Behind the Book Covers with Berkley’s Colleen Reinhart
December 4, 2017
Our latest Behind the Book Covers feature presents Colleen Reinhart, Senior Designer at Berkley. She has worked at Penguin Random House for more than four years, designing dozens of covers along the way. Colleen brings an imaginative, original, and striking style to the design process, resulting in unique, colorful and sometimes playful creations that connect with and visually engage readers. Read on to learn about her creative design world and view a selection of her wonderful covers. 
Once I realized that book cover design was a job it became a no-brainer. I love books and art so it only made sense to combine the two. I interned with the Berkley design team during my senior year at Parsons and have managed to stick around since then.
How would you describe the conceptual processes you follow when envisioning then creating a book cover?
It really depends on the project, sometimes when the editor is describing the book in our meeting I can picture exactly what I would want the cover to look like in my head. Other times I find myself working on a title that covers material less familiar to me, like the book, THE SPY WHO COULDN’T SPELL, which is about the FBI attempting to break a code from a government informant. Safe to say I don’t have any expertise in this area, so reading up on the case and looking at images of the code helped me conceptualize the cover.
Which of your book cover designs are your most proud of and why?
I feel like this answer changes depending on when I am asked since I am usually most excited about whatever I am working on. Right now, I am proud of the cover for THE KISS QUOTIENT. A lot of the romance books that would have gotten a more photographic treatment in the past are moving towards fun illustrated covers and I think this style really captures the feeling of this story.
How has the evolution of digital technology impacted your craft?
This is a difficult question to answer since as long as I have been working in design Photoshop and InDesign have been around. In terms of how to use technology to sell books, the majority of people buying books online means that the thumbnail of a cover is almost as important as the full-scale image. More and more we want something that is visually interesting and easily identifiable at a smaller scale.
Popular Company News
A Newly Discovered and Never-Before-Seen Manuscript by Dr. Seuss To Be Published by Random House Children’s Books
October 28, 2025
An original manuscript and cover sketch by Ted Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, was discovered in the archives of UC San Diego’s Geisel Library, and will be…
Penguin Random House Expands Book Access Through the Book Rich Environments Program
September 11, 2025
Penguin Random House is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with the National Book Foundation’s Book Rich Environments (BRE) program, an initiative we have supported since…
There’s a Book for That: Mars!
September 12, 2025
Continuing our focus on science, this week's New York Times headline reads In a Rock on Mars, NASA Sees ‘Clearest Sign of Life’ So Far. NASA’s…
Congratulations to Our National Book Awards Longlisters!
September 15, 2025
Last week, the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization, announced the longlists for the 76th National Book Awards. Established in 1950, the National Book Awards are American literary…
There’s a Book for That: Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month
September 19, 2025
Welcome Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month which runs from September 15th through October 15th, during which time we honor the contributions of Latine and Hispanic Americans…
Our Five Finalists for the 2025 National Book Awards
October 7, 2025
Today, the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization, announced the finalists for the 76th National Book Awards. Established in 1950, the National Book Awards are American literary prizes…
Author Event: Join a Storytime in 7 Languages at Global School Brooklyn on September 15
September 12, 2025
On Sunday, September 15, join award-winning authors, including several Penguin Random House authors, for Reading Around the World: Connecting Cultures Through Storytime at Global School Brooklyn. At…
Tarcher and Bestselling Author Amir Levine Announce New Book, SECURE
September 17, 2025
We are thrilled to announce the upcoming global release of SECURE, the long-awaited new book from Dr. Amir Levine, his first in fifteen years since coauthoring…
Our Upcoming Author Events
September 15, 2025
The Penguin Random House Communications team invites you to discover some of the Penguin Random House Author Events we’re looking forward to this week! Every Monday, a curated selection of…
