Scholastic has unveiled the first of seven new covers for a set of U.S. trade paperback editions of J.K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter series. The new editions will come out in September.
Amulet graphic novel artist Kazu Kibuishi created the covers. What do you think? Kibuishi explained his process in the release:
When I was asked to submit samples, I initially hesitated because I didn’t want to see them reinterpreted! However, 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?’
The children’s publishing house commissioned this new design to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone.
In the United States, the original cover and interior artwork were created by illustrator Mary GrandPré. Her iconic art will still be used for the U.S. hardcover and digest paperback editions of the series.
Within the United Kingdom, Bloomsbury released the Harry Potter series with different covers marketed towards children and adults. An array different artists were hired to design the UK covers.