30 Covers, 30 Days 2011: Day 26

Today's cover was created in 24 hours by the very talented Mark Lazenby:



When Pink Hippo Fell by awesome speller

Lizzie returns to the small beachside town of Eastbourne, trying to put aside memories of her family’s abrupt departure from there ten years earlier when she was a girl. But no sooner does she start working in her granny's rock candy shop than she comes across the stuffed pink hippo she left behind…and she finds that whatever it was trying to tell her as a child, it is trying much harder to tell her now. The more she becomes involved, the more Ryan, her ex-boyfriend’s twin brother, does, too, despite her best attempts to keep him out of the increasing danger that threatens to take her life.



Mark Lazenby is an art director and collage artist, and is based in London. His work is all collage- and montage-based. He has been working as a collage artist and designer for over 15 years, exhibiting around the world, and has had work published by Penguin, Wired, Vogue, The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, Dazed & Confused, & Nylon. He has an M.A. in Communication Art & Design from the Royal College of Art.

I love this one :) Very clever but simple and eye catching design! The synopsis sounds really intriguing too! x

i want to read it...... haha

Loved the title. Liked the montage of the cliff and seaside. I can't figure out what possessed the artist to stick the title in that horrid pink and white 'stick-like' frame. It looks like a grocery store label that way; the colours have nothing to do with the picture below, and clash badly.

I actually like the pink label. It's obviously a nod to the PINK hippo, and it's a surprising and eye-catching design. I love the "old" feel of this cover. Great work everybody!

This cover is awesome!! I love it! I would definitely pick this one up. The title is very catchy!

I really like this. It's different, eye-catching and simple. Nice work Mr. Lazenby.

Really, really cool title and synopsis. I love the faded look of the title.

If I saw this cover in a bookstore, I'd find it interesting enough to pick up the novel and read the synopsis.

I thought maybe the pink and white was candy, but it's not rock candy (as in granny's store)... maybe it's Christmas candy???

The synopsis is intriguing and I'd definitely want to find out why the family left abruptly and what part the hippo played.

I just woke up (in Australia) and I am just so excited about the cover and so grateful for everyone who is taking the time to drop a line.

Mark, you are amazing and I am honoured. I have to say I got chills when I saw that you chose the beach cliff (I am not sure if that is Beachy Head itself, because I myself haven't been back to Eastbourne since I was a girl..although the story is totally fictional) BECAUSE IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE READ AN EXTREMELY CRITICAL SCENE IN THE LAST THIRD OF THE BOOK!!

Many, many thanks to Mark and all of you guys for being interested and to Nanowrimo. xx

Oooh I like it. Would definitely pick up at the store to see what it's all about. And the synopsis is intriguing.

One of the best ones this year, good job author and artist alike!

I love the title. It's like the best part of the whole thing. Amazing job guys!

I really love this! i love the pink striped logo (i immediately thought rock candy - and I LOVE the very subtle/faint hippo at the bottom).

and i like the old/dated look of the cliffside photo! great cover AND great story/synopsis - i would definitely read this book if i saw it in the stores! :D

congrats to awesome speller! :)

I want so badly to read some of these books!!

I want to read this. I LOVE how 50\60s this looks!

I read a book for school called "When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit"...and it's surprising how much this synopsis/cover reminds me of it. A little girl leaves behind her stuffed pink rabbit when she and her family have to leave Germany to escape the Nazis...just thought I'd put that out there. It seems very similar.