If you’ve written a book with an unusual subject, what book cover design ideas go best with it? An ordinary, traditional cover to offset the uniqueness of your content? Or a cover that hints at the surprising revelations readers will discover inside?

Author Mika Terry ran a ranked poll on PickFu to find out which book cover design ideas were most appealing. Out of eight potential covers, poll respondents chose their top three.

Option A shows a silhouetted bob haircut with the title and subtitle in a playful font.

Option B changes the colors and adds a snake to the bob. The font is thicker and looks more serious.

Option C is completely different from Options A and B, with a quirky yellow border boxing in a purple Medusa.

Can you guess which one won?

You might think you remember what it’s like to be a kid, but when it comes to creating a book cover that appeals to children, you probably shouldn’t depend on your memory. Kids change, tastes change, and you want to stay on edge of what’s eye-catching in the book world.

That’s why one author used a PickFu poll to test book covers for a children’s book. The poll asked its respondents—parents of 1, 2, or 3 children—to decide which one they liked best.

Option A shows a blue background, two girls looking around them, and playful title font.

Option B adds a yellow border and palm fronds, and adjusts the font to something more serious—but still kid-friendly.

Can you guess which one won?

When readers pick up a book about the end of the world, do they want the cover to hint at the ending? Or is that too much information, taking away the thrill of discovery? The best way to know: testing book covers.

One author used PickFu to create a book cover test for a post-apocalyptic thriller.

Option A shows a woman and man running away from a burning world, with two people in hazmat suits carrying a stretcher in the background.

Option B does away with the man and woman and brings the two people in hazmat suits to the foreground.

Can you guess which one won?