Christmas at Hogwarts – a heartwarming and joyfully illustrated gift book sure to delight readers of all ages, celebrating Harry Potter’s first Christmas in the wizarding world is to be published globally on 15th October 2024.
Scholastic US edition of Christmas at Hogwarts
With text drawn directly from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and luminous artwork by Ziyi Gao, this favourite moment, showing Harry’s first Christmas amongst friends, is certain to be treasured by the whole family.
‘Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow.’
So begins Chapter 12 of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the story of Harry’s magical Christmas holiday at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. From the wonder of the Great Hall decked with sparkling, decorated fir trees to cosy evenings by the fire in the Gryffindor common room and the joy of opening presents on Christmas morning, it’s a celebration filled with warmth, friendship, treats and magical surprises that Harry will never forget.
Throughout the month of December, join us on our Instagram and Facebook channels for this year’s The Christmas Pig readalong. Find out more about how you can join in at home below!
When is it?
The readalong will begin on Friday 1st December and will end on Sunday 24th December.
How can I join in?
Whether you’re spending the holidays at home or with friends and family, follow us on Instagram and Facebook for regular updates on how many chapters to read or listen to each day in order to complete the book on Christmas Eve!
We’ll be sharing quizzes, deep dives on illustrations we see in the story, characters we encounter, and so much more! It’s a readalong you won’t want to miss.
Remember to share your reading journey with us throughout December by posting a photo on Instagram or Facebook, tagging @jkrowling_stories and #TheChristmasPigReadalong so we can see how you’re getting on!
The Christmas Pig by J.K. Rowling, featuring art from renowned illustrator Jim Field, is now available in paperback!
The Christmas Pig is a heart-warming, page-turning adventure about one child’s love for his most treasured thing, and how far he will go to find it. Now published in a beautiful paperback edition, including the original black-and-white illustrations from award-winning illustrator Jim Field, it is a tale for the whole family to fall in love with.
Which potion gives you the appearance of another person? Which of the Hogwarts towers is the tallest?
What does the incantation ‘Oppugno’ do?
Discover the answer to these questions and so many more in The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac, the official magical companion to the Harry Potter stories.
Whisk yourself away to Harry Potter’s wizarding world with this Whiz-bang of an illustrated companion. Discover magical places, study wandlore, encounter fantastic beasts and find out about the witches and wizards who lived. From the Sorting Hat to spell-casting, it’s all packed inside!
Illustration by Levi Pinfold
This dazzling gift book brings together beloved characters, unforgettable moments and iconic locations from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone all the way through to The Deathly Hallows. It’s the ultimate magical miscellany, filled with facts and fun about the wizarding world, beautifully catalogued and brilliantly explored.
Joyfully illustrated throughout in full colour by seven stunning artists and tingling with things to spot on every page, this is the ideal introduction to the Harry Potter stories for new readers and the perfect book for families to share.
The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac also features an astonishing level of detail that is sure to surprise and fascinate lifelong fans. From incredible cross-sections to magical maps and ingenious lists, lose yourself exploring Hogwarts and beyond …
Illustration by Weitong Mai
The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac is illustrated by Peter Goes, Louise Lockhart, Weitong Mai, Olia Muza, Pham Quang Phuc, Levi Pinfold and Tomislav Tomic.
This gorgeous book was published on 10th October by Bloomsbury in the UK and Scholastic in the US.
For international readers, The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac is also available in Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam.
The new edition of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling includes over 190 brilliant illustrations and eight interactive paper-engineered elements.
The third book in the Harry Potter series to be reinterpreted by MinaLima, the graphic design studio who created the vision for the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. Fans can expect to see new illustrations including the Knight Bus and The Marauder’s Map. Elements of the book are interactive, such as enabling fans to banish a boggart. The hardback is released by Scholastic in the US and Bloomsbury in the UK.
For international readers, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: MinaLima Edition will be available in Danish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Portuguese and Spanish.
The Wizarding World invites fans to come together and celebrate a very special date in the Wizarding World calendar: Back to Hogwarts.
This year, fans are invited to join Sam Thompson for a countdown at King’s Cross Station in the United Kingdom and hear the train announcement voiced by a 10-year-old young fan. There are many more activities for global fans. Head to Wizarding World for more details.
Do use #BackToHogwarts and @jkrowling_stories and show us how you’re celebrating 2023’s magical moment!
Ahead of the publication of The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac, publisher Bloomsbury have taken the opportunity to interview the illustrators who brought this companion title to life.
Pham Quang Phuc is a children’s book illustrator from Vietnam with a rich and decorative style. He has illustrated many books, and considers storytelling a way to balance his life. Among other prizes, Quang Phuc is a winner of The ASEAN Children’s Book Illustrator Best in Fiction award. In the WizardingAlmanac, readers can look out for his truly magnificent magical maps, noble Quidditch champions and sky-swooping, fire-blazing dragons.
Why did you choose to take part in this project and what about it is most exciting for you?
