Scholastic announced this morning that the seven Harry Potter books will each get new illustrated covers this fall. They will be designed by Kazu Kibuishi, a Tokyo-born graphic novel author and illustrator.
The art released for Harry Potter and the Sorcere's Stone cover features Harry and Hagrid, but the style and colors bears some resemblance to the original. Kibuishi said he intended them to be both a reinterpretation and a tribute to Harry Potter. "As an author myself, I tried to answer the question, 'If I were author of the books—and they were like my own children—how would I want them to be seen years from now?'" he said. "When illustrating the covers, I tried to think of classic perennial paperback editions of famous novels and how these illustrations tend to feel."
With a series as beloved as Harry Potter, there are bound to be people who object to changing the original covers. Hardcore fans will still be able to get the old covers—illustrated by Mary GrandPre—on the hardback and digital editions.
Scholastic said they want the covers to "offer new readers just reaching the age to begin the series a glimpse of J.K. Rowling’s magical world and the epic story they are about to enter.”
The paperback boxed set will be released this September.
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[via Hypable]
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