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Harry Potter: A Magical Year - The Illustrations of Jim Kay
A unique and beautiful gift book celebrating the art of Jim Kay -- 366 magical moments from J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter novels, evoked in spellbinding brushstrokes, characterful ink work, and illuminating pencil sketches.
This irresistible gift book takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the seasons at Hogwarts. Jim Kay’s captivating illustrations, paired with much-loved quotations from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels -- one moment, anniversary, or memory for every day of the year -- bring to life all of the magic, beauty, and wonder of the wizarding world.
Jim Kay has been enchanting readers since the publication of the Illustrated Edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2015. Now, in Harry Potter: A Magical Year, a selection of Kay’s most iconic illustrations are joined by previously unseen pencil sketches and preparatory pieces, offering unique and fascinating insight into the artist’s sketchbook.
From the snowy towers of Hogwarts, to the dancing eyes of Professor Albus Dumbledore, to the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley, this visual feast is the perfect companion for readers of all ages, at any point on their Harry Potter journey, and a gift to cherish for years to come.
This irresistible gift book takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the seasons at Hogwarts. Jim Kay’s captivating illustrations, paired with much-loved quotations from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels -- one moment, anniversary, or memory for every day of the year -- bring to life all of the magic, beauty, and wonder of the wizarding world.
Jim Kay has been enchanting readers since the publication of the Illustrated Edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2015. Now, in Harry Potter: A Magical Year, a selection of Kay’s most iconic illustrations are joined by previously unseen pencil sketches and preparatory pieces, offering unique and fascinating insight into the artist’s sketchbook.
From the snowy towers of Hogwarts, to the dancing eyes of Professor Albus Dumbledore, to the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley, this visual feast is the perfect companion for readers of all ages, at any point on their Harry Potter journey, and a gift to cherish for years to come.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 19, 2021
191 people are currently reading
1576 people want to read
About the author
J.K. Rowling
672 books233k followersSee also: Robert Galbraith
Although she writes under the pen name J.K. Rowling, pronounced like rolling, her name when her first Harry Potter book was published was simply Joanne Rowling. Anticipating that the target audience of young boys might not want to read a book written by a woman, her publishers demanded that she use two initials, rather than her full name. As she had no middle name, she chose K as the second initial of her pen name, from her paternal grandmother Kathleen Ada Bulgen Rowling. She calls herself Jo and has said, "No one ever called me 'Joanne' when I was young, unless they were angry." Following her marriage, she has sometimes used the name Joanne Murray when conducting personal business. During the Leveson Inquiry she gave evidence under the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. In a 2012 interview, Rowling noted that she no longer cared that people pronounced her name incorrectly.
Rowling was born to Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, and Anne Rowling (née Volant), on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Bristol. Her mother Anne was half-French and half-Scottish. Her parents first met on a train departing from King's Cross Station bound for Arbroath in 1964. They married on 14 March 1965. Her mother's maternal grandfather, Dugald Campbell, was born in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. Her mother's paternal grandfather, Louis Volant, was awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional bravery in defending the village of Courcelles-le-Comte during the First World War.
Rowling's sister Dianne was born at their home when Rowling was 23 months old. The family moved to the nearby village Winterbourne when Rowling was four. She attended St Michael's Primary School, a school founded by abolitionist William Wilberforce and education reformer Hannah More. Her headmaster at St Michael's, Alfred Dunn, has been suggested as the inspiration for the Harry Potter headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
As a child, Rowling often wrote fantasy stories, which she would usually then read to her sister. She recalls that: "I can still remember me telling her a story in which she fell down a rabbit hole and was fed strawberries by the rabbit family inside it. Certainly the first story I ever wrote down (when I was five or six) was about a rabbit called Rabbit. He got the measles and was visited by his friends, including a giant bee called Miss Bee." At the age of nine, Rowling moved to Church Cottage in the Gloucestershire village of Tutshill, close to Chepstow, Wales. When she was a young teenager, her great aunt, who Rowling said "taught classics and approved of a thirst for knowledge, even of a questionable kind," gave her a very old copy of Jessica Mitford's autobiography, Hons and Rebels. Mitford became Rowling's heroine, and Rowling subsequently read all of her books.