I think Harry Potter is a name that should not be overlooked by book readers and every children’s book illustrator wants to try drawing once in their career. So when this opportunity came, I gladly accepted it and tried my best. I knew that in the group of artists working on the book, there are big names who have worked on other Harry Potter books. I was extremely happy to be able to illustrate in the same book with Levi Pinfold, he is one of the people who inspired me to pursue illustrative work. It’s nice that after about ten years of pursuing this career, I can illustrate in the same book with someone I admired so much when I was an amateur illustrator. I have quite a few friends who are loyal fans of the series. Honestly, I feel that they love the book series more than I do, so I really want to do a good job of this book to give to my friends. The most memorable moment was probably the illustration of the cover of this book. It’s an honour for an unsung artist like me. I have illustrated the spreads in the book and the book cover with a lot of fun and excitement, hoping they will make the fans of the book as excited as I do.
What are your memories of first reading the Harry Potter stories?
I read the series from when I was in middle school until the end of high school. In my memories, the book series came out in my country nearly around the same time as the movie releases. Many fans lined up to buy books at bookstores every time there was a new volume. I didn’t have much money to buy the book because it was quite thick and expensive for me so I had to wait for my friends to finish reading it and borrow it. It’s almost like borrowing a book from a library. I feel like I grew up with characters like Daniel Radcliffe grew up with Harry Potter. In fact, I’m the same age as him. Now, as an adult, I collected Jim Kay’s beautifully illustrated books as a form of service to my work. The book series contributed greatly to bringing me to my current drawing style with dragons, monsters, magic and fantasy worlds. Later, when I had a lot of experience working and receiving illustrations for this book, I reread the books and learned a lot from J.K. Rowling about how she built the wizarding world. They are so vivid and rich in detail, which inspires me a lot.
Who are your favourite Harry Potter characters?
Rubeus Hagrid. He and I love fantastic beasts and dragons.
How did you become an illustrator? Have any other artists or illustrators particularly inspired you and your journey?
Although I love drawing and creating stories from a young age, I found out about the profession of illustrator quite late. When I was young, I wrote and drew a few short comics that were published in several magazines. After graduating from college, I became a graphic designer because there are not too many illustrators in my country. It’s not a common job. Having been in the design business for a short time, I discovered how interesting being an illustrator could be when I read some picture books. Black Dog by Levi Pinfold is one of them, that made me know how wonderful a picture book could be. It reminded me of what I used to love as a kid, drawing and writing children’s stories, so I tried to educate myself to become a book illustrator. I admire illustrators who can draw and write books brilliantly at the same time. I am a big fan of Jimmy Liao, Shaun Tan, Levi Pinfold, Oliver Jeffers … I love their works because their books are genius and their artworks are inspired. Their paintings help me expand my imagination.
How did you approach illustrating your sections of the book? Was illustrating the wizarding world difficult?
I’ve drawn pretty much everything in the fantasy world of fairy tales, but I’ve never drawn anything directly related to this series. I was a fan of the series as a child but I haven’t read them in a while. I reread all seven books, rewatched the eight movies to make sure what kind of spirit I wanted to convey to the readers. I think the biggest difficulty is to bring a lot of details from the book into my paintings. Fortunately, the process was hard, but it was also fun because I was once again living in the wizarding world, just like I was when I was a kid.
Bloomsbury have already shared your stunning Beyond the Reach of Magic spread to readers worldwide as a preview for the publication in October 2023. Please could you tell us a little bit about the making of this piece of artwork?
I was a bit pressured at first when I was tasked with this illustration. This is an important spread because it recalls the many meanings and emotions of the series. The characters in Harry Potter have been drawn by many famous artists. The actors of the film are also famous. It is difficult to create a cast of characters exactly as described in the book as well as to satisfy the imagination of the readers. It sounds funny but when I was in middle school, the movie Harry Potter came out and my friends said that I resembled the main character in the movie just because we both wore glasses. I felt relieved when I remembered this silly thing. I understood that everyone has the right to imagine the characters in the book in their own way and so did I. I started drawing the characters according to my imagination. Maybe they’d look a bit like someone I used to know or some famous character I’ve seen on TV. I ended up drawing Harry Potter that reminded me a bit of myself as a kid.
Aside from the Beyond the Reach of Magic page, what was your favourite spread to illustrate, and why?
I love Quidditch Through the Ages because I love watching sports on TV, especially soccer. I made that spread while watching the FIFA World Cup 2022. I love sportsmanship and positive, energetic things. Therefore I had a lot of fun when illustrating that spread. That is a great time of my life. Besides that, two maps (Fantastic Beast & Where to Find Them and Harry’s Corner of the Wizarding World) are my favourite spreads, too.
What is your Hogwarts house?
Ravenclaw.
TheHarry Potter Wizarding Almanac publishes on 10 October 2023 – available to pre-order in 34 languages all over the world!
Write about a magical place, learn how to draw Hogwarts and even cast a spell or two…
To celebrate Harry Potter Book Day on Thursday 12th October, publisher Bloomsbury have created a virtual headline event hosted by Harry Potter film star Evanna Lynch (who played Luna Lovegood – as if you needed telling), in partnership with Twinkl and Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.
This magical event includes a Magical Places creative writing session from the Great Hall, a spell-casting class from platform nine and three-quarters and a How To Draw Hogwarts session with Harry Potter illustrator Jonny Duddle. It is free for teachers to show during the school day or for parents, carers, or guardians to enjoy with their children after school!
