Judging Books by Their Covers: Pantone 2021

Are you someone who judges a book by its cover? Of course you are! And you're not alone. Publishers expect you to do just this, and libraries, book vendors, and readers get to enjoy (or loathe!) the results. Targeted cover art and illustration can help books fly off the shelves and, at best, offer a compelling glimpse into the tone of the character and content to be revealed within the story. 

If you've ever heard someone say "I can't remember the author...or the title...but I think the book is blue!", you have witnessed an example of the key role that color can play in how we remember our experiences, and how those experiences can make us think and feel. Sorting and displaying your own books based on different color themes is not a new concept. Like a form of play (I'm looking at you, trendy rainbow bookshelf people), it can serve as yet another path for exploring and discovering stories and information you might not have before considered. Because that's what really matters, right? Connecting you with your next best read.

In honor of the 2021 Pantone Colors of the Year, I offer up an almost completely random selection of awesome titles that can be found at the Huntsville Madison County Public Library, with the colorific caveat of Pantone's not-one-but-two colors of 2021. BEHOLD: "Ultimate Gray" (when "50 shades" just won't do), and "Illuminating" (a specific hue that I like to call "sulfuric placid"). Whatever your mood, we hope you enjoy browsing!

You may click on any of the book covers below to go to individual catalog listings, or go here for the complete list. Use your library card & PIN to select items to be held for you at your most convenient library branch.