The winners of the 2nd prize in each category will receive a £500 cash prize and the winners of the 3rd prize in each category will receive a £350 cash prize; all second and third place winners are named below.
The winners were selected from a shortlist of 30 designs (10 in each category) by three judging panels; consisting of Art Directors from across Penguin Random House UK as well as guest judges from the design and publishing industry, including Malorie Blackman, Anthony Burrill, Grace Winteringham, Orlando Weeks, Indi Davies and Tom Sanderson.
According to the judges, the winning covers were chosen from a competitive field of 2,100 submissions because they each demonstrated an original interpretation of the brief, showed a good understanding of the marketplace and appealed to a contemporary readership. The judges were also impressed by the imaginative approaches and competent execution taken by each of the winning students.
The award, now in its twelfth year, aims to find the next generation of book cover designers by giving students the opportunity to experience real cover design briefs first-hand.
Commenting on this year’s award, Anna Billson, Art Director of Penguin Random House Children’s and one of the judges in the Children’s Cover category, said: “The Student Design Award is a great opportunity for students to reimagine and reinvent the covers of some of our most iconic and well-loved books.
“Every year we receive some amazing designs, and whittling it down to just three winners is always very tough. This year was no exception – we were incredibly impressed by the quality, creativity and originality of each of the shortlisted designs.
“For me, design is all about creating an instant connection with a reader. The combination of illustration, typography and use of colour on a cover all need to come together seamlessly: to make a reader feel instantly compelled to pick it up. All three winning designs were exceptional in capturing these elements and creating that vital connection. Congratulations to the winners and well done to all the other shortlisted students.”