2023 Briefs

Your chance to interpret a brief from an Art Director as part of your course or to develop your portfolio.

Please note that Penguin will not judge or give feedback on any cover designs this year and no prizes will be awarded.

Please refer to terms and conditions of use.

Getting started…

Step 1 Read our guide on what makes a good cover design

Step 2 Download the brief for your chosen title

Adult Fiction

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Adult Non-Fiction

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

Children’s

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

Step 3 Download the Penguin or Puffin design template

Step 4 We recommend that you read the book before you start on your design in order to get a sense of the themes and the author’s voice. 

All the featured books are stocked in most bookshops and libraries and we are pleased to also offer free digital reading copies where Penguin Random House UK hold e-book rights. See the individual briefs for further details.

Please note:

- This free digital reading copies offer is only open to designers who wish to read the book before designing a cover in response to one of the above briefs

- You must be a resident of the UK or Ireland in order to be eligible to receive a free digital reading copy

- Digital reading copies will be available to download until Wednesday 1 February 2023

Please note, between 1st December and 3rd Jan there will be a slight delay in signing up to the reading copies platform.

Step 5 Get designing!

Even though we aren’t judging your designs this year, we would still love to see your interpretations of the briefs shared on social media.

Please tag @PenguinUKBooks and use #PRHDesignAward.