Book cover for children's fantasy novel based in the CA countryside

S. S. Dudley

I write stories (books) for kids. These currently range from chapter books for 5-7 year olds and middle-grade novels, 8-14 (and beyond).

My goal as a writer is to produce high quality, fun, valuable, contemporary, American and bicultural (American/Latin-American) literature for children. To make kids' (and the kid-at-heart's) eyes sparkle.

I need a paperback (front and back) book cover for the first book of a series of middle-grade fantasy novels. Several other books and novellas are soon to follow. 

The title of the book is "Elf Hills" by S. S. Dudley.

Here is the product description:

"Something strange is going on in the dusty hills behind Linda Peters’ house in Northern California, and she is determined to find out what. Powered by strong legs, her love of running, and accompanied by her ever-faithful canine companion, Rosy, Linda pushes farther and farther into the hills, overcoming a seemingly endless array of obstacles. She catches a strange little creature called an imp, is chased by (and chases) a small dragon, navigates through poisonous and prickly plants, and runs into a man Linda is convinced must be an elf. But when she feels the magic kingdom she seeks is just on the other side of the next hill, she finds nothing but more hill. Is it all just a figment of her over-active imagination? Or is there truly something magical in those hills that only the strong of heart—and leg—can discover?"

The book is set in the eastern slopes of the Coastal Range in Northern California. The hills/mountains look much like they do up and down the California coast and even in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in August/September: Rounded hills/mountains, yellow grasses, big, dark green oaks, pines, and lots of shrub all mixed together. Try looking at images on google or shutterstock, searching "california foothills" or "california coastal range". Some links: IMG_2141as.jpg http://waynesword.palomar.edu/blueoaks.htm.

I want a cover that depicts the hills in an alluring, colorful, and minimalist fashion. A key scene is when Linda--who is only 9 and out running (shorts, t-shirt)--gets a first glimpse of the "elf" town she is searching for in the distance. She stands in a tree, looking along a narrow, shrub-filled valley. In the distance is a clearing, at the back of which is a neat grove of big oak trees with wooden houses/buildings beneath and around. Just beyond the oak trees is a silvery lake and beyond that hills/low mountains. Lots of flowers and butterflies in the clearing before the trees, though from a distance these might not show as more than spots of color/glitter.

I want something that is classy and consistent with classic fantasy novels written for children, and thus reminiscent of these (The Hobbit, Narnia, Roald Dahl's works, Redwall). This should be clear in the branding--the author name (use of a classic type). I want it to look like a classic children's book that everyone should have read (if that makes sense).

Some pictures included. Can also review images on line for the California foothills.

Please make sure that there is good contrast between text and background so these are easily readable in a thumbnail on Amazon etc.

Note the girl protagonist in the story is 9 and is a precocious runner. When out on the trails, she is wearing running clothes--short and t-shirt (it is HOT in northern CA in September).

Good picture of a lake with hills behind: http://www.wunderground.com/wximage/myeyesmy/24