Jonathan Sainsbury

Jonathan Sainsbury – Designer

I provide same quality covers as for adult trade publishers. Let's stop the browsing, and get readers engaged in your book!

Overview

An award-winning graphic designer with many years experience specializing in book cover design. Client list includes Atria Books, Da Capo Press, Diversion Books, Hachette Book Group, Harper Collins, Harry N. Abrams, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Knopf, Pantheon, Pegasus Books, Penguin Random House, Picador, Shambhala Publications, Simon and Schuster, Smithsonian Books, St. Martins Press, VeloPress, and W. W. Norton. He has designed CD booklets, film posters, identities, branding, logos, social media marketing, and more.

My work has been in many prestigious publications, including COMMUNICATION ARTS, HOW magazine, PRINT magazine, among significant design blogs such as The Casual Optimist.

Awards include:

• AIGA 50 / 50 Covers

• Association of University Presses

• Bookbuilders of Boston's New England Book Show

• Communication Arts

• HOW International Design

• National Gold Ink Awards

• New York Book Show

• PRINT Regional Design

• Publishing Professionals Network

• STEP Design Magazine

• Type Director's Club

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs History True Crime
Fiction
Historical Fiction Historical Mysteries Horror Literary Fiction Psychological Thriller
Languages
English
Awards
  • AIGA 50 Books / 50 Covers
  • PRINT Magazine Design Annual
  • Annual Academic University Press Book Show
  • Annual New York Book Show - Best Covers
  • Publishing Professionals Network (AKA Bookbuilders West)
  • National Gold Ink Award - Pewter
  • New England Book Show - Best Nonfition Book Award
Certifications
  • MFA, Boston School of the Museum of Fine Arts
  • Member of Connecticut Art Directors Club
  • Past member of the Type Director's Club, AIGA NY, AIGA Boston

Work experience

Diversion Books, NYC

Nov, 2021 — Present
Freelance Art Director focused on a wide range of categories of book covers.

Self-employed

May, 1998 — Present
A design studio specializing in book jacket and book interior design.

Da Capo Press / Lifelong Books — Perseus Books Group / Hachette Int'l

Aug, 2010 — Feb, 2016 (over 5 years)
Worked with international personalities (actors, musicians, comedians, and chefs), arranged and directed photoshoots, which included hiring photographers, stylists, and managing budgets. Other areas of my work at Da Capo are music, history, memoirs, biographies, lifestyle titles that include cookbooks, diet, fitness, and relationships.

Pantheon and Schocken Books [Knopf Group / Random House]

May, 2007 — Mar, 2009 (almost 2 years)
Designed award-winning book jackets. Managed all aspects of the imprint. Hired and directed designers, illustrators, photographers, and researchers. Worked directly with international level authors, executive editors, and publishers, Sonny Mehta and Janice Goldklang.

Portfolio

Salmonella Men on Planet Porno: Stories

Yasutaka Tsutsui

This collection of marvelously off-kilter short stories – the American debut of acclaimed Japanese writer Yasutaka Tsutsui – portrays the consequences of a world where the fantastic and the mu... read more
Cover Design
Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History

S. C. Gwynne

In the tradition of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, a stunningly vivid historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West, ... read more
Cover Design
The Song and the Silence: A Story about Family, Race, and What Was Revealed in a Small Town in the Mississippi Delta While Searching for Booker Wright

Yvette Johnson

In this “beautiful, evocative” (Booklist, starred review) memoir, Yvette Johnson travels to the Mississippi Delta to uncover the moving, true story of her late grandfather Booker Wright, whose... read more
Cover Design
Is This the Real Life?: The Untold Story of Freddie Mercury and Queen

Mark Blake

Queen's success in the 1970s was accompanied by a taste for musical and non-musical excess. Is This the Real Life? draws on eyewitness testimonies--former producers and managers, ex-girlfriend... read more
Cover Design
The Adventure of the Missing Detective: And 19 of the Year's Finest Crime and Myster: Plus complete coverage of the year in mystery and crime fiction (Year's Finest Crime & Mystery Stories)

From traditional mystery stories with devious doings and a plot full of clues to terse thrillers with edge-of-the-seat climaxes to the nail-biting tale of psychological suspense, no field of p... read more
Cover Design
Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted (A Merloyd Lawrence Book)

Justin Martin

Frederick Law Olmsted is arguably the most important historical figure that the average American knows the least about. Best remembered for his landscape architecture, from New York's Central ... read more
Cover Design

Jonathan has 68 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Charles W.

Charles W.

Mar, 2026

Pinned
Working with Jonathan was honestly a great experience. I gave him some background on the book and trusted him with full creative freedom — which was a little nerve‑wracking at first, but he completely proved it was the right call. When I saw the cover, I genuinely felt like “yes, this is my book....
Read more
Jonathan S.
Thank you for the kind words. Very happy to read your experience of our collaboration. It is always my intention to give the book a cover that will draw readers to the author’s hard work.
corbin M.

corbin M.

Jan, 2026

Pinned
As a first time self-publishing author, I found Jonathan to be very helpful, professional and timely in his responses, and to have produced a high quality cover piece in line with what we discussed. I was very pleased with the final result and the process was smooth. Would definitely work with Jo...
Read more
Jonathan S.
Thank you Corbin. Very glad you are pleased. Hope as many readers are drawn the cover and enjoy your book!
Stewart B.

Stewart B.

Nov, 2025

Pinned
I can't say enough good things about my work with Jonathan. First, he produced a cover that perfectly captured both the mood and content of my novel, STOLEN BOOK, SHUTTERED LIBRARY. He stayed with me and was always responsive to the many questions I had during the process. Then showed infinite pa...
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Jonathan S.
Gosh. Thank you. It was my pleasure to help bring your book to readers.
Ramses B.

Ramses B.

May, 2026

I’m extremely pleased with the final result. The finished work came together beautifully, and once everything was in motion, communication was clear, timely, and professional. He was responsive, easy to work with, and delivered exactly what I needed. I truly appreciate the care and effort he put ...
Read more
Jonathan S.
Thank you for your grace of the slow start. Glad you're pleased with the result.
Dana and Nick L.

Dana and Nick L.

May, 2026

Jonathan is a remarkable artist who carefully followed our insistent guidelines to ensure the final result precisely met our requests and yet was able to still put his own creative flair into the cover art. He is immensely talented and professional. As this cover is for an historical fiction nove...
Read more
Jonathan S.
Thank you. Wishing you and the book great success so that you can produce the series. I think of the book almost daily when I look up at East Rock!

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