Harry Potter has been a huge part of my world ever since I was seven-years-old and read Philosopher's Stone for the first time. I've grown up with Harry, Hermione and Ron and that is the main reason why I am so insanely excited to be part of the blog tour! We have a some awesome content from the new edition of Chamber of Secrets, including GORGEOUS gif showing illustrator Johnny Duddle's sketches for the cover, some awesome pictures and author Katie Coyle's reasons for why Harry Potter is so important to her. I may also throw in a little fangirling from myself, if you don't mind! ;)
But enough of this: onto the fun stuff...
Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets
Harry Potter’s summer has included the worst birthday ever, doomy warnings from a house-elf called Dobby, and rescue from the Dursleys by his friend Ron Weasley in a magical flying car! Back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, Harry hears strange whispers echo through empty corridors – and then the attacks start. Students are found as though turned to stone ... Dobby’s sinister predictions seem to be coming true.
Jonny Duddle, jacket illustrator for the new Harry Potter children’s editions reveals three facts about the cover of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets:
- I bought a Slytherin robe, so the boy from next door, Sammy, could model as reference for Harry.
- I bought the Slytherin robe because it was cheaper than the Gryffindor version!
- I changed Fawkes at the last minute, and turned his head to face out of the painting.
The finished cover! Isn't it gorgeous?!
Katie Coyle, author of Vivian versus the Apocalypse, explains why Harry Potter is so important to her:
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| Katie Coyle! |
"I was twelve when I met Harry Potter, just young enough to believe my owl from Hogwarts was flying slightly behind schedule. Without him, I would not be a reader; I would not be a writer. No story has ever affected me as much as Harry’s. His was the first that made me feel as if two doors had opened inside my head—one leading to the outside world, huge and new and endlessly interesting; the other leading inward to myself, memories and emotions I had yet to understand. I’ve loved other books, but only with Harry Potter have I had the curious, enveloping feeling that the book somehow loves me back.
"At the series’ core is a strong moral code, lessons in how to become a better, braver, more empathetic person. How to fight injustice—sometimes clumsily, always rightly. How to stand with Muggle-borns and house elves. How to love wildly, boldly, even if it means breaking your own heart. Over seven books, Harry loses nearly every adult who ever cares for him, but he never shuts himself away. He invites more and more people into his life, people he will love and could easily lose. This is the most important thing Harry Potter ever taught me: that everyone I have ever loved will die, and that is all the reason to love them just as hard as I can.
"That is, after all, what Harry would do. And though my owl is at this point nearly seventeen years late, I think I’ll always look to him for wisdom and guidance. Because while of course I know he was just a story happening inside my head—there is no reason on earth that should mean he isn’t real."
And this is from the back cover!! I love Dobby and this picture is too cute! Way more fitting with the book's version of Dobby, too, rather than the movie one!
The New Harry Potter Website!
Bloomsbury Publishing has relaunched its Harry Potter website to support the new children’s editions. The new Harry Potter site uses the Jonny Duddle artwork from the new children’s editions and includes pages of information on the bestselling series as well as exciting new content from Magical Downloads to a Harry Potter Quote Generator. Check out the new site at: http://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/uk/
Check this site out- it's AWESOME!
And A Little Rambling From Me To Finish
As I said earlier, I feel like I grew up with Harry, Hermione and Ron. I didn't start when the first book came out (in no small part due to the fact I would've been one at the time - I'm good, but I'm not that good) but instead found the series aged around seven. Before long me, my mother, cousin and aunt were all reading the books and debating about them. I can't remember how long the four of us would sit there, arguing about who was good, what would happen in the next book and who was our favourite character.
For me, Harry Potter was not only an intensely personal, magical and beautiful journal, it was also something that really brought me together with people - first with the rest of my family and then with people and school and finally bloggers. C'mon, who of us aren't massive HP fans?!
But Harry Potter also helped me find myself. My mother is the one who turned me into the addicted reader I am today (yeah, Mum, the insane number of books I own is all your fault) but Harry Potter influenced the kind of books I read. It turned my young brain from animal books onto magical, action-packed and exciting books. I like to think it gave me my crazy imagination and helped me grow as a daydreamer. It made a young child believe in a whole new kind of magic and a now adult believe anything is possible and that magic really does exist.
I mean, even after all these years, I remember the magic of reading Harry Potter for the very first time. The magic doesn't really go, not really, but that first time... It's just beyond description, something only another Potter-lover can get and something only Potter makes me feel. Why else would I queue for hours in the freezing cold with only cookies and tea to keep me warm, waiting for the very last book to come out? God, that was a good night... I got my face painted and played wizard-y games... I haven't queued for a book since because it will never, ever be the same.
But my point is, these new covers are going to inspire a whole new generation of die-hard fans like myself. They're beautiful - obviously Harry Potter but with a new magic, a new spark. And new fans are discovering the magic every second - and realising that books are ALWAYS better than the movies. My younger brother found this out last year - he read all seven books over the summer holidays and loved them so much he constantly told Mum and me HP facts we already knew very, very well. He was just so excited and in love with the books: magic! And these covers will give that to new children and new families and will give them stories they will treasure forever. And, really, is there anything more magic than that?
Phew! Sorry about that last bit - they said to add my own views... I didn't realise my views would be so long! Anyway, keep up with the blog tour - it's so brilliant!! Check out the Philosopher's Stone post on Winged Reviews and stop by Jess Hearts Books tomorrow for Prisoner of Azkaban!
Anyway, I hope you like the post - and the new cover, of course!! Let me know what you all think in the comments!!