The Monster Mash

With Halloween almost upon us, I thought I'd feature some ultra creeptastic cover illustrations. The symbolism here is not at all subtle - everyone knows that white lilies symbolize the departure of the soul. Behind the blooms of death a trio of clairol-loving vampires, one of whom is in need of a fast-acting antacid, have just initiated an unsuspecting sister in their undead ways. Their leader Spike, who has the commanding presence to pull off a lavender manbag, is unaware of the zombie in the distance. But wait, that's no zombie! He isn't hungry for brains, he's hungry for.......! 

Have you built your fallout shelter yet?

No ifs about it, winter will come - nuclear winter, that is. Let me explain. At first I thought this was the story of a moon launch or some such benign event, but it's about two teens and the rest of the planet facing possible NUCLEAR ANNIHILATION! Good times! An example of the cheery prose found within:

"A longing thudded against her (I'll say - probably from Screech there in his most dramatic role ever). She lifted her face up to the bathing warmth of the sun. Tomorrow it might be gone, shut out by a cloud of lethal fallout, death-bearing ash."

That's right half-pint, enjoy the sunshine now, for you'll forever be trapped in time on a book cover featuring those YA staples: romance, death and the mighty phallic symbol. Sheesh, they're everywhere, aren't they?! 

Courage, Dana!

You'll need it, trapped as you are on the cover of a YA novel (tho this one looks a bit Middle School) trying to look as small as possible while sitting in a graveyard. Good thing you have that bag of "Yum Yum Tasty Chips" as solace against the terror that will soon follow. 

Make it stop!

Another ghoulish story courtesy of the Grim Reaper, aka YA novelist Claudia Mills. Can you imagine the convo that went on in the art director's office with this one?

"I want what looks like a tombstone smack dab in the middle, or just a portal to hell would be ok, and I want the colors to be really sombre. Oh, and could you float the head of a girl right in the center of it. The author says she's preoccupied with death - make her look sad and confused, like she's thinking, 'Good God, does death ever take a holiday around here?' 

What's that you say? Her hair? Hell, I don't care - do whatever you want with the hair."

You just know the artist's favorite part was creating that perfectly flipped and feathered hair!

Who what?! Tell us already!

a) likes to smear white clown makeup all over your face and watch the boys in their teeny-tiny gym shorts run laps? 

b) likes to lean against the true-to-scale replica of Carey High School you constructed soley out of balsa wood and dippity-do?

c) had a run-in with the po-po after dropping mesc at that chick concert?

d) the one whose sister is dead.

Since this is a YA novel, I think you know the answer to that one.

Shrooms!

You know, like when your family traps you into collecting mushrooms when you'd rather be drawing portraits with your new box of crayolas? Actually this is another book full of DEATH! Dad dies, mom has a nervous breakdown, and shroom girl decides to split and become an emancipated minor. 

A note to the Out of Control girl: This is how you rock long hair - feathered bangs swept to the side. Take note of the confidence on her face while sporting such a commanding do. A dead dad and a psycho mother won't cramp her style!