Featured Post

An Interview With Simon Loxley

Monday, October 12, 2020

Something About Spoiling the Treasure

Judging a book by its cover.


Forty years ago last month one of the more peculiar book covers was released for the one book sticking out like a sore thumb. The book was The Treasure of Alpheus Winterborn. It’s not a title you tend to tell friends to read first since it’s a bit different from usual Bellairs fare. No magic at play, for example. The first paperback edition of this novel from Sept. 1980 was a bit on the nose, as we explained six years ago:
The cover art of what was Bantam’s first printing in September 1980 is a bit spooky and suspenseful but also features what we’d wager is the worst spoiler in the entire series.
If you’re reading along and haven’t figured out what’s “prancing and the pawing” then shut the book. It’s the reindeer on the cover. And something seems amiss with the weather vane, too.  I'm not sure which way it's supposed to point. 

We still haven’t figured out the cover artist. Any fresh eyes want to wager a guess?

No comments: