Book cover design: "Hanna Hoekom"

Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature 2002 (Gold)
Exclusive Books Children's Books Top 10

Client: Tafelberg Publishers

"Die Ongelooflike Avonture van Hanna Hoekom" by South African ex-TV presenter Marita van der Vyver is one of five book covers Konrad created for Tafelberg Publishers' biannual Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature for 2002. He was responsible for both the book cover illustration and design. The Afrikaans title means "The Unbelievable Adventures of Hanna Hoekom", "Hoekom" meaning "Why".

It tells the story of a girl who rebels against her arty-farty mother by being a Plain Jane and escaping her world by means of her active imagination, and the story of her unusual extended family as seen through her eyes.

All the book covers designed for this project were done in comic book or graphic novel style, because of its appeal to the teenage market and its ability to produce "flat", vibrant colours.

The editor Konrad worked with on the entire project was Louise Steyn, with the invaluable help of assistant editor Suzette Kotzé's design sense. The book won the sought-after Gold prize.

"Hanna Hoekom" made the Exclusive Books Children's Books Top 10, and according to our "sources", it stands out well against the busy book shelves of this exclusive book seller in South Africa. We believe that a good book should have a good cover to advertise the fact. After all, the public dó judge books by their covers :-)

More Sanlam winners can be viewed by clicking on the thumbnails to the left.

Next page: Book cover illustration: "Aspoesters" >

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(Mowbray & Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa)