The book cover

A cover is useful because it makes a book

• more attractive
• more durable
• more prestigious, and
• easy to identify.

A book cover is a protective binding or overlay on a book, usually made of heavier material than the book pages.

There are two kinds of book covers:

• durable covers
• "short-life" covers

Here is a table to help you compare the two kinds of covers:

Here are some features of a book cover:

• A book cover has the title of the book in the local language and, if desired, in another language of the region.

• It could also have

  • an appropriate illustration or design
  • the name of the language the book is written in
  • the names of local authors, illustrators, and collaborators, or
  • an indication of what kind of book it is.

Here is a diagram of a typical book cover:

• Book cover diagram

Here is an example of a typical book cover:

• Book cover example

• Putting together a book

• Structure module: book cover
• In overview module: Glossary (Literacy): B
• In modular book: Glossary of literacy terms
• In document collection: Reference materials
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 8 December 1998

© 1999 SIL International