Vintage YA Novels by Molly Butterfoss

These books are all sourced from a childhood memories of prowling the library stacks. At the time I couldn’t tell you what a font was, but I sensed that a book with a chunky Cooper-esque title was something tame (Super Fudge), and that the juicy books (Wifey) had a glam, script-y vibe. Whether it’s Bookman or a wild card like Avant Garde, these covers all boast a special Reagan-era flair for drama. Enjoy this retrospective of bygone YA book cover design, and maybe even read a few classics.

Columbia Sans Display by Production Type ft. Jean-Baptiste Levée
About Columbia Sans Display
Columbia is an unorthodox blend of multiple historical models. Initially commissioned by science magazine Sciences & Avenir , Columbia strikes a balance between rigorous topics and an approachable, informal tone. In its early drafts, the drawings could be considered a "sans-serif version of Times New Roman", but Jean-Baptiste Levée soon extended the exploration to include the 16th- and 17th-century typography exemplified by Guillaume Le Bé and Christophe Plantin. -Production Type
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Cooper Black by Oswald Bruce Cooper
About Cooper Black
In 1919 Oswald Cooper designed his eponymous typeface for BB&S: an informal roman with soft serifs. But it was the hugely successful Black weight, following three years later, that blazed the trail for extra bold advertising type in America. -Fonts in Use
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American Typewriter by Joel Kaden, Tony Stan
About American Typewriter
ITC American Typewriter font was designed by Joel Kaden and Tony Stan. It is an ode to the invention that shaped reading habits and the idea of legibility, the typewriter. A compromise between the rigidity of its ancestor and the expectations of the digital age, ITC American Typewriter font retains the typical typewriter alphabet forms, lending the font a hint of nostalgia. -Linotype
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ITC Bookman Swash by ITC ft. Edward Benguiat
About ITC Bookman Swash
A 1975 updated version of the classic Bookman, equal parts tacky, cozy, and cool, just like the seventies. The more swashes, the better.
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ITC Avant Garde Gothic by ITC ft. Herb Lubalin, Edward Benguiat, Christian Mengelt, André Gürtler, Erich Gschwind, Tom Carnase
About ITC Avant Garde Gothic
Inspired by the 1920s German Bauhaus movement, ITC Avant Garde Gothic was designed by Herb Lubalin and Tom Carnase in 1970. The typeface design was based off the logo Lubalin created for Avant Gardemagazine. Avant Garde is famously used in the Adidas logo. -Typewolf
Buy ITC Avant Garde Gothic ITC Tom Carnase
Superette by Commercial Type ft. Ross Milne
About Superette
Superette, designed by Canadian designer Ross Milne, harkens back to 20th century script typefaces that embraced the systematic constraints of type rather than attempting to replicate lettering. The script had a severe slant angle, mono-linear contrast, and broken connections between letters. This kind of script is a familiar part of visual culture, but is generally seen as ‘bad taste’. Superette celebrates the inventive forms and unique character of the genre. -Commercial Type
Buy Superette Commercial Type Ross Milne
ITC Grouch by ITC ft. Ronne Bonder, Tom Carnase
About ITC Grouch
A high-contrast iteration on heavy weights of Caslon. Very vintage.
Buy ITC Grouch ITC Tom Carnase

Columbia Sans Display by Production Type ft. Jean-Baptiste Levée

Cooper Black by Oswald Bruce Cooper

American Typewriter by Joel Kaden, Tony Stan

ITC Bookman Swash by ITC ft. Edward Benguiat

ITC Avant Garde Gothic by ITC ft. Herb Lubalin, Edward Benguiat, Christian Mengelt, André Gürtler, Erich Gschwind, Tom Carnase

Superette by Commercial Type ft. Ross Milne

ITC Grouch by ITC ft. Ronne Bonder, Tom Carnase