It’s hard to believe that Harry Potter has been around for 15 years. Yes that’s 15 years. It feels like only yesterday that we were first introduced to the boy wizard and the school he called home.
Today, Publisher’s Weekly, announced that Scholastic will be re-releasing the instant classic series with all new covers for the paperback editions. The design for the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone has already been revealed.
The new covers are being designed by Kazu Kibishi (most known for being the creator of the graphic novel Amulet). Kibishi was very honored to be selected to design the new covers: “Initially I didn’t want to see it done, because I love the original covers so much. I’m a huge fan. But after thinking about it for a while, I figured if someone were going to do it, I should try it.”
According to Scholastic, the new covers are going to be a way to keep bringing new readers to the series. Kibishi’s design for Sorcerer’s Stone give a new breath of life to the series. While no one doubts the fantastic covers of the original artist, Mary GrandPre, the new covers will bring new life and variety to the series.
Some fans a little hesitant to accept the new cover designs; they aren’t “Their” designs seems to be the main argument. Over time many classic (and cult classic) books have had multiple new cover designs (the main example being The Lord of the Rings). The new cover designs are a great idea, it allows for new non-movie related art to be released, and provides a variety of different interpretations of the world of Harry Potter.
All seven books will be available for individual purchase in September for prices between $12.99 and $16.99. A box set of all the books will be available for $100.