First Katie Grace eBook is Coming Soon - Advice Needed on Cover

In early January, I wrote a post about a new series of children's books that is in the works. These books are about a first-grader named Katie Grace. You can read more about the idea behind this series here. The first one is almost ready to publish as an ebook. Two others are still in the editing stage with a fourth still being written.

#1

I've been working on a cover for the first book. The teenager who is doing the illustrations does a nice job with the black and white drawings inside the book. The cover illustration, though needs to be in color. We are both learning how to work with that. 

I realize none of these covers are professional quality, but I frankly don't have the money to have a cover professionally made. Even so, I want to put together the best non-professionally made cover I can come up with.

#2

I have been experimenting with Photoshop, and I know I have only scratched the surface of what the program can do. I'd like to find a way to eliminate totally the white area around the girls. For those of you who know how to use Photoshop, I tried using the magnetic lasso tool to do that, and have almost been successful. Unfortunately, the lasso keeps cutting off Katie Grace's braids, so for the time being, I have to let go of that idea.

#3

 
Here are three possibilities that I have worked up so far. Keep in mind that I already know the illustrator needs to do more with the picture of the girls to brighten it up. Aside from that and assuming the picture is brightened,... 

• Which cover do you like best?
• Is there one you like if a few changes were made? 
• Perhaps you like a certain element from one cover and a different element from another cover. 

Or should I scrap them all and start over? 

Please leave any feedback you may have in a comment. I gladly welcome ... and really need ... any suggestions you may have.