Promise Boys

Ken was commissioned by Macmillan to create the cover for Promise Boys, the novel by Nick Brooks. He began with a painting of the book’s three central characters. The cover was revealed on Good Morning America in June 2022 and appeared on a screen in Times Square.

The novel follows three boys who must prove their innocence after their principal is murdered. Ken’s portrait keeps their individuality in view. Their expressions carry both the urgency of the story and the complexity of being young and judged by others.

Commissioned by Macmillan Publishers. Photography by Godiva Omoruyi.