Awards Book Archive

Zac & Mia
  • Winner

Designed by
W.H. Chong
Category
Best Designed Young Adult Cover
Year
2014
Publisher
Text Publishing

About the Designer

W. H. Chong is the long-time design director at Text Publishing and designed their logo. In 2013 Chong was inducted into the Australian Book Design Hall of Fame. He is a founding member of ABDA, serving as Secretary from 2014 to 2016. He has written and spoken about book design, and blogged on art and culture for Crikey and Daily Review. He is also an exhibiting artist.  …

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Design Rationale

Winner of several prizes, this YA novel fits into the trend of sick-lit. A pair of teenagers who have cancer meet in hospital. She will lose a leg, he will have several marrow transplants. They communicate across rooms by iPad and smartphone, emails, text and Facebook. The tone is sad-funny-sweet with a dark edge. The gender-neutral cover illustration tries to suggest the unexpected, youthful romance, and anger and joy. Zac and Mia’s various communication methods each employ a different setting in the page design.

Details
Dimensions
128 x 198 mm
No. pages
320
Special finishes
Standard matt lamination, gold foil prize symbol
Credits
Internal Design
Imogen Stubbs
Illustration
W.H. Chong
Author
A.J. Betts