Project brief: To create a cover that addresses the issues and tribulations of being a high school student, while maintaining a tie to the look of the overarching 826/McSweeney’s aesthetic.

Approach: I wanted to create a central image composed of the title and other imagery that would be stark and subversive in nature. The production budget was very minimal, which didn’t leave room for higher-end printing techniques.

Effectiveness: The cover has received a lot of attention and the sales have gone beyond the client’s expectations. In those respects, I think it has been a success.

An inventive interpretation of the skull, with a cheeky twist that would appeal to the book’s target audience of high school freshmen.