Rowling has said of her teenage years, in an interview with The New Yorker, "I wasn’t particularly happy. I think it’s a dreadful time of life." She had a difficult homelife; her mother was ill and she had a difficult relationship with her father (she is no longer on speaking terms with him). She attended secondary school at Wyedean School and College, where her mother had worked as a technician in the science department. Rowling said of her adolescence, "Hermione [a bookish, know-it-all Harry Potter character] is loosely based on me. She's a caricature of me when I was eleven, which I'm not particularly proud of." Steve Eddy, who taught Rowling English when she first arrived, remembers her as "not exceptional" but "one of a group of girls who were bright, and quite good at English." Sean Harris, her best friend in the Upper Sixth owned a turquoise Ford Anglia, which she says inspired the one in her books.
Although she writes under the pen name J.K. Rowling, pronounced like rolling, her name when her first Harry Potter book was published was simply Joanne Rowling. Anticipating that the target audience of young boys might not want to read a book written by a woman, her publishers demanded that she use two initials, rather than her full name. As she had no middle name, she chose K as the second initial of her pen name, from her paternal grandmother Kathleen Ada Bulgen Rowling. She calls herself Jo and has said, "No one ever called me 'Joanne' when I was young, unless they were angry." Following her marriage, she has sometimes used the name Joanne Murray when conducting personal business. During the Leveson Inquiry she gave evidence under the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. In a 2012 interview, Rowling noted that she no longer cared that people pronounced her name incorrectly.
Rowling was born to Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, and Anne Rowling (née Volant), on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Bristol. Her mother Anne was half-French and half-Scottish. Her parents first met on a train departing from King's Cross Station bound for Arbroath in 1964. They married on 14 March 1965. Her mother's maternal grandfather, Dugald Campbell, was born in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. Her mother's paternal grandfather, Louis Volant, was awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional bravery in defending the village of Courcelles-le-Comte during the First World War.
Rowling's sister Dianne was born at their home when Rowling was 23 months old. The family moved to the nearby village Winterbourne when Rowling was four. She attended St Michael's Primary School, a school founded by abolitionist William Wilberforce and education reformer Hannah More. Her headmaster at St Michael's, Alfred Dunn, has been suggested as the inspiration for the Harry Potter headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
As a child, Rowling often wrote fantasy stories, which she would usually then read to her sister. She recalls that: "I can still remember me telling her a story in which she fell down a rabbit hole and was fed strawberries by the rabbit family inside it. Certainly the first story I ever wrote down (when I was five or six) was about a rabbit called Rabbit. He got the measles and was visited by his friends, including a giant bee called Miss Bee." At the age of nine, Rowling moved to Church Cottage in the Gloucestershire village of Tutshill, close to Chepstow, Wales. When she was a young teenager, her great aunt, who Rowling said "taught classics and approved of a thirst for knowledge, even of a questionable kind," gave her a very old copy of Jessica Mitford's autobiography, Hons and Rebels. Mitford became Rowling's heroine, and Rowling subsequently read all of her books.
Rowling has said of her teenage years, in an interview with The New Yorker, "I wasn’t particularly happy. I think it’s a dreadful time of life." She had a difficult homelife; her mother was ill and she had a difficult relationship with her father (she is no longer on speaking terms with him). She attended secondary school at Wyedean School and College, where her mother had worked as a technician in the science department. Rowling said of her adolescence, "Hermione [a bookish, know-it-all Harry Potter character] is loosely based on me. She's a caricature of me when I was eleven, which I'm not particularly proud of." Steve Eddy, who taught Rowling English when she first arrived, remembers her as "not exceptional" but "one of a group of girls who were bright, and quite good at English." Sean Harris, her best friend in the Upper Sixth owned a turquoise Ford Anglia, which she says inspired the one in her books.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
October 31, 2021
I don’t care if it’s through the year, I wanted to go through it!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
April 2, 2024
2022
There was something quite wonderful about taking a minute or two each day to open this book, read the assigned quote, and look at the pictures that went along with it. I think I will do it again next year.
It also has reminded me that I should get the Illustrated Editions eventually - the art really is beautiful.
2023:
This continues to be a fun book to incorporate into my daily routine. I still haven't gotten the Illustrated Editions, but I will eventually! 😂📚
November 26, 2021
Of course i got this book because of Jim's amazing illustrations and he hasn't disappointed me whatsoever in any of the ones that he's currently done for this world. This was a very quick read for me as i was only really focused on the details of the drawings that were in the book and only slightly glanced over some of the quotes that were chosen.
I'm also going to also discuss the illustrations for the main series as well with only 4 of them currently out and of course there all amazing. I loved all of his drawings for the different characters and his interpretation of them and some were completely different to what i have pictured in my mind and i will be really interested how he does them for books 5-7. The buildings for each of the different parts of the castle and the surrounding areas I really loved and just kept looking at all the individual details and the colours that he chose were so good I had no complaints.
I will forever praise Jim for his hardwork and dedication to doing this because this isn't an easy job and I will support him as this job has really pushed him to the edge mentally and psychically. I know a lot of people will not buy this book because of J.K rowling but i wanted to get it because i want to support Jim and the amazing work he's done for this series because he honestly needs all the praise we can give him.
I'm also going to also discuss the illustrations for the main series as well with only 4 of them currently out and of course there all amazing. I loved all of his drawings for the different characters and his interpretation of them and some were completely different to what i have pictured in my mind and i will be really interested how he does them for books 5-7. The buildings for each of the different parts of the castle and the surrounding areas I really loved and just kept looking at all the individual details and the colours that he chose were so good I had no complaints.
I will forever praise Jim for his hardwork and dedication to doing this because this isn't an easy job and I will support him as this job has really pushed him to the edge mentally and psychically. I know a lot of people will not buy this book because of J.K rowling but i wanted to get it because i want to support Jim and the amazing work he's done for this series because he honestly needs all the praise we can give him.
January 1, 2023
What a wonderful book to spend a year with!
As probably everyone here knows, I'm a huuuge Potterhead. It is therefore no surprise that I own several different editions of the books and couldn't resist this one which presents the reader with a quote from any of the 7 books for each day of year.
So yes, the quotes are often matching the months they are presented in and the book shows the birthdays of the characters too. Moreover, I very much enjoyed the fact that some illustrations were simple (yet intricate) pencil drawings while others were full-colour illustrations. Equally, some were small while others filled an entire page.
Jim Kay thus showed details that nicely represented the different people in the wizarding world but also the various creatures and places we all know so well.
For a few examples, you can refer to my status updates. I didn't want to spoil too much - just show you enough to wet your appetites. ;)
If you're looking for something new, content-wise, this is not the book for you. But if you like a stroll down memory lane that lets you have a magical year, definitely read this.
Jim Kay is a wonderful artist and very talented. His version of people, creatures and places doesn't always match the one(s) I had in my head while reading the books, but I still very much appreciate the intricate details he always puts in as well as colour palette he uses and how he manages to convey the quirkiness of Rowling's world.
As probably everyone here knows, I'm a huuuge Potterhead. It is therefore no surprise that I own several different editions of the books and couldn't resist this one which presents the reader with a quote from any of the 7 books for each day of year.
So yes, the quotes are often matching the months they are presented in and the book shows the birthdays of the characters too. Moreover, I very much enjoyed the fact that some illustrations were simple (yet intricate) pencil drawings while others were full-colour illustrations. Equally, some were small while others filled an entire page.
Jim Kay thus showed details that nicely represented the different people in the wizarding world but also the various creatures and places we all know so well.
For a few examples, you can refer to my status updates. I didn't want to spoil too much - just show you enough to wet your appetites. ;)
If you're looking for something new, content-wise, this is not the book for you. But if you like a stroll down memory lane that lets you have a magical year, definitely read this.
Jim Kay is a wonderful artist and very talented. His version of people, creatures and places doesn't always match the one(s) I had in my head while reading the books, but I still very much appreciate the intricate details he always puts in as well as colour palette he uses and how he manages to convey the quirkiness of Rowling's world.
January 4, 2023
Beautiful illustrations.
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November 8, 2021
Another book I "read" just for the pictures. The art is gorgeous, and I love it.
It reminds me of the good old days, when I loved Harry Potter. Before all the absolute bull that JKR has been pulling.
Read it for the art, hate the author.
It reminds me of the good old days, when I loved Harry Potter. Before all the absolute bull that JKR has been pulling.
Read it for the art, hate the author.
December 29, 2023
This book has been my friend for this past year. Loved everything about it. Content...arrangement...and illustrations.
Amazing.
I may have to start again January 1st.
Amazing.
I may have to start again January 1st.
October 12, 2025
Beautiful illustrations, I really love Jim Kay’s style. However, I felt the quotes were sometimes a bit random, which makes sense because how can you find 365 good quotes to fill a whole book? I think this book would have been stronger without a quote per day but Meike a few quotes and just the illustrations on their own.
Still a nice addition to have.
Fuck JK Rowling tho
Still a nice addition to have.
Fuck JK Rowling tho
September 25, 2022
Like a cool breeze in a hot summer day. This book is like a little treat for my longing of Harry Potter World and Hogwarts 🤍
January 31, 2022
The illustrations in this book is very well made, pretty, daring and sometimes scaring.
Sadly thats "all" this book got going for it. The days are "boring" in terms of lines and I had hoped they would have made more of a story, instead of just random lines.
But again, a pretty book, but one I am glad I only borrowed from the library to look in.
Sadly thats "all" this book got going for it. The days are "boring" in terms of lines and I had hoped they would have made more of a story, instead of just random lines.
But again, a pretty book, but one I am glad I only borrowed from the library to look in.
December 28, 2024
Harry Potter und Jim Kay sind eine fantastische Mischung und die passend ausgewählten Zitate…da schlägt mein Potterhead Herz 🥹
December 31, 2024
A dear friend sent me this when she realized I hadn't read it; I thoroughly enjoyed reading it throughout the year--while I tried to just read the daily snippet from the series, sometimes I lost control and read a week or so at once!
Lovely. Always.
Lovely. Always.
April 11, 2022
A lot of fun and the illustrations are stunning
Read
February 16, 2025its a nice feeling to open this book every day and look at which quote is today, or on my birthday, or when was the battle of hogwarts
May 29, 2021
Semplicissima come idea, ma estremamente efficace. Sfrutta al meglio le più riuscite tra le illustrazioni di Jim Kay e le unisce alla ciclicità rassicurante tipica della saga, evidente soprattutto nei primi libri. L'avvicendarsi delle stagioni, con le belle aperture di capitolo che segnalano il passaggio graduale del tempo, rivive in questa raccolta di citazioni più e meno note.
January 4, 2023
This day by day sort of calendar book was a reprieve gift while we waited for the illustrated edition of Order of the Phoenix. Inside it incorporated some quotes and passages from the Harry Potter series. With illustrations from the first four illustrated editions of Harry Potter by Jim Kay and some never before seen rough pencil sketches. A true collection for Harry Potter fans and Jim Kay fans.
November 25, 2022
Cute, but some entries are less than a sentence. I wouldn’t really bother with it if you’re focus is reading a bit each day. BUT the artwork is very good and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
November 25, 2022
Knižka, ktorá vyniká svojimi ilustráciami - tie sú ozaj krásne. Text, na každý deň v roku, tu tvorí krátky úryvok z kníh o Harrym Potterovi, ktorý cca súvisí s daným mesiacom (napr. v decembri je opisovaný prvý sneh, Vianoce). Prišlo mi to také vytrhnuté z kontextu, dajme sem pár viet "aby tu niečo bolo". Text v tejto knihe preto vnímam ako chabý doplnok k obrazovej stránke.
January 1, 2023
¡Un año entero leyendo fragmentos de Harry Potter! Cuando vi la idea de este libro no dudé en comprarmelo y así, cada día, recuperar un poquito de la magia de la saga ♥
Las ilustraciones de Jim Kay que lo acompañan me encantan, pero son las mismas que los libros ilustrados, así que realmente no aporta nada nuevo salvo volver a disfrutar de ellas.
En cuanto a los fragmentos, siento decir que en cierto modo me ha decepcionado un poco. Me ha encantado rememorar momentos de la saga, pero siento que algunos fragmentos no son tan destacables y algunos son muy muy cortos, que casi no aportan nada. Me hubiera gustado que hubieran sido algo más extensos (algunos solo son dos frases y ni siquiera de las más memorables) o al menos escenas más destacadas, aquellas que siempre llevas contigo y que te encanta releer una y otra vez. Aún así ha sido un gustazo leer cada día algo que me volviera a