I’m the first to admit that I wasn’t the best student in high school. I’m a strong believer that if you can’t make something relevant to a student, then they won’t want to learn about it, and I certainly was of that mindset. Maybe Penguin Books was thinking the same thing when they asked Shepard Fairey to redesign the covers of two classic books, Animal Farm and 1984.

1984 is an obvious match up with Shepard and his style and the mantra his work embodies. Animal Farm has those same sort of ideas, but I was still a little surprised he did that one in addition. These covers stick to pretty much the same thing he’s done over and over again (think of the Smashing Pumpkins cover he just did and compare it to the Animal Farm cover), but I think this is a really smart move on the part of Penguin’s nonetheless. If someone had handed me one of these books when I was 16, I would have instantly though, “Oh, he’s that guy who makes those Obey clothes!” and been excited to see what the book was about.

As horrible as it sounds, kids judge a book by it’s cover. Hell, as an adult I still do. Hopefully Penguin enlists the help of more designers like Mr. Fairey to liven up the fronts of books, possibly opening up a new love of reading for kids growing up in the age of the internet. How about Futura doing the cover of Brave New World? Evan Hecox doing The Outsiders? Neckface doing Lord of the Flies? So many awesome artists out there that could help make a kid read.

Click here for more info about the project.

Found through Coudal Partners

Bobby

11 Comments »

1. pretty cool. i can admit too that the cover of a book usually makes me want to read it more unless of course i know the content is actually good.

   Comment by b — April 12, 2008 #

2. the other option is, of course, that kids will start thinking fairey is less and less cool every time he is associated with a school reading assignment or a defunct 90s band trying to make a comeback or a non-revolutionary politician. i’m just sayin he’s got to make sure his brand doesn’t become too promiscuous and end up on cereal boxes. although fairey-os with marshmallow giants sounds delicious.

   Comment by koohii — April 13, 2008 #

3. This cover are amazing, and I think that his whole propaganda feel goes well with this type the books.
   To koohil
   I don’t think that his target audience are necessarily high school kids, and i think that the projects he chooses to work in go with what he likes and that go well with his background.

   Comment by Adrian — April 13, 2008 #

4. Obama, a non-revolutionary politician? Compared to which serious presidential candidate in recent history?

   Comment by Jefferton — April 13, 2008 #

5. i suppose the word revolutionary was a little loose. i wouldn’t want to drag the beautiful KN atmosphere down into a political morass. i guess i meant that he’s a member of a major political party and he’s not like, che, or whatever. no value judgments here.

   i do like the fairey aesthetic and i think maybe Adrian is right. i’m certain Hitchens wasn’t aiming for high school kids with his monograph. Orwell is for growzed up intellectules.

   Comment by koohii — April 13, 2008 #

6. That’s what I thought you meant koohil, that’s why I didn’t go after you with my pro-Obama rhetoric, haha…

   Comment by Bobby — April 13, 2008 #

7. kind of reminds me of how frank miller designed the new cover for “gravity’s rainbow.”

   Comment by Sam — April 13, 2008 #

8. Cool but I wish they did chapter illustrations like the Ralph Steadman illustrated Animal Farm.

   Still I would love a print of the Animal Farm cover.

   Comment by Doug — April 14, 2008 #

9. I’m sorry, but both those covers look very uninspired. I never felt his work at all.

   Comment by AK144 — April 15, 2008 #

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