Watch the event in full below.
This virtual event will spark the creative imagination of children aged 7 and above (and their teachers!) all over the world; introducing a whole new generation of young readers to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series as part of the celebrations for Harry Potter Book Day!
Evanna Lynch says, ‘I fell in love with the Harry Potter books when I was 8, and my appreciation for the magical world and its complex, wonderful characters has only deepened as I’ve grown older, and revisited them again and again. It would be impossible to quantify the impact these books have had on my life, but suffice to say they made me a lifelong reader and a writer, and that the characters continue to inspire me as an adult. As the daughter of two teachers, I love the idea of schools spreading the magic of these books to a new generation of children. I’m delighted to present this special lesson and hope it inspires them to pick up a pen, a book – or even a wand.’
Sign up to receive a free event kit and a link to the lesson on Bloomsbury’s website now!
Evanna’s special lesson and a host of additional teaching resources are available now on twinkl.co.uk.
Welcome back to another summer of storytelling, as we introduce J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world to the next generation!
Join us for three weeks of spellbinding fun as we help introduce Harry Potter to brand new, budding fans with interactive magic and family activities.
In July, we encourage someone’s new journey in Starting Harry Potter with a collection of free resources and online goodies to help your adventure begin.
From exploring Hogwarts with a sneak peek at the soon to be published The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac, to a read along with Stephen Fry, start your journey into the wizarding world with the Starting Harry Potter hub right now!
Lift the lid on everything you ever needed to know about the world of Harry Potter with the first official magical companion to J.K. Rowling’s series.
Publishing in October 2023, The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac is a unique exploration through the wizarding world that will appeal to young fans setting out on their first journey to Hogwarts, whilst playfully layering secrets and rich detail for expert readers to discover. A dazzling, full-colour hardback featuring a ribbon bookmark and illustrated endpapers, The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac is a superbly sorted, show-stopping gift book that is sure to be treasured for years to come.
Uniquely rooted in J.K. Rowling’s original writing, this must-have companion is a visual compendium of charts, cross-sections and magical particulars, collecting together enchanted objects, fabulous foodstuffs, curious plants and fantastic beasts from the wizarding world.
Set across seven spectacular chapters, readers can find out about much-loved characters, relive favourite moments, learn about spells and magic, search for hidden secrets and lose themselves exploring Hogwarts and beyond. From the Sorting Hat to spell-casting, it’s all packed inside.
This celebration of the Harry Potter series has been produced with seven uniquely talented illustrators from around the globe – Peter Goes, Louise Lockhart, Weitong Mai, Olia Muza, Pham Quang Phuc, Levi Pinfold and Tomislav Tomić – with each artist bringing their own extraordinary creative vision to J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world.
The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac will publish 10th October 2023, released by Bloomsbury in the UK and Scholastic in the US.
Bloomsbury’s global celebration of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter stories is back in 2023, with a few changes …
The celebration has a new name: HARRY POTTER BOOK DAY
Previously Harry Potter Book Night, the event is now even more inclusive for fans of all ages – whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, you can celebrate at whatever time of the day, or night, suits you!
It’s moving to 12th October 2023
Plenty of time to get planning!
What is Harry Potter Book Day?
Harry Potter Book Day is a chance for fans around the globe to celebrate J.K. Rowling’s iconic series with events, parties and other festivities.
Each year Bloomsbury creates a downloadable event kit, packed to the brim with ideas and activities that can be used to hold your own event – whether you are a bookshop, school, library or want to celebrate at home with family and friends. The kit contains everything you need to prepare an event, however big or small.
How to get involved
Find out more and sign up to register for the downloadable event kit on Bloomsbury’s website now at bloomsbury.com/harrypotterbookday.
Pottermore Publishing and Audible have announced an extraordinary milestone – over one billion hours of the Harry Potter stories have now been listened to on Audible globally, since the audiobooks were first made available there seven years ago! Mind you, that’s just a number (even if it is a massive one)! What’s immeasurable is the love that fans have for these stories. To help you visualise that figure, in one billion hours you could hypothetically:
Take the iconic train journey from King’s Cross to Edinburgh 222 million times
Listen to Harry Potter books 1-7 read by Jim Dale 8,547,009 times
Go through Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry more than 14,000 times!
Stephen Fry, who narrates the UK English editions of the audiobooks, says: ‘These statistics are astonishing. Almost every day someone will come up and tell me how important the audiobooks have been in their lives, and it means the world to me.’ Jim Dale, narrator of the North American editions, says: ‘Especially rewarding for me has been the opportunity to touch the lives of so many young people, and the knowledge that my spoken words have brought both comfort and support when needed, and, of course always, so much magic!’
Jennie McCann, Pottermore’s MD, explains: ‘We’re so delighted how many listeners have made a permanent place in their lives for these audiobooks. The original recordings that were released on CD are cherished versions of these incredible stories, so we took great care when remastering them to deliver the best sound quality for the new generation of listeners. We’ve since produced and released editions in an array of further languages and continue to add to that list each year both on Audible and via other platforms.’ Diana Dapito, Head of Consumer Content at Audible, says ‘the evergreen popularity and insatiable appetite for the Harry Potter audiobooks on Audible is both staggering and, at once, not at all surprising.’
We’d love to hear your stories of listening to Harry Potter on audio – share your listening love on social media using the hashtag #HarryPotterxAudible #HearTheMagic
The Wizarding World invites fans to come together and celebrate a very special date in the Wizarding World calendar: Back to Hogwarts. The day J.K. Rowling wrote about Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione first boarding the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9¾ to be whisked off to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that would change their lives forever.
This year, fans are invited to join Tom Felton TikTok tour on a good old-fashioned countdown at King’s Cross Station in the United Kingdom, as well as so much more for global fans. Head to Wizarding World for more details.
Do use #BACKTOHOGWARTS @jkrowling_stories and show us how you’re marking 2022’s magical moment!
Thinking about beginning the Harry Potter stories this summer?
Hello, if you are thinking about starting reading or listening to Harry Potter this summer StartingHarryPotter.com is perfect for you. Discover a new place for you and your parents or guardians to explore the first book written by J.K. Rowling, called Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone. There are lots of fun things to do on there, so do go and take a look!
Harry has a new look! The global digital publisher of the Wizarding World, Pottermore Publishing, has brought its cover art bang up to date with a dynamic new suite of designs for the Harry Potter eBooks and audiobooks.
Bringing both iconic and lesser-known scenes from these beloved stories alive in thrilling detail for fans and new readers alike, the new cover art invites the next generation of readers and listeners to jump into the action and discover the Harry Potter books on their phones, tablets, e-readers and other devices.
The new covers, as created by design team Studio La Plage, bring to vivid colour scenes from the books, some never before depicted, such as Harry’s Great Lake task in Goblet of Fire, as well as giving new perspectives on iconic moments such as Harry’s first Quidditch match.
Jack Bedford, Associate Creative Director of Studio La Plage, said: ‘We wanted to retain the essence of what readers know and love most about the Wizarding World. The new covers celebrate the moment before the action, asking the question ‘what happens next’? We can’t wait to share them.’
The seven cover designs will be adopted in all territories across the digital Harry Potter eBooks and audiobooks from 31st May 2022. Each cover places the characters at the centre of the action, and incorporate small details from the stories to delight and intrigue. Take a closer look at the cover artwork for each book and see what you can spot!
Today marks 2 years since the serialisation of J.K. Rowling’s original fairy tale The Ickabog.
This story was published online for children in lockdown to enjoy. A story for families, parents, children, teachers and students to share and read together.
J.K. Rowling is donating the royalties from the book and audiobook to her charitable trust, The Volant Charitable Trust to assist vulnerable groups who’ve been particularly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK and internationally. So far in excess of £10m has been donated to 128 charities.
To celebrate 2 years, we have made the first 6 chapters of this witty adventure available for free to read here. We hope that you and your families come together to enjoy and read this wonderful tale about a mythical monster and a kingdom in peril – an adventure that tests two children’s bravery to the limit.
If you’re feeling curious, step into the pages of this book to discover the story of The Ickabog. Start reading now.
Harry Potter and theOrder of the Phoenix has been brought to life by award-winning illustrator Jim Kay and guest collaborator Neil Packer
This illustrated version has been nearly two years in the making, a mammoth task as highlighted by the meticulously detailed artwork shown below. As the project unfolded, Jim Kay decided that it was time to bring in guest collaborator and dear friend, Neil Packer, to help bring the story to life. Jim said:
‘Illustrating Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was always going to be a challenge; the scale of the book meant for a huge variety of characters and locations to choose from. It was a great privilege to have Neil Packer helping with this daunting task. As a fan of his work it was wonderful to see his illustrations appear in the text, and so nice to be working with him in the team. He is perfect for Potter.’
Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood by Jim Kay
Neil Packer added: ‘As both a friend and a colleague it was an honour to be asked to work alongside Jim Kay on this book. Jim has invested so much in this series already and I was very conscious of not wanting to encroach on the stunning work which only he can do. The sheer scale of this book and the wonderful richness of imagination within the writing perhaps left space for a second approach and it has been a great joy and a challenge to try and work in harmony with Jim’s pictures and to visualise some of J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world.’
Neil is a well-renowned illustrator in his own right, and his distinctive artwork has been woven through the book complementing Jim’s narrative scenes. One example of his exquisite artwork is this beautiful imagining of Firenze’s Divination classroom.
Firenze’s Divination classroom by Neil Packer
These are just snippets of the exciting illustrations set to feature in this edition. You can expect to see so much more, from Jim Kay’s portrait of Dolores Umbridge and stunning visualisation of the Battle of the Department of Mysteries to Neil Packer’s cutaway of the Ministry of Magic and beautifully drawn magical objects.
The illustrated edition of Harry’s fifth year adventure is now available, released by Scholastic in the US and Bloomsbury in the UK.
Just in time for the holidays, Scholastic have released a very special virtual event for all to enjoy. J.K. Rowling is joined by a group of children from across the U.S. for an intimate conversation about the spirit of giving and the meaning of hope, all inspired by her latest book The Christmas Pig.
