Best book covers of 2013 – My pick of New Zealand’s finest

This year has been a stellar one in New Zealand publishing, with a crop of splendid books coming out. And there are striking covers that deserve a round of applause.

I have grouped my favourites around themes. The standout for me is how cartoonists/comic artists are creating awesome covers, and not just for comics but for novels too. My two favourite New Zealand covers are Sarah Laing's stunning illustration for Emma Martin's Two girls in a boat and the weird skewing of space in the cover image of Pip Adam's I'm working on a building. You can read about Sarah's creative process in her blogpost The making of a book cover.
Cover of Two girls in a boatCover of I'm working on a building

Viva comics

Cover of Don't puke on your dadCover of Two girls in a boatCover of Max GateCover of The fall of lightCover of From Earth's end

Colourful eye-pleasers

Cover of Bizarre Bras Cover of BlueCover of The Lost Property departmentCover of New Zealand Interior StyleCover of Promoting Prosperity

Driven by text

Cover of Grumpy old menCover of Inequality

Potent simplicity

Cover of Sell!Cover of Murder at MykenaiCover of The LuminariesCover of The rope walkCover of Letters from Everest

Poetry

Cover of Snow White's CoffinCover of The Sound of wordsCover of Tear water teaCover of Us, thenCover of Wild Like me

Photographs

Cover of Wanted, a beautiful barmaidCover of The Royal ballet at 60Cover of Self PortraitCover of Matters of the heartCover of Nga Tau Ki MuriCover of Peter McLeaveyCover of Pictures they want to make

Playing with perception

Cover of I'm working on a buildingCover of Rising to the surface

See last year's book cover tributes: