Project Overview

Client: Type Electives: Contemporary Book Design Course
Timeline: 8 weeks (Fall 2025)
Product: Book Jacket, Book Cover, Page Interior

A contemporary redesign of Kenneth Grahame's classic book, The Wind in The Willows.

In my design of the book’s interior and exterior, I wanted to encapsulate the whimsical and nostalgic story while creating something visually striking. The exterior provides a playful and welcoming display, with overlapping typography and art, creating an inviting setting for the readers to delve into. Hand-drawn illustrations ornament the chapter openers, allowing small glimpses into the stories to be told. From the cover to the pages, the overall design aims to celebrate the spirit of adventure and friendship, offering a warm welcome into the world beyond the riverbank.  

Cover Design

There are numerous renditions of the early 1900s classic. Many of which feature detailed illustrations of the animal characters engaging in human activities, such as enjoying a picnic on the river. Characterized as a children's book, these covers were typically directed towards a younger audience.

In my redesign, I shifted towards a more contemporary approach to broaden the appeal of the story, wanting the book to be inclusive of all readers strolling by. The book jacket features Auguste Lepère's Chestnut Trees above a River, an artwork created around the same period as the book's original publication. The work features a forest landscape in a painterly and dreamy style. The layering of pastel on watercolor and gouache introduces subtle depth, reinforcing a sense of nostalgia. The typography interacts with the cover in a way that further elevates the existing perception of depth in the painting. The final cover design becomes a window, demonstrating the multitudes of perspectives hidden behind a lush forest.

Interior Design

Throughout the entirety of the interior design, each element is intentional for its appearance and to support the overall reading experience. The interior design is as critical as the cover, carrying the responsibility of reflecting the tone, pacing and content.

As such negative space plays central role in the design. It allows room for the content to breathe, improving readability and guiding the readers with ease. Rather than condensing the content, the layout encourages a more patient and deliberate pace, in which the story can unfold naturally.

Hand Drawn Illustrations

From the beginning of the project, I knew I wanted to incorporate illustrative elements. After searching for illustrations to elevate the story, I found that the most effective approach was to develop original ideas on pen and paper. Each illustration was hand-drawn on sticky notes and scanned to preserve the texture of pen and paper. These illustrations appear on the chapter openers, giving the readers a glimpse into their upcoming journey with the characters as the pages unfold.

Preliminary Covers

My Design Process

View my design process for this particular project from beginning to end. The presentation features preliminary sketches, concepts, color palettes and other elements contributing to the visual identity of the project.