10 of the best book trailers to get you lining up at the bookstore at midnight

Book trailers in a way, defy a book’s very essence. A book, in it’s nature is one of the few things in the world that forces you to use your imagination and many argue that book trailers inherently remove an element of this fundamental quality.

But while there may be some truth to this we also have to acknowledge the time we live in and the way people consume information – and indeed the way it’s disseminated. The primary goal of a book trailer is to create noise and attract readers to a book and its author. If it’s successful in doing so then isn’t it, by nature helping to keep reading alive and kicking? And if authors have imaginations and skills which transcend across different mediums why shouldn’t they use them? Personally I don’t see the harm if the trailers generate interest, discussion and curiosity about books.

So with that in mind here are 10 of the most awesome book trailers I’ve watched.

#1 The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

This is the definition of a high-end trailer.

#2 The Dark by Lemony Snicket and Illustrated by Jon Klassen (Illustrator)

Showcasing the amazing illustrations from the novel it sets the scene and mood of the book – it’s all the things you expect from Lemony.

#3 The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

This trailer is haunting, intriguing and beautiful, just like Kate’s writing.

#4 World Cup Cookbook by Brendan Hill

While I may be a little bias (the author and maker of this trailer is happens to be my partner in crime) I love this trailer because it shows what you can do with a little imagination and good theme music. I was lucky enough to see exactly how it was put together and it was a process that showed me how simple making an effective and visually appealing trailer can be.

#5 Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman

Features Neil reading an excerpt. Enough said.

#6 Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham

The series of Ask Lena videos promote her book in a way that both compliments her work, has the potential to go viral with audience participation and looks outside the box, presenting something which doesn’t really ‘seem’ like a trailer.

#7 More Than This by Patrick Ness

Intense and dramatic, this trailer tells us what the book’s about without giving too much away. It also shows how accessible it is to make a book trailer – you could do something similar with a go pro and some standard video editing.

#8 How Did You Get This Number by Sloane Crosley

So this one is way weirder than the book and is meant to ‘come together’ after reading. One person commented that it looks like something the girls from Clueless on an acid trip would make and I have to agree. It’s sure got me intrigued though.

#9 Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls by David Sedaris

The animation in this is simple and gorgeous while the anecdote is relatable, funny and keeps with the themes in the book.

#10 Little Failure by Gary Shteyngart

So not everyone can get James Franco to star as their husband in their book trailer but it shows how effective a trailer that doesn’t take itself too seriously can be.

Have you seen any amazing book trailers? Has a trailer ever convinced you to buy the book it promotes? Let us know in the comments.