J.K. Rowling is casting her spells for children again, but this time, with a book that isn’t about magic.
Her new children’s book, “The Ickabog,” will be published in November, but as a gift to children in these chaotic times, it will be available one (or two) chapters each day, online, for free.
In her own words, “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.
“This 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. It isn’t Harry Potter and it doesn’t include magic. This is an entirely different story.”
From May 26 to July 10, the author will be posting a chapter (or two) every weekday — FREE for all to read.
The book is expected to be published in November, with all of Rowling’s royalties going to people who have been affected by the current worldwide health crisis.
In addition, J.K. Rowling is inviting kids to help illustrate The Ickabog. As chapters are uploaded, she will be making suggestions for what you might like to draw or paint to illustrate the story.
Kids between 7 and 12 years old can enter their drawings (via their parents or guardians) into the official competition, and will have a chance to have their illustrations featured in The Ickabog book.
Read more about the competition, and find the links to enter the competition.