All five children were nominated by their teachers as super readers and joined J.K. Rowling online from Massachusetts, New York, Indiana, Arizona, and Texas. You can tune in to the free-to-view virtual event as the children ask questions, enjoy a read-aloud, and discuss their hopes and wishes for the holidays.
In the spirit of the book, Scholastic generously donated 100,000 assorted children’s books to 100 Title 1 schools (that’s 1,000 books for 100 different schools) across the U.S. Additionally, the US publisher will donate 10,000 books to Toys for Tots, an organisation whose goal is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate children.
The stunning new edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling has over 150 full colour illustrations and 8 paper craft interactive elements.
The second book in the Harry Potter series to be reinterpreted by MinaLima, the graphic design studio who created the vision for the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. Fans can expect to see new illustrations of the Weasley home, The Burrow, and The Whomping Willow. Elements of the books will even be interactive, such as enabling fans to pull some crying Mandrakes out of their pots. The hardback is released by Scholastic in the US and Bloomsbury in the UK.
For international readers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: MinaLima Edition will be available in French, Korean and Danish this month.
J.K. Rowling was joined by families to celebrate the launch of her new book The Christmas Pig.
The event was hosted by television presenter Konnie Huq, and guests enjoyed a fun, entertaining in conversation with J.K. Rowling as well as a reading from the author herself. They were later joined by Rocco Padden, the young voice of Jack in the Audible audiobook and by illustrator Jim Field, who showed children how to draw the Christmas Pig.
The wait is over! J.K. Rowling’s new children’s book The Christmas Pig is out today.
Her first children’s novel since Harry Potter, The Christmas Pig, illustrated by Jim Field, is the story of a little boy called Jack, and his beloved toy, Dur Pig, and the toy that replaces Dur Pig when he’s lost on Christmas Eve – the Christmas Pig. Together, Jack and the Christmas Pig embark on a magical journey to seek something lost, and to save the best friend Jack has ever known.
Already hailed as ‘a triumph… her best book since Azkaban’ (Evening Standard) and ‘this wonderful new story from a writer who truly understands what it is to be a child’ (Daily Mail), the book is published by Hachette Children’s Group in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and India, in the US and Canada by Scholastic, and in thirty-five translated languages by other publishers making it a truly global publication.
The English language audiobook is narrated by Amaka Okafor, with Rocco Padden as Jack, Gerran Howell as the Christmas Pig, alongside a full cast and immersive audio experience bringing the characters of this heartwarming adventure about one child’s love for his most treasured thing to life.
The audiobook by Audible is available in English, German, French, Italian, Latin American Spanish, Castilian Spanish, and Japanese.
To celebrate the launch of her new book, J.K. Rowling will be joined by illustrator Jim Field, and Rocco Padden, the voice of hero Jack, at a special family event at Alexandra Palace in London. A recording of the live event will be available to view on jkrowlingstories.com on Sunday 17 October from 10am BST, for all to enjoy.
A Magical Year takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the seasons at Hogwarts and pairs the beautiful illustrations by Jim Kay with 366 quotations from the Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling.
The illustrations feature Jim Kay’s most iconic art from the Illustrated Editions of Harry Potter as well as previously unseen pencil sketches and preparatory pieces, offering a unique and fascinating insight into the artist’s sketchbook. This gorgeous gift book features a favourite anniversary or meaningful memory from the series each day and was published on 5th October by Bloomsbury in the UK with Scholastic in the US shortly following on 19th October.
For international readers, A Magical Year will be available in Danish, Estonian, Faroese, Swedish, Slovakian, Portuguese (Portugal), Korean, Spanish, Japanese, Italian and Russian this month.
We are delighted to reveal two illustrations from J.K. Rowling’s new book The Christmas Pig.
Along with the cover, Illustrator Jim Field has created nine black and white illustrations for the interior of the book. The first revealed today is a small portrait of Jack’s lost toy Dur Pig.
Dur Pig, known as DP, is the best friend Jack has ever known… a small toy pig, with plastic beans in his tummy and trotters exactly the right size to wipe away a tear.
The second features hero Jack and the Christmas Pig falling into the ‘Land of the Lost’. This is the place things go when you lose them, and Jack and the Christmas Pig will have to journey there if they want to save DP.
Jim Field said “I have loved illustrating The Christmas Pig. With the cover and the black-and-white illustrations, I wanted to create something filmic and timeless, which capture the excitement of J.K. Rowling’s incredible story and the personalities of the memorable characters. It really is a dream project and I’m so chuffed to be part of it.
Along with Jo’s (J.K. Rowling) description, my daughter’s plush toy, Monsieur Lion – which she took with her every day to nursery – has been a great inspiration for me in bringing this friendly character to life. Although not a pig (as you can guess from his name), he is perfectly tattered, loved and worn, just as I imagine Dur Pig to be.”
Watch the videos of J.K. Rowling talking about Jim’s illustrations and The Christmas Pig below:
You can read The Christmas Pig from 12th October 2021.
The cover design for J.K. Rowling’s new book for children, The Christmas Pig, has been revealed! Award-winning illustrator, character-designer and animation director Jim Field has produced a stunning illustration for the cover as well as nine black and white spreads and design features for the interior of the book.
