Before you get too excited, it’s not a Harry Potter adventure or spin-off (sorry).
However, a new J. K. Rowling book is something to celebrate for the generation who grew up on a steady diet of Hogwarts, especially for those amongst us who are currently raising a little generation of budding witches and wizards. That would be because the book, which the author is publishing online in a series of instalments, is a children’s book named ‘The Ickabog’ – and the first two chapters are already available online.
The first two chapters of The Ickabog are available for free here:https://t.co/afFEfRQQ5C
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 26, 2020
In a series of tweets announcing the new book, Rowling revealed that The Ickabog was written over ten years ago, and her post-Potter turn to adult fiction had pushed it back in the queue. Recently, she dug the manuscript up from her loft to send it off for publishing (currently slated for November), but has elected to release the tale in instalments online, as a treat for kids and adults in lockdown.
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
The Ickabog is described as a fairytale which deals with “truth and the abuse of power”, and takes place in a imaginary world named Cornucopia. New instalments will be released daily until July 10, and Rowling is inviting children to submit their own drawings of the characters and places in the tale, with the best pictures being including in the published book. Finally, Rowling has vowed to donate her royalties from sales of the published book to “projects and organisations helping the groups most impacted by Covid-19”, which is a lovely gesture. Looks like lockdown is about to get a little more magical!
You can find out more about The Ickabog and read the released chapters here.