‘Harry Potter’: New Book Covers For 15th Anniversary
It’s hard to believe the first Harry Potter book is 15 years old. To celebrate Harry Potter’s 15th anniversary, each book is getting a brand new cover.
Scholastic revealed the new Harry Potterand the Sorcerer’s Stone cover on Wednesday. It will be printed on paperback versions of the book in September, marking Harry Potter’s 15th anniversary.
CBS News reports the new Harry Potter cover artwork was created by Kazu Kibuishi, a self described “long time fan.”
In his press release, Kibuishi writes:
“As an author myself, I tried to answer the question, ‘If I were the author of the books — and they were like my own children — how would I want them to be seen years from now?’ When illustrating the covers, I tried to think of classic perennial paperback editions of famous novels and how those illustrations tend to feel. In a way, the project became a tribute to both Harry Potter and the literary classics.”
Kibuishi’s most famous work is the graphic novel series Amulet. He approached the new Harry Potter book covers with distinct moments from each entry in mind. These moments will grace the cover of each book.
According to the L.A. Times, Kibuishi was initially hesitant when asked to create new Harry Potter book covers because he believed the original covers should not be changed.
He explains what changed his mind:
“I felt that if I were to handle the project, I could bring something to it that many other designers and illustrators probably couldn’t, and that was that I was also a writer of my own series of middle-grade fiction. As an author myself, I tried to answer the question, ‘If I were the author of the books — and they were like my own children — how would I want them to be seen years from now?'”
For many people, Harry Potter more than just a book series. Much like Star Trek and Star Wars,Harry Potter has become a way of life. A cruise celebrating the boy wizard is ready to set sail later this year.
Harry Potter movie star Daniel Radcliffe even described the franchise as “our generation.” He might just be right.
Will you buy all seven Harry Potter books with new covers when they are released this fall?
