed on Madonna’s cover, I’m happy to report that Neil Gaiman knows how to treat illustrators. Coming from a graphic-novel background, he’s innately aware of the power of haunting images. The illustrator is, by the nature of the business, an equal partner in the endeavor. And so it is represented on this cover: Dave McKean’s credit is just as big as Gaiman’s, and rightly so. It’s messy and beautiful, and the little girl looks like a combination of wonder, knowingness, and danger. It must be difficult to render the kind of drawing a child would make without seeming condescending in some way, but McKean pulls it off marvelously. The colors are rich and deep, and the shadows are just ominous enough. And despite Gaiman’s celebrity, his and McKean’s credits are tucked away at the bottom, letting the illustration and the title dominate. And all the text is handwritten (or painted), which gives the cover a nervous immediacy. Judgment: I wouldn’t change a thing.
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