J.K. Rowling commented: ‘Jim’s illustrations are simply perfect. It really is as though he got inside my head and drew what he saw there! I gasped out loud when I saw one particular illustration (I can’t say which it is without giving spoilers), because it was such a perfect representation of one of my favourite scenes.’
Jim Field said: ‘It was ever so slightly daunting when I thought about the number of people who are going to see this cover around the world… No pressure, Jim! Brilliantly, we all agreed on the cover design from the outset, so that allowed me plenty of time to get all the little details right. I wanted to create something filmic, timeless, that captures the excitement of J.K. Rowling’s incredible story and the wonder of Christmas, where the adventure begins. It is really a dream project and I’m so chuffed to be part of it.’
The Christmas Pig will be simultaneously published on 12th October 2021 in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and India by Hachette Children’s Group, in the US and Canada by Scholastic, and in thirty-five translated languages by other publishers making it a truly global publication. It will also be simultaneously published as an audiobook by Audible in English, German, French, Italian, Latin American Spanish, Castilian Spanish, and Japanese. Jim Field’s illustrations will feature on the covers of all editions.
J.K. Rowling’s new children’s book has been announced! The Christmas Pig will be simultaneously published on Tuesday 12th October 2021 in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and India by Hachette Children’s Group, in the US and Canada by Scholastic, in over twenty other languages by other publishers and as an audiobook in English, Spanish, German, French, Japanese and Italian by Audible, making it a truly global publication.
The Christmas Pig is a heartwarming, page-turning adventure about one child’s love for his most treasured toy, and how far he will go to find it. It’s a standalone story, unrelated to any of J.K. Rowling’s previous work, and is suitable for children 8+: a tale for the whole family to fall in love with.
Jack loves his childhood toy, Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve something terrible happens – DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life – even toys… And Jack’s newest toy – the Christmas Pig (DP’s annoying replacement) – has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost, and to save the best friend Jack has ever known…
Ruth Alltimes, Senior Group Publisher at Hachette Children’s Books, describes it as ‘a sparkling gem of a story that is destined to find its way into the hearts of children and families across the world this Christmas, and forever after.’ Ellie Berger, President of Scholastic Trade books, says ‘a gift for children and families alike, this story about the enduring power of love can be read together as a holiday tradition, and as a classic tale to be savoured, any day of the year.’
The Christmas Pig is J.K. Rowling’s first children’s novel since Harry Potter, and follows her brilliant return to publishing for children with last year’s fairy tale The Ickabog, which was serialised online for free for children in lockdown and then published with all her royalties donated to her charitable trust Volant to help vulnerable groups impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. She looks forward to connecting with her younger readers again this winter.
J.K. Rowling’s fairy tale The Ickabog is published today as a hardback, e-book and audiobook. The beautiful new gift hardback edition is brought to life with full-colour illustrations by the young winners of The Ickabog illustration competitions around the world, which will also be available to purchasers of the audiobook as a full-colour PDF. The audiobook is performed by Stephen Fry and published by Audible. The book is now available in English, Italian, German, Spanish. Brazilian Portuguese, Bulgarian, Dutch, Simplified Chinese and Russian with more translations to follow.
J.K. Rowling is donating her net royalties from The Ickabog to help support vulnerable groups who’ve been particularly impacted by Covid-19, in the UK and internationally. She is making an initial donation to her charitable Trust, The Volant Charitable Trust, to help medical and frontline charities make a meaningful impact in the short term.
The Hogwarts Library book Quidditch Through The Ages, written by J.K. Rowling as esteemed fictional Quidditch expert Kennilworthy Whisp, has been reimagined by award-winning illustrator Emily Gravett. This colourful new edition is published today in Hardback and Deluxe editions by Bloomsbury in the UK and Scholastic in the US.
The book, arguably the most famous sports guide in the wizarding world, contains all you need to know about the history, the teams, the rules – and the breaking of the rules – of the noble sport of Quidditch.
Tasked with illustrating the fictional history of this magical sport, Emily Gravett’s wildly creative imagination conjured up a cornucopia of sporting memorabilia to surprise and delight. With items and events lovingly created in a dazzling range of media, and infused with the illustrator’s trademark visual wit, these charming and funny artworks are the perfect pairing for J.K. Rowling’s insights into the magical, airborne sport.
Proceeds from the sale of this new edition will go to J.K. Rowling’s own international children’s charity Lumos, which helps some of the world’s most vulnerable children and young people to have a better life, and Comic Relief.
J.K. Rowling’s The Ickabog, an original fairy tale, is to be published as a hardback, ebook and audio book in the English language in November, with international editions to follow soon after.
First serialised for free online this summer on The Ickabog.com, the author wanted to share the personal family favourite, which she wrote over ten years ago as a bedtime story for her younger children, to help entertain children, parents and carers confined at home during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Keen for children to be involved as the story unfolded, J.K. Rowling invited them to send in their own illustrations of her story and its colourful characters as it appeared online. After an incredible response, the winners of each artwork competition will see their illustration in the published book.
J.K. Rowling will be donating her royalties from The Ickabog to The Volant Charitable Trust to assist those who have been particularly impacted by coronavirus.
For more details including the donation of royalties to The Volant Trust visit www.theickabog.com
The idea for The Ickabog came to me while I was still writing Harry Potter. I wrote most of a first draft in fits and starts between Potter books, intending to publish it after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
However, after the last Potter book I wanted to take a break from publishing, which ended up lasting five years. In that time I wrote The Casual Vacancy and Robert Galbraith wrote TheCuckoo’s Calling. After some dithering (and also after my long-suffering agent had trademarked The Ickabog – sorry, Neil) I decided I wanted to step away from children’s books for a while. At that point, the first draft of The Ickabog went up into the attic, where it’s remained for nearly a decade. Over time I came to think of it as a story that belonged to my two younger children, because I’d read it to them in the evenings when they were little, which has always been a happy family memory.
A few weeks ago at dinner, I tentatively mooted the idea of getting The Ickabog down from the attic and publishing it for free, for children in lockdown. My now teenagers were touchingly enthusiastic, so downstairs came the very dusty box, and for the last few weeks I’ve been immersed in a fictional world I thought I’d never enter again. As I worked to finish the book, I started reading chapters nightly to the family again. This was one of the most extraordinary experiences of my writing life, as The Ickabog’s first two readers told me what they remember from when they were tiny, and demanded the reinstatement of bits they’d particularly liked (I obeyed).
I think The Ickabog lends itself well to serialisation because it was written as a read-aloud book (unconsciously shaped, I think, by the way I read it to my own children), but it’s suitable for 7-9 year olds to read to themselves.
I’ll be posting a chapter (or two, or three) every weekday between 26th May and 10th July on The Ickabog website. The Ickabog is available to read in English (UK/US), French, Italian, German, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese, check the website for updates on additional languages.
The Ickabog is a story about truth and the abuse of power. To forestall one obvious question: the idea came to me well over a decade ago, so it isn’t intended to be read as a response to anything that’s happening in the world right now. The themes are timeless and could apply to any era or any country.
The Illustration Competition
Having decided to publish, I thought how wonderful it would be if children in lockdown, or otherwise needing distraction during the strange and difficult time we’re passing through, illustrated the story for me. There will be suggestions about the illustrations we might need for each chapter on The Ickabog website, but nobody should feel constrained by these ideas. I want to see imaginations run wild! Creativity, inventiveness and effort are the most important things: we aren’t necessarily looking for the most technical skill!
In November 2020, The Ickabog will be published in English in print, eBook and audiobook formats, shortly followed by other languages. The best drawings in each territory will be included in the finished books. As publishers in each territory will need to decide which pictures work best for their own editions, I won’t be personally judging the entries. However, if parents and guardians post their children’s drawing on Twitter using the hashtag #TheIckabog, I’ll be able to share and comment! To find out more about the Illustration Competition, go to The Ickabog website.
Covid-19 Donation
I’m pledging all author royalties from The Ickabog, when published, to help groups who’ve been particularly impacted by the pandemic. Further details will be available later in the year.
Huge thanks are due…
… to my dear friend and editor Arthur Levine; to the phenomenal James McKnight of the Blair Partnership, who’s worked tirelessly to make this project a reality in a very short space of time; to Ruth Alltimes at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, whose help has been invaluable; to my peerless management team, Rebecca Salt, Nicky Stonehill and Mark Hutchinson and to my wonderful agent Neil Blair. I promise all of you not to have any more bright ideas for a few months at least.
Stars from the Wizarding World including Jude Law, Warwick Davis, Noma Dumezweni, Jason Isaacs, Evanna Lynch, Sally Mortemore and Bonnie Wright have joined forces to record individual stories from J.K. Rowling’s Hogwarts Library book The Tales of Beedle the Bard: the first time the book has been brought to life in audio, which is also supporting J.K. Rowling’s international children’s charity Lumos.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard was first referenced in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as the fictional fairy tales all wizarding children grew up with. Within this collection of fables was the origin story of the Deathly Hallows, ‘The Tale of the Three Brothers’, which taught Harry about the three most powerful objects in the wizarding world.
These funny and captivating tales are accompanied by explanatory notes from Professor Albus Dumbledore (narrated by Jude Law). His illuminating thoughts reveal the stories to be much more than simple moral tales
The Tales of Beedle the Bard was originally handwritten and illustrated by J.K. Rowling as a limited edition of only seven copies, one of which was sold at auction in 2007 in aid of charity. Published the following year, the book has helped raised money for her international children’s charity Lumos ever since.
For more information about The Tales of Beedle The Bard audio edition go to wizardingworld.com.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has been brought to life by award-winning illustrator Jim Kay. This is the fourth book in the Harry Potter series to be illustrated by him and has been published today by Bloomsbury in the UK and Scholastic in the US.
The fiery cover shows Kay’s stunning reimagining of the first task in the Triwizard Tournament when Harry goes head to head with a Hungarian Horntail.
Newt Scamander’s Hogwarts Library classic FantasticBeastsandWheretoFindThem has been brought to life with stunning illustrations by award winning artist Olivia Lomenech Gill. The colourful new edition is now published by Bloomsbury in the UK and Scholastic in the US
The award-winning artist has reimagined every beast in the textbook with a variety of different techniques, such as charcoal sketches and watercolours. You can see Olivia in action here.
Proceeds from the sale of these books will go to Comic Relief and J.K. Rowling’s own international children’s charity Lumos, which both help some of the world’s most vulnerable young people to have better lives.
To find out more and read an exclusive interview with artist Olivia Lomenech Gill, head over to Pottermore.
Pottermore revealed on 5th September that the 2015 illustrated print edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, featuring magnificent illustrations by award-winning artist Jim Kay, is now available as a Kindle in Motion eBook. Featuring never-before-seen animations, this is the first time that Jim Kay’s Harry Potter illustrations are available in a digital format.
The Kindle in Motion edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone can be read on any device with the Kindle app.
You can see Jim Kay’s beautiful illustrations brought to life, on pottermore.com. With moving portraits of Albus Dumbledore, flying snitches and fluttering keys this really is magic in motion.
Harry Potter UK publisher, Bloomsbury and the British Library are creating two magic-filled books to accompany this autumn’s exhibition Harry Potter: A History of Magic at the library in London, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Both books will publish in the UK on 20th October 2017- the day that the exhibition opens its doors to visitors in London.
Harry Potter: A History of Magic will be the official book of the British Library’s exhibition.
A collaboration between Bloomsbury and the brilliant curators of the British Library, the book promises to take readers on a fascinating journey through the subjects studied at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – from Alchemy and Potions classes through to Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures.
Each chapter showcases a treasure trove of artefacts from the British Library and other collections around the world, beside exclusive manuscripts, sketches and illustrations from the Harry Potter archive. There’s also a specially commissioned essay for each subject area by an expert, writer or cultural commentator, inspired by the contents of the exhibition including Steve Backshall, the Reverend Richard Coles, Owen Davies, Julia Eccleshare, Roger Highfield, Steve Kloves, Lucy Mangan, Anna Pavord and Tim Peake, who offer a personal perspective on their magical theme.
Readers will be able to pore over ancient spell books, amazing illuminated scrolls that reveal the secret of the Elixir of Life, vials of dragon’s blood, mandrake roots, painted centaurs and a genuine witch’s broomstick, in a book that shows J.K. Rowling’s magical inventions alongside their cultural and historical forebears.
Another book, Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic will showcase selected items from the exhibition, aimed at a family audience. It too explores the subjects studied at Hogwarts, and will contain spellbinding facts and information behind the real history of magic, alongside activities inspired by these subjects, creating a rich and rewarding book for families to enjoy for years to come.
Pottermore, the global digital publisher of Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, will simultaneously publish eBook versions of both books. The eBook edition of Harry Potter: A History of Magic also features enhancements allowing readers to navigate the contents of the exhibits in a variety of exciting and innovative ways.
Publishers Bloomsbury and Scholastic on Monday revealed two striking covers for the fully-illustrated edition of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which hits bookshops later this year.
Award-winning fine artist Olivia Lomenech-Gill, who has previously won the English Association Picture Book Award, has lent her skill to this new edition, which publishes on 7th November. Bloomsbury’s jacket features the Occamy while a Griffin appears on Scholastic’s. For more exclusive images of the beautifully illustrated beasts, head over to Pottermore.com
Proceeds from the sale of these books will go to Comic Relief and J.K. Rowling’s own international children’s charity Lumos, which both help some of the world’s most vulnerable young people to have better lives.
A new edition of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is available today, with six extra beasts and a new foreword from the pen of Magizoologist Newt Scamander, bringing the original classic book up to date with the exciting developments in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.
The hardback book is available from Bloomsbury in the UK and Scholastic in the US, while Pottermore brings us the eBook and the first digital audiobook, narrated by Eddie Redmayne.
Familiar to fans as one of the textbooks from Harry Potter’s days at Hogwarts, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was first published in 2001. The fictional book was ‘written’ by Newt Scamander – the hero of J.K. Rowling’s debut screenplay and the film of the same name.
Other Hogwarts Library books, Quidditch Through the Ages and The Tales of Beedle the Bard, have also been brought up to date with new covers.
Proceeds from the sale of these books will go towards Comic Relief and Lumos, J.K. Rowling’s international children’s charity. Both charities aim to help some of the world’s most vulnerable children and young people to have a better life.
Bloomsbury and Scholastic today revealed award-winning illustrator Jim Kay’s cover of the third book in the Harry Potter series.
The striking cover illustration reveals Jim’s imagining of the iconic Knight Bus that whisks Harry off to Diagon Alley at the beginning of the book, in all its purple glory. And you can see more of Jim Kay’s Azkaban artwork exclusively on Pottermore.com
This new illustrated hardback edition will be published in English on Tuesday 3rd October 2017.
Eddie Redmayne – Newt Scamander himself – has narrated Pottermore’s new audiobook version of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the Hogwarts textbook that inspired the film of the same name.
Like the print and eBook editions, also available on the 14th March, the digital audiobook will open with J.K. Rowling’s new foreword from Newt Scamander himself, hinting at some of what happened since his visit to New York City in 1926, and also promises six new beasts.
Scholastic US edition of Christmas at Hogwarts
