J.K. Rowling invited budding young artists between the ages of 7 to 12 years old to illustrate The Ickabog, for the once in a lifetime chance to be featured in The Ickabog book, which is published on 10 November 2020. In the UK, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and India over 18,000 submissions were received. The quality, diversity and sheer imagination of the children’s artwork was incredible to see.
Therefore, every national / language edition has different illustrations.
"From J.K. Rowling, a warm, fast-paced, funny fairy tale of a fearsome monster, thrilling adventure, and hope against all odds.
The kingdom of Cornucopia was once the happiest in the world. It had plenty of gold, a king with the finest moustache you could imagine, and butchers, bakers and cheesemongers whose exquisite foods made a person dance with delight when they ate them.
Everything was perfect – except for the misty Marshlands to the North which, according to legend, were home to the monstrous Ickabog. Anyone sensible knew that the Ickabog was just a myth, to scare children into behaving. But the funny thing about myths is that sometimes they take on a life of their own.
Could a myth unseat a beloved king? Could a myth bring a once happy country to its knees? Could a myth thrust two brave children into an adventure they didn’t ask for and never expected?" (theickabog.com)
"J. K. Rowling is the author of the seven Harry Potter books, first published between 1997 and 2007. The idea for Harry Potter famously came to her during a delayed train journey, and she wrote the story while living in England, Portugal and finally Scotland. The adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermione at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have sold over 500 million copies, been translated into over 80 languages, and made into eight blockbuster films. Alongside the book series, she wrote three short companion volumes for charity: Quidditch Through the Ages, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Fantastic Beasts later became the inspiration for a new series of films, also written by J.K. Rowling and featuring the magizoologist Newt Scamander. The latest film in the series, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, came out in 2018. J.K. Rowling continued Harry’s story as a grown-up in a stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which she wrote with playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany, and which has been playing to great acclaim in theatres in Europe, North America and Australia.
She also writes novels for adults and, under the pen name Robert Galbraith, is the author of the Strike crime series, which has been adapted for television.
J.K. Rowling has received many awards and honours, including the Order of the British Empire and Companion of Honour; the Legion d’Honneur, the Hans Christian Andersen Award, and a Blue Peter Gold Badge. She supports a number of causes through her charitable trust, Volant, and is the founder of the children’s charity Lumos, which fights for a world without orphanages and institutions, and reunites families.
For as long as she can remember she wanted to be a writer, and is at her happiest in a room, making things up. She lives in Scotland with her family." (theickabog.com)