Scholastic Treats Potterheads with brand-new ‘20“ Anniversary“ covers of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series by award-wiining Illustrator

by - July 03, 2018

HARRY POTTER “20TH ANNIVERSARY” COVERS BY AWARD-WINNING ILLUSTRATOR NOW AVAILABLE IN THE PHILIPPINES

It’s official, I’m old! I can’t believe that Potterheads around the world is officially celebrating 20 years of Harry Potter with the release of new book covers by a known and award-winning artist. It seems it was just yesterday when I was browsing around National Bookstore and I was intrigued by this book with a bespectacled boy riding a broomstick entitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. After reading it overnight, I went back to National to look for the second book but it was sold out already! But thank God my friend Rye has one. He said that he was a little bit embarrassed to tell me that he was reading a YA book, but it was so good he said. Good thing he has the book in his car and I finished reading it in one sitting. Then we influenced another friend and we three can’t stop talking about Harry Potter. That was the start of our Harry Potter addiction and over the years, the agony of waiting for each book is a real torture.


If we shared books with the first two books, the third book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is another story. We each bought our own then and it was always the hardcover edition starting with this one.  We always made sure we were the first to get our hands with the new book and the most memorable one will always be the release of Book 7 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows where we were up by dawn to fall in line because it was going to be a worldwide simultaneous release.

On my part, book 7 had the most impact on me, dislodging Book 5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix where Sirius Black died (after that I got numbed with some of the characters being killed so I was numbed enough when Dumbledore died).

I know Book 7 is going to be brutal but I wasn’t really prepared for it. All those deaths, Fred’s death hit me the hardest that I stopped reading for five hours, was hard to accept and I kept thinking how JK Rowling is such a murderer. You might think I’m overreacting but this is how much I’m into Harry Potter and his world.


The release of book 7 is the end of an era and I always think that no book can surpass the Harry Potter series and how it left an impression to many who have read it. (The movies are another matter) I am glad that we are the first generation who discovered the series.

Yes, twenty years went by so fast and Harry Potter was such a large part of me and my friends’ life. Every time JK Rowling would hand out Harry Potter crumbs, we were always excited to wait for it. Fan fiction is also a godsend for many of us who can’t let go of Harry Potter. As for me, I began to collect Harry Potter international editions, not all but a particular book that I like. When Scholastica announced that they will release a HARRY POTTER “20TH ANNIVERSARY” new Covers Illustrated by Award-Winning Artist Brian Selznick, I was overjoyed. I was planning to buy the series one book at a time for like a period of 5 months for my collection, but LOOK!!!



Scholastic is treating Potterheads to the brand-new ‘20“ Anniversary“ covers of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, illustrated by worldwide bestselling author and award-winning artist Brian Selznick. The release of the new edition marks the celebrated milestone of the 20th Anniversary of the US publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The highly anticipated new paperback editions have been released last June 26, 2018.








Breathing the epic story into life, the new edition is rendered with Selznick’s signature black and white style with jewel-toned type. But when the covers are placed side by side in a chronological order, this is where the real magic happens. The covers will then form a dazzling single image that tells the overarching story that begins with Harry’s arrival at Number Four, Privet Drive. through the epic conclusion of the Battle of Hogwarts.

All seven covers depict thrilling moments and beloved characters from across the series, including Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Albus Dumbledore, and many more. Sharp-eyed readers will spot intricate details throughout the artwork, such as Hermione’s Time-Turner, Harry's Patronus, the maze from the Triwizard Tournament, and the Hogwarts Express steaming toward a new school year with the next generation on board.


Being a fan himself, Selznick said, “I’m a huge Harry Potter fan (a proud Hufflepuff!), and to be asked to illustrate the 20th Anniversary edition covers was an absolute honor. I knew this project came with so much responsibility to the stories, as well as to the readers.

Philippines also celebrated Scholastic 20th Anniversary of Harry Potter with a special tea party held at 49-B Heirloom Kitchen last June 30, 2018.


Scholastic Asia with Pinoy Harry Potter, Hogwarts Phils and National Bookstore celebrated the 20 years of Harry Potter Magic with tournament by way of quiz and activities, where each house; Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff competed for the “House Cup.” Off course, Gryffindor won!




Heirloom’s special menu were served and we especially loved their cookies and scones with butter and jam.

Overall, the celebration is a huge success and some were lucky enough to take home a complete set of Harry Potter books.

Thank you so much Ms. Joyce Bautista, Scholastic Asia and the rest of the team for the magical celebration.



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