Here is how to cite a book cover: list the artist or designer first, then the title, publisher, and year, and note that the image appears on the jacket art. If no one is credited, cite the source itself instead and describe the artwork in your own sentence. MLA, APA, and Chicago each format this a little differently, and this guide walks through all three with full examples.
When Do You Need to Cite a Book Cover?
Most papers only cite the words inside a source, not its packaging. A separate citation is needed in three cases. You are analyzing the design itself. You are quoting the blurb text printed on it. You are reproducing the image in a presentation, portfolio, or paper about publishing history. If you are simply referencing the text, cite the whole work instead of its jacket art.
This kind of artwork usually falls into one of three categories, and each is cited a little differently:
- Original illustration or photograph credited to a named artist or photographer
- Publisher-designed cover with no individual artist listed, credited to the publishing house or design team
- Descriptive text or blurb printed on the cover or dust jacket, such as a review quote or author bio
How to Cite a Book Cover in MLA Style
MLA treats this kind of artwork as a standalone visual work. Build the works-cited entry around its creator. Then add the remaining bibliographic details as a container, following the MLA Style Center’s guidance on citing book cover art.
MLA Works-Cited Format
| Element | Example |
|---|---|
| Artist’s Last Name, First Name | Kidd, Chip |
| Title or description of the cover | Cover illustration |
| Container (book title, author, publisher, year) | Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk, Norton, 1996 |
Correct: Kidd, Chip. Cover illustration. Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk, Norton, 1996.
Here is a second worked example, this time for a photograph-based jacket:
Correct: Leibovitz, Annie. Cover photograph. American Music, by Neil Young, Viking, 2012.
If no artist is named, cite the main entry instead. Describe the artwork in your prose rather than fabricating a designer credit.
Incorrect: Anonymous. Cover art. Fight Club. Never guess or invent a name when the jacket does not credit one.
MLA In-Text Citation
Key the parenthetical citation to the first element of your works-cited entry, the same way you would for any other in-text citation: (Kidd). If you are citing descriptive copy or a quotation printed on the jacket rather than an original illustration, cite it the same way you would cite any other quoted passage from the body of the text. Use the author’s last name and the relevant cited page or location. For more on these parenthetical references, see our in-text citation walkthrough.
How to Cite a Book Cover in APA Style
APA style rarely calls for a standalone citation for this kind of artwork. In most cases, you cite the book itself. Then you mention the design in your narrative text, because APA reference entries describe the source’s content, not its packaging, per the official APA Style book reference examples.
APA Reference List Format
| Element | Example |
|---|---|
| Author’s Last Name, Initials | Palahniuk, C. |
| Year of publication | (1996) |
| Title (italicized) | Fight Club |
| Publisher | W. W. Norton |
Correct: Palahniuk, C. (1996). Fight Club. W. W. Norton.
To credit the designer specifically, add a bracketed description after the title, for example [Cover design by Chip Kidd]. Mention the artist by name in your discussion rather than creating a separate reference entry for the artwork.
APA In-Text Citation
Use the standard author-date format: (Palahniuk, 1996). If the design has no listed creator, credit the press in your sentence instead, such as “the Norton edition’s jacket art uses a minimalist bar of soap.”
How to Cite a Book Cover in Chicago Style
Chicago style handles this kind of artwork the way it handles any quoted or paraphrased material from a book. Cite the entry itself, then use your prose to make clear that you are referring to the jacket specifically.
Chicago Notes-Bibliography Format
| Element | Example |
|---|---|
| Footnote | 1. Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club (New York: Norton, 1996), cover. |
| Bibliography entry | Palahniuk, Chuck. Fight Club. New York: Norton, 1996. |
Correct: Palahniuk, Chuck. Fight Club. New York: Norton, 1996.
If you are quoting descriptive copy or a blurb printed on the jacket, cite the entry as you would any other text you quote or paraphrase. Tell your reader in your prose where in the text, or on its pages, the quoted words appear, as outlined in the Chicago Manual of Style Q&A on documenting sources. For help with introducing a quotation smoothly, see our companion page.
MLA vs. APA vs. Chicago: Quick Comparison
| Style | Treats cover as | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| MLA | A standalone work of visual art | Analyzing the cover’s design or illustration |
| APA | Part of the book’s overall citation | Referencing the book with a note on the cover |
| Chicago | Descriptive material within the book | Quoting blurb text or jacket copy |
What to Do When No Designer Is Named
Most commercial jackets do not credit an individual artist anywhere in the pages. When that happens, do not guess at a name. Do not write “Anonymous” either. Instead, cite the main entry (author, title, press, year). Then describe the artwork in your own sentence, for example: “The 1996 Norton edition’s jacket features a bar of soap against a black background.” This keeps your citation accurate while still letting you discuss the visual design. The same approach works for a paperback reissue with new, uncredited artwork: cite the edition you actually used, and note in your prose that the redesign has no listed artist.
Citing a Reissued or Redesigned Cover
Presses often redesign the artwork for a new edition, an anniversary reissue, or a movie tie-in. When that happens, cite the specific edition whose jacket you are discussing, not the original release. Include the edition or reissue year in your container, and name the new designer if the copyright pages credit one. If the reissue credits no individual designer, follow the same rule as any uncredited jacket: cite the source and describe the artwork in your own words rather than guessing at a name.
Citing a Digital or E-book Cover
A thumbnail image on an e-book retailer page or library catalog is cited the same way as physical jacket art, plus the platform where you viewed it. Add the database or website name after your citation’s usual container. Include the URL too, if your style guide requires one, following the same MLA, APA, or Chicago rules already covered above. If the digital artwork differs visually from the print edition, note that difference in your prose rather than treating it as a separate source. This comes up often with older titles that get new artwork for their e-book release, so double-check which edition’s design you are actually discussing before you cite it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to cite a book cover if I’m not quoting it?
No. If your paper only discusses the text, cite the whole work. A separate citation for the artwork is only needed when you quote jacket text, reproduce the image, or specifically analyze its design.
How do I cite a book cover with no listed artist?
Cite the main entry and describe the artwork in your own words. Never invent a designer’s name or write “Anonymous” as a substitute credit.
Is a book cover cited the same way as a photograph?
In MLA style, yes. A credited illustration or photograph follows the same visual-art layout as a standalone photograph, with the artist listed first and the book treated as the container.
Can I use a book cover image in my paper?
Check your assignment’s guidelines first. If permitted, place the image near your discussion of it, add a caption with the source citation, and include a full entry in your works-cited or reference list, using our image citation walkthrough for the caption layout.
How do I cite an audiobook cover or app thumbnail?
Treat it the same as digital jacket art: cite the main entry, then add the audiobook platform or app name as the container where you viewed the image. Note in your prose that it is the audiobook or app version if it differs from the print edition.
For more citation formats beyond a magazine or book jacket, browse the full citation guide hub, or generate a formatted entry instantly with the free citation generator.
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Terry is a Chicago-based writer and editor who creates practical, student-friendly guides on essay writing, research, and citation styles (APA, MLA, and Chicago). He’s spent 15+ years editing educational content and building clear examples that help readers apply rules without guessing. When he’s not revising drafts, he’s usually turning messy notes into clean outlines and hunting down the one detail everyone skips.