“Harry Potter” Author J.K. Rowling Publishes A New Children’s Book

This is not a Harry Potter spin-off

“Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling announced on Twitter that she is publishing a new book for children titled “The Ickabog.”  A new chapter will be published online every day, and the first two chapters are already up.  Rowling wrote the book in between writing the “Harry Potter” series books, and had intended to release it after the final book in that series.

I have a small announcement, but before I get started, I
want to head off one possible source of confusion.
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THIS IS NOT A HARRY POTTER SPIN-OFF
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1/13

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 26, 2020

We’ll be publishing a chapter (or 2 or 3) every weekday,
starting at 3.00pm today and ending on July 10th.

You don’t need to register to access the story. You can read it for free on a new website we’ll be launching shortly.

But there’s more…

8/13

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 26, 2020

However, she put the mostly handwritten manuscript in her attic for a few years to take a break from children’s books.

Over time I came to think of The Ickabog as just for my family. The manuscript went up into the attic, where it remained until a few weeks ago.

This is the very dusty box I got down from the attic.
(It’s a Net-A-Porter box and might well have held a premiere dress.)

4/13 pic.twitter.com/vg8F5Qx33M

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 26, 2020

Kids can read the book themselves (she says it’s age appropriate for kids seven and up) or have someone read it to them. The author is also asking her legion of young readers to illustrate the book.

I’d like children to illustrate the book for me!

I’ll be suggesting ideas for pictures as we go, but nobody
should feel constrained by my ideas. Let your
imaginations run wild!

9/13

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 26, 2020

Rowling also added that she’s going to donate all her author royalties from the book to COVID-19 relief efforts.

Lastly, I intend to donate my author royalties from the published books to projects and organisations helping the groups most impacted by Covid-19. Full details will be made available later in the year.

12/13

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 26, 2020

You can read the first two chapters, and subsequent chapters of “The Ickabog” at this link.