The Meaning Behind the Changing Traditions Logo

“The old that is strong does not wither.” 
— J.R.R. Tolkien

When I first started working on this series, I knew I wanted it to feel connected to the cycle of the year. I didn't create this logo until I had two book covers finished to get a feel of what would be a good fit between two completely different stories and cover images. I think that the Changing Traditions logo now is a way to bring those ideas together visually.

Circular seasonal logo for the “Changing Traditions” picture book series featuring four illustrated sections: pink spring blossoms, a summer sun with green leaves, an autumn leaf with berries, and a winter snowflake with a lit candle, all arranged inside a decorative cream-coloured circle.

Each section of the circle represents a different season through small natural details:

  • blossoms for spring, 
  • sunlight and greenery for summer, 
  • autumn leaves and berries, 
  • then snow and candlelight for winter. 

The logo reflects many of the themes that continue appearing throughout the series: seasonal change, returning traditions, celebrations connected to weather and light, and the way stories are carried forward year after year.

I also wanted the design to feel warm and timeless rather than overly modern so have left the text off the cover versions as well as made it slightly translucent and am hoping that shows up as well as it does on the screen when printed. I also removed the coloured backgrounds in each section as that made it feel very sticker-like and drew the eye away from the cover immediately.

Unlike the Monarch Tales Logo which is bright red and clearly branded, I wanted something that could sit naturally beside old celebrations, folklore, and illustrated storybooks. I walked through how I baked this one in my oven here (Introducing the Monarch Tales).


Monarch Tales logo handmade baked clay featuring the words “Monarch Tales” in cream lettering across a red maple leaf, with a monarch butterfly resting on the upper corner.

 

I had talked about some of the new challenges with this type of a project in terms of illustrations in my previous post (New Series, New Challenges: Learning to Work with Light) but hadn't fully committed to the series name which is:

Changing Traditions

Once I had that name, I needed a tagline or a subtitle which became:

Stories Remembered Each Year

because that idea sits at the center of every book planned for this project.

Here's a look at the first two covers from the series:

Samhain: A Story About Halloween

Cover of Samhain: A Story About Halloween by Jacqueline Cooper featuring two children in old-fashioned cloaks walking along a country path at dusk. One child carries a hobby horse while the other holds a glowing carved lantern. Rolling hills, bare autumn trees, and distant village buildings appear in the background, with the Changing Traditions series logo in the lower corner.


Candlemas: A Story About Groundhog Day

Cover of Candlemas: A Story About Groundhog Day by Jacqueline Cooper featuring a groundhog emerging from snowy earth at sunrise, with evergreen trees and a small church in the background. The cover includes the Changing Traditions series logo in the lower corner.



Several more books are already planned, and I’m looking forward to sharing more of this world as the series starts to become published later this year and in the future as this series continues to grow.

You can explore all of our current titles on our Books Page.

If you'd like to help share our works, visit our Libraries Page for circulation details and ISBNs.

Our books are available through major retailers including Chapters, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, and Waterstones.




Location: Canada

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