Don't judge a book by its cover, sure, but the purpose of a cover is to catch our attention, to make us find out what is inside. The 'kids gasping at something dramatic happening in front of them' style was very common when I was growing up and for a good reason; it worked.
The book on the right...isn't saying as much as the book on the left. The red coloring is bold but nothing pops out. The kids have books, a backpack, and there's lockers, so yes a school. The girl has a flashlight so there's a mystery to solve. There's an alien shadow but nothing else so the context of this alien is lost. The cartoonish style isn't a dealbreaker but does have a sense of being removed from the story. It is a representation, not what is.
The left cover, however, the realistic style implies a snippet of the story itself, you are indeed seeing what's inside if you read it. The children are outside a classroom window, and its dark out, so they aren't where they should be, it's a mystery. The girl gasps as the boy looks over his shoulder, showing there might be danger. The alien teacher is dressed normal and ripping off a mask, so this alien is disguised as a human, and getting away with it, and these children have discovered the secret! What's going to happen now? The colors are basic but the bright green of the alien stands out and matches the title, all brought together by the green border.
But the most important part of how this cover is framed, and tied to what I said earlier, is just with this art alone, you the reader are already being brought into the story. The children and you are looking through the window and witnessing this reveal. The boy actually seems to be looking back at you, because you are part of this. Read this book to find out what happens next!
These covers were so cheesy but I miss them.
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