Bloomsbury Announces New Book “Harry Potter – A Magical Year: The Illustrations of Jim Kay”

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The illustrated editions of the Harry Potter novels have enchanted fans since Jim Kay’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was released in 2015. Since then, the series has become available up to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, with simultaneous releases in the United Kingdom and United States from Bloomsbury and Scholastic.

Now, Bloomsbury has announced a new gift book titled Harry Potter – A Magical Year: The Illustrations of Jim Kay. It will feature 366 moments from the Harry Potter series, one for each day of the year, including for leap years. Jim Kay’s beautiful illustrations will be paired with favorite quotes from the novels, and each day will follow the passing of the seasons and anniversaries of events in the series.

The full-color illustrations will be accompanied by never-before-seen pencil sketches and preparatory pieces, providing some insight into Kay’s artistic process.

Take a look at the cover below. It features the tagline “A spellbinding moment for every day from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels” and shows the Hogwarts Express chugging along through the countryside.

 

3D cover image of “Harry Potter – A Magical Year: The Illustrations of Jim Kay”

 

Bloomsbury also shared a video on social media giving fans a glimpse of what they can expect inside:

 

 

The book is expected to be 240 pages, and it’s priced at £25.00 but is currently available for preorder on Bloomsbury’s website for £22.50.

Harry Potter – A Magical Year: The Illustrations of Jim Kay is set for release on October 5, 2021. It sounds like it would make a fabulous Christmas or holiday gift for Potter fans of any age who’ve always admired the illustrated editions but haven’t acquired their own copies.

And though Scholastic has not yet made a similar announcement, a US version of the book is viewable on Amazon with the same publication date – no price as of yet.

Press Release

Bloomsbury announces a unique and beautiful gift book for every day of the year, celebrating the astonishing art of Jim Kay paired with magical quotations from the original Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling.

Harry Potter – A Magical Year
The Illustrations of Jim Kay

Today Bloomsbury announces Harry Potter – A Magical Year: The Illustrations of Jim Kay, a beautiful new gift book celebrating Jim Kay’s artwork on the Harry Potter series so far, with a moment for every day of the year. Stunning colour illustrations are joined by previously unseen pencil sketches and preparatory pieces, offering a unique and fascinating insight into the artist’s sketchbook.

A Magical Year takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the seasons at Hogwarts. Jim Kay’s incredible illustrations, paired with much-loved quotations from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels, evoke all of the magic, beauty and wonder of the wizarding world.

Each day features a favourite anniversary or meaningful memory from the Harry Potter novels. All around, Jim Kay’s scenic artwork and decorative painter’s marks bring that moment to life in breathtaking detail. His unique interpretation is both captivating and transporting – picture frozen icicles glinting on the snowy towers of Hogwarts, the dancing eyes of Professor Albus Dumbledore, or the infectious hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. Inside, a selection of the illustrator’s most iconic images [is] complemented by previously unseen character studies, pencil drawings and preparatory pieces from the Jim Kay archive.

A Magical Year is an irresistible gift book for anyone who has ever been captivated by the Boy Who Lived, a glorious illustrated compendium that readers everywhere will cherish for years to come. Publication will be supported by a major retail and communications campaign.

Harry Potter – A Magical Year

The Illustrations of Jim Kay

5 October 2021 / £25.00 / 240pp / ISBN 9781526640871

 

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Catherine Lai

I have been a fan of Harry since 2000, a fan of MuggleNet since 2005, and a MuggleNet team member since 2013. I believe in the power of stories to bring people together, and nothing does that quite like Harry Potter. I live in Toronto, Canada.