Book trailers can be a great means of getting the message out about a new book, and they’re also a chance for a book marketing and publicity team to develop a creative way for readers to experience the novel. Whether you’re a book blogger, an agent, a book marketer, an author, a publicist, or just have an interest in the next hot YA novels, your thoughts on what makes a book trailer successful are valuable. No matter how great a book is, if your first experience of it is through an unprofessional looking trailer, then maybe it won’t get as much attention as it deserves. For these reasons and the fact that I just really love a good book trailer myself, YABookShelf.com has organized a weekly meme called Book Trailer Talks.
Each week on Book Trailer Talks @ YA Book Shelf, we’ll answer a question or perform an activity on our blogs related to this burgeoning means of marketing teen novels. You can participate with me and hop along to the other participating blogs each week to see how they responded to the question. You will likely learn about books that you’d never heard of before as well though, which means that your to be read pile may very well grow. Just a friendly warning. You’ll also learn what question we’ll be tackling the following week in advance, so you can have a chance to think about it before you post your answer.
This week’s question is: What are your favorite animated book trailers?
Well, the truth is that if you had the chance to check through all of the teen book trailers posts that I’ve previously written for YA Book Shelf, then you’ll know that I absolutely love animated book trailers. It is, by far, my favorite aesthetic look and feel, possibly because I’m a fan of illustration in all it’s forms. Therefore, for the inaugural Book Trailer Talks post, I thought it would be great if we all celebrated our favorite(s).
I, unfortunately, couldn’t choose only one, and instead have my three favorite animated trailers…for the time being.
First is Holly Cupala‘s book trailer for her debut novel, Tell Me A Secret. The illustrations used in this trailer as well as the colors selected are unlike anything used for the book jacket, but the edgy look totally fits with the novel itself.
Next is the book trailer for a lesser known, but nonetheless great YA novel, called Rhythm And Blues by Jill Murray. Jill actually made this trailer herself, using the illustrations used for the book cover, but it doesn’t just replicate the book cover copy. Hope you like it, too.
The final book trailer that I want you to check out uses animated illustrations with a very different style from the previous too trailers, and instead, highlighting the fun and cute feel of Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg. Again, the illustrations don’t draw on the book cover’s artwork, but uses some of the same colors.
What did you think of my animated book trailer picks? And most importantly, what are your fave animated book trailers? Create your own post and link it up below, and then, take the time to see what other animated book trailers are exciting to everyone else. Those without a book trailer talks article will be removed from the link list below.
Next week’s question is: Can you remember the first YA book trailer you ever saw? Did you like it then and what do you think about it now after having seen other book trailers in the interim?
Melissa Montovani is the founder of YABookShelf.com, where she has been writing content about YA authors and books since 2010. She has over five years of online marketing experience, active followers on Twitter and Facebook and writes freelance reviews for Canadian Children's Book News. She has an M.A. in English Literature and lives and works in Toronto, Canada.
