October 6 marked the worldwide release of the illustrated edition of Harry Potter, and fans all across the world are reliving the magic of J.K. Rowling’s beloved series through the wonderful illustrations of Jim Kay.
As you may have read in my previous post, my cousin and I have been looking forward to this since it was announced, and this post is so late because I just got off Facetime with her, wherein I thumbed through each page in front of my ipad so we could celebrate the release together, as the book isn’t available (yet) where she’s based right now.
I’ve been awaiting release details since I learned from Scholastic (during the MIBF) that the shipment was already on its way here. Last week I started bugging them for updates (haha, sorry!) but still didn’t have the details so by yesterday I was already getting antsy. I had meetings all across yesterday and today, so I managed to inquire at the National Book Store in Shangri-la, then again at Cash and Carry (texted the store manager, haha) and this morning at Trinoma with no luck. Then, heading back to Makati I opened my email and got a tip that it would be available within the afternoon (along with a list of stores), so I made a beeline for NBS Glorietta, hoping it would be there already.
And I don’t think my staff ever heard me so shrill as I squee-ed with delight when I found it already on display. Hugging the book, I lost no time in making my way through the counter, where the amused staff noted my rabid enthusiasm and wrote out the receipt by hand (it was literally just unboxed, hence not yet appearing on the system). Then I had to bribe my staff with a celebratory Japanese cheesecake because I just had to sit down somewhere and open my precious package — my 139th Harry Potter book.
I had just read Book 1 in August (my cousin and I are doing a monthly read-along, Book 3 this month, but right now we’re rereading The Cuckoo’s Calling for FFP) but that didn’t stop me from curling up in bed with this hefty new tome as soon as I got home.
It’s about 9×11 in size, and over an inch thick, hardcover, with a dust jacket (the inside is red with the title foil-stamped across the spine), nearly 250 pages (nicely thick and glossy), and a built-in grosgrain ribbon bookmark.
There’s an interview with Jim Kay over on Pottermore. I know you’re after the photos (and it’s well past midnight) so here you go, a look inside*:
Hagrid flying over London
Harry’s cupboard
Hagrid and Harry (LOL at the umbrella)
Diagon Alley
The Hogwarts ghosts
Hagrid’s hut
Quidditch match
The Mirror of Erised
Faculty portrait
The Forbidden Forest
Fluffy!
You-know-who
And ***hearts***
There’s a bonus spread from Newt Scamander’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them:
A page from Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit:
And a spread from Dragon Breeds of England and North Ireland:
It’s a lovely, lovely book, down to the endpapers.
Jim Kay’s illustrations are exquisite, with amazing detail and so much emotion. With over a hundred original full color illustrations, this book is well worth the money, and a must-have for any Potterhead. It also makes a perfect gift for the holidays — whether it’s for a Harry Potter fan or a young reader yet to discover Harry Potter, it’ll last through many readings, perfect for all the moments you need a little magic in your life.
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You’ll find some more photos on my IG (@sumthinblue).
*no copyright infringement intended, just being a fan (squee!)
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (illustrated edition, hardcover) is available at select National Book Store Branches at P1679.
I think Alonso might be getting this for Christmas…
Oh, it’ll be a merry Christmas indeed! :)
I need another copy. One for reading, one to be on the shelf haha.
It’s so beautiful!
I know, right!
I can’t stand not having a copy. I really really NEED it :P
Yes! It’s that sort of book.