Harry Potter Illustrated Books

Illustrated Books

Harry Potter Illustrated books by J.K. Rowling and illustrated by Jim Kay.

Book review 5 out of 5 Stars

I wasn’t a fan when the illustrated book for Sorcerer’s Stone was released. I thought that it was just another ripoff to make more money. Twenty-five dollars a book, this making $150 for the entire series! And we have to wait each year for the next book! I’m sure if it was released in one big bundle it would look like a ripoff for just another book copy of this series because there is other reprint editions too. I do like some of the editions now, but the prices are ridiculous for some of them.

In 2015, Juniper Books reprinted the editions in a “special” Hogwarts cover print with 4 book sets printed in the style of the Hogwarts House colors. It’s $275 for the entire books and leather bound set and if you already have the books, then it’s $70 for just the leather bound jacket covers. More info on that go to The Nerdist’s article about why we Potterheads really don’t do need these books. And now this year, Rowling and Pottermore announced the 20th Anniversary Sorcerer’s Stone (Philosopher’s Stone) Hogwarts House editions (hardcover and paperback), to be released in June. And that doesn’t even cover the small spoiler reveals for some of the illustrations for the next book in the Illustrated editions, Prisoner of Azkaban, to be released on October 3, 2017.

But I am apparently a sucker because I bought the two illustrated books. I got the second book for a Christmas gift from my sister and then bought the other one. I bought it because I do love the pictures in these books. It was fun rereading the books with these editions, and my 4 and 6 year old nieces like them too. When they get a bit older maybe I’ll let them borrow these books but more than likely I’ll read the books to them. The words haven’t been changed much compared to the US audiobooks I listened to while reading the books. I did end up noticing some language differences between the US and the Brit’s terms of some things. It does seem at first that the books are shorter but there is two columns on each page, making it a lot more reading for one page. Good thing there’s some pretty pictures on some of those pages for when my nieces might get bored when I read it to them.

So yes, I will get the next illustrated book, Prisoner of Azkaban. And I might add the 20th Anniversary book to my birthday wish list (July b-day).