Winner of the Blue Peter Book Award - Favourite book from the Last Two Decades | Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2017
Exciting news for all Harry Potter fans, Bloomsbury has published the first fully illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, with artwork from the awesomely talented Kate Greenaway Medal winner, Jim Kay. Prepare to be spellbound by Jim Kay's dazzling depiction of the wizarding world and much loved characters. This is where the adventure begins, as Harry Potter discovers that he is no ordinary boy but a wizard of great reknown, as well as expected at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Moreover, at Hogwarts, he encounters "He Who Must Not Be Named", a master of magic whose ambition is more dark and terrifying than Harry can possibly imagine.
Take a peak at Jim Kay's illustrations of Rubeus Hagrid, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy and Ron Weasley click here!
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Illustrated Edition Synopsis
Brimming with rich detail and humour that perfectly complements J.K. Rowling's timeless classic, Jim Kay's glorious illustrations will captivate fans and new readers alike. When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he's the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord's curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived. Leaving his unsympathetic aunt and uncle for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry stumbles upon a sinister mystery when he finds a three-headed dog guarding a room on the third floor. Then he hears of a missing stone with astonishing powers, which could be valuable, dangerous - or both. An incredible adventure is about to begin!
Jim Kay has been utterly absorbed by the task of illustrating the Harry Potter books. Every image was cross-referenced not only with the seven Harry Potter novels, but also Rowling’s other books about the Harry Potter world. For example, one spread in The Philosopher’s Stone shows the anatomy of a troll which uses information from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
When drawing Harry, he imagined a “Blitz kid, a scrappy, energetic character”, but Kay couldn’t quite pin him down until he spotted a boy on the Tube in London. “I asked his mum if I could draw him and gave her my card. I got half an hour of photographing him¬—but I couldn’t tell him he was going to be Harry Potter.”
Kay’s inspiration for Hermione came from his niece, who “just is Hermione, especially in the way she moves”, and he based his image of Dumbledore on an illustrator friend of his, although he has declined to reveal who that person is.
Kay said that as far as he knows, Harry Potter author J K Rowling has not requested any changes. “She is amazing, she just lets you reinvent things,” he said. “I got a letter from her saying how much she liked it and it was the nicest letter I’ve ever had. It took me six months to get up the courage to write back.”
'The most handsome and desirable gift book of the year. It is stunning ... with full colour illustrations throughout from Greenaway Medal winner Kay, who breathes incredible life into these much-loved characters and locations, staying faithful to Rowling's vision but revitalising the story for a new generation Bookseller
I've yet to meet a ten-year-old who hasn't been entranced by its witty, complex plot and the character of the eponymous Harry Independent
Spellbinding, enchanting, bewitching stuff Mirror
Teachers say a chapter can silence the most rowdy of classes Guardian
One of the greatest literary adventures of modern times Sunday Telegraph
The Harry Potter stories will join that small group of children's books which are read and reread into adulthood TLS
Author
About J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was J.K. Rowling's first novel, followed by the subsequent six titles in the Harry Potter series, as well as three books written for charity: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages and The Tales of Beedle the Bard. The Harry Potter novels have now sold over 450 million copies worldwide and been translated into 77 languages.
Click here to see the new Harry Potter books site with illustrations by Jonny Duddle.
