An essay about a book deserves a cover that looks like one. On this design, a large open book fills the page. The left-hand page carries your essay title like the opening of a chapter, with a fitting quotation beneath it, and the right-hand page holds your name, course, and word count, written as neatly as notes in a margin. A gold quill rests at the bottom corner. It is made for literature essays at high school, college, and university level, from Shakespeare and the Romantics to contemporary fiction.
An Open Book on a Reading Desk
The background is a deep slate blue. Across the top, small spaced gold capitals read English Literature Essay, with Department of English · Hollowbrook University in italic below. The open book sits in the centre: brown board edges show beneath two cream pages that slope slightly toward the spine, and a soft line runs down the middle where the pages meet. On the left page, a small gold Chapter One heads the italic title, Ambition and Guilt in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, set in Spectral, with Out, damned spot! in grey italic underneath and a few faint ruled lines lower down. On the right page, six fields with gold labels list the essay details. A gold feather crosses the lower right corner of the book, and a light grey logo sits at the bottom centre.
The Left Page: Title and Quotation
The left page works like the first page of a novel. Chapter One is a playful touch; you can change it to Essay, Critical Analysis, or the essay number in your course, such as Essay Two. The title is centred in italics and can run to four or five lines on the narrow page, so even long titles fit. Under it, choose a short quotation from the text you are writing about, ideally one you discuss in the essay. Lady Macbeth’s Out, damned spot! suits an essay on guilt; for Pride and Prejudice, try I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.
The Right Page: Essay Details
Six details sit down the right page: Student (Charlotte Evans), Student ID (HB-ENG-30521), Course (ENGL 240 Shakespeare), Instructor (Dr. Martin Kowalski), Word count (2,500 words) and Date (November 8, 2026). The word count is especially useful in English courses, where essays often have strict limits. Click any value to type your own. Rename a label if needed; Student ID could become Candidate number for exam board coursework.
Quotation Ideas by Text
| Text | Essay theme | Quotation for the left page |
|---|---|---|
| Hamlet | Indecision | To be, or not to be, that is the question |
| The Great Gatsby | The American Dream | So we beat on, boats against the current |
| Frankenstein | Responsibility | I ought to be thy Adam |
| Jane Eyre | Independence | I am no bird; and no net ensnares me |
| Of Mice and Men | Loneliness | Guys like us… are the loneliest guys in the world |
| Things Fall Apart | Tradition and change | Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold |
Check each quotation against your own edition. Wording and punctuation can differ between editions, and your essay should quote the edition listed in your Works Cited.
Literary Titles That Promise an Argument
Strong literature essay titles combine a theme with a text and author. Ambition and Guilt in Shakespeare’s Macbeth tells the reader the two ideas you connect and where. You can sharpen it further with a claim: Guilt as Punishment: How Shakespeare Undoes Lady Macbeth. Remember the formatting rules for titles of works. Plays and novels are italicised; poems and short stories go in quotation marks. Because the cover title is already italic, set the name of the play in roman type so it stands out, as MLA advises.
Recolouring the Book and Background
The book is one group, so it stays in shape as you move it. Ungroup it to change the colour of the board edges from brown to burgundy, green or navy, like a cloth binding. The slate blue background suits most texts; try deep green for pastoral or Romantic poetry, burgundy for Gothic fiction, or charcoal for modern literature. The feather is an editable vector; change its gold to silver or white from its colour swatches. Keep the pages cream so your text remains easy to read.
Using the Cover for Poetry, Drama and Fiction
Although the sample discusses a Shakespeare play, the open book suits any literary form. For a poetry analysis, set the poem’s title in quotation marks in the left page title and quote a single line. For a comparative essay on two novels, put both titles in the heading and use the quotation space for a line linking them. For creative writing portfolios, change the label at the top to Creative Writing Portfolio and use the left page for the collection’s title.
A Short Guide to Close Reading Before You Write
A cover cannot make an argument for you, but the quotation space can start one. Before writing, choose the line you put on the cover and annotate it closely: circle key words, note imagery and sound, ask why the character says this now, and connect it to the theme in your title. If the quotation can carry a paragraph of analysis, it belongs on the cover; if not, choose another. Many students find that this small exercise sharpens their thesis.
Printing the Book Cover
The page is US Letter, 8.5 x 11 inches. The slate blue background is dark, so a laser printer gives the best result, and most home printers will leave a thin white margin around the edges. For coursework submitted online, download as a PDF. For a printed portfolio or a coursework folder, print on heavier paper so the cover feels like a book jacket.
Literature Essay Cover FAQ
Does MLA allow a decorated cover?
MLA does not require a cover. Use this design when your instructor asks for one, or for portfolios and coursework folders.
Can I put my thesis statement on the left page?
Yes. Replace the quotation with a one-sentence thesis in italics if your instructor likes to see the argument first.
Will long titles fit on the left page?
Titles up to about twelve words fit comfortably. For longer ones, reduce the size slightly.
