Look At These Monsters That Kids Made For J.K. Rowling’s New Book
J.K. Rowling is back in the imagination game. The author who gave us the wonderful universe of Harry Potter has unleashed The Ickabog on the Internet.
There are two things to unpack here: First, this is a new book and also a non-Harry story—don’t look for him. Second, it’s free to read on its website, with two chapters, “King Fred the Fearless” and “The Ickabog,” already live and more installments to be released every weekday until July 10.
Interestingly, the author also launched an illustration contest to provide a distraction for children in “the strange and difficult time we’re passing through” and maybe also help you get those high-energy rugrats off your back.
The real goal, however, is finding illustrations for the printed version of the book, which will be published in November 2020. The bad news? The competition is only open to the U.S., Canada, the U.K. Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and India, but Rowling says she’ll include other countries soon.
We’ll leave the intricate rules to its publishers, but the important things to know are these: Though the contest is for seven- to 12-year-olds, “all ages are free to post their pictures on here,” says Rowling on Twitter. “I'd love to see them!” The author also releases themes to guide the entries, but kids can do whatever they want. In short, doodles are welcome.
Themes for the first two chapters include, of course, the Ickabog and King Fred plus Lady Eslanda, various lords, a map or a flag of Cornucopia, the setting of the story, and “pastries, cheese, sausages, and wine.” Rowland goes on to mention that she values creativity, inventiveness, and effort and not necessarily technical skill in the drawings. See some of the first submissions below.
The Ickabog
I LOVE this Ickabog! #TheIckabog https://t.co/VdbjMwQt4Q
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 26, 2020
#TheIckabog drawn by Darwin, age 7. He loves the story so far and is already working on further illustrations! @jk_rowling @TheIckabog pic.twitter.com/ilnXn3hyWb
— Claire K (@cullitoncl) May 26, 2020
This is my 10 year old daughter Rosie’s first sketch of what she thinks the #TheIckabog looks like @jk_rowling pic.twitter.com/Psm1KEJkac
— Simon Gemine (@gemine69) May 26, 2020
Here is what my 11yo Sophie thinks #theIckabog might look like... She’s so excited to read the next chapter of the story by @jk_rowling pic.twitter.com/CRnwBOLYZH
— Catherine Ball (@Catcopywriting) May 26, 2020
@jk_rowling here’s #TheIckabog as imagined by Nancy, aged 9. pic.twitter.com/DmKd5AcLt5
— Conor Mullan (@_conormullan) May 26, 2020
King Fred the Fearless
@jk_rowling my 14yr old son is too old to enter the competition but here is his King Fred the fearless #TheIckabog pic.twitter.com/rwDDwGKUXz
— Victoria Mulcahy (@welshhedgehog) May 26, 2020
#KingFredtheFearless by Autumn aged 11, UK. #TheIckabog pic.twitter.com/dGVRmHxwMU
— ????Heather ???? (@hevcom) May 26, 2020
I know we're slightly ahead of deadline on this but my son is super-keen... #TheIckabog pic.twitter.com/GuOAPvoPnI
— Nick Harrison (@harrisharrison) May 26, 2020
Harrison’s King Fred the Fearless. ???????? #TheIckabog @jk_rowling @TheIckabog pic.twitter.com/l9teUqYTRW
— J (@JordanTweets_x) May 26, 2020
Alice (9) has drawn King Fred the Fearless for the new @jk_rowling story @TheIckabog #TheIckabog and she’d also like me to mention that his gold collar says “I’m rich” ???? pic.twitter.com/4QioFfc4W7
— Liam McBey (@LeeJ2512) May 26, 2020
Lady Eslanda
Not for competition (as I’m a 17yr old oldie) but instead, for fun. How I envision Lady Eslanda @jk_rowling #TheIckabog pic.twitter.com/oGNO1frqmk
— Bella Simpson (@Bella_simpson_x) May 26, 2020
Corunucopia
Here’s my 8 year old drawing of the first chapter of #TheIckabog @jk_rowling pic.twitter.com/eBUV0H9uEn
— AliciaCambridge (@AliciaCambridge) May 26, 2020
#TheIckabog @jk_rowling Map of Cornucopia by Alex Cyr age 8 ???????? pic.twitter.com/4tvTaxhmRR
— Erin (@Erinecyr) May 26, 2020
If you’re keen to participate, remember to include #TheIckabog in your post so Rowland, an active Twitter user, can retweet and comment.
Rowling says the story, which she wrote for her children over 10 years ago, is meant to be read out loud. “Whether you read it yourself, or have it read to you, I hope you enjoy it,” she adds in her long Twitter note.
In one final bit of good news, the author will also donate royalties of the published books to COVID-19 projects. Consider that as the monster story's fairytale ending.
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