Go: A Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design

Here's a book that starts on the front cover and uses every bit of space to make its point. From the word "Go" in a red stop-sign shape, Kidd makes graphic design immediate and accessible to middle schoolers and up (including adults) by posing questions and answering them in engaging ways. While the author is no stranger to self-promotion, using his own designs and photos of himself as examples, what could seem self-serving is instead imbued with Kidd's enthusiasm for his subject. He wants to make design personal for every reader. The first four chapters--"Form," "Typography," "Content," "Concept"--tackle such essentials as serif and sans serif type, frequent mistakes (e.g., low dpi resulting in poor image quality), and advanced ideas including "visual flavor." The final chapter, "10 Design Projects," presents projects of increasing complexity with lots of room for self-expression; the final one is simply a suggestion to create an original project and post it at a given Tumblr address. The book's inside back cover provides resources including websites, museums, and design organizations. lolly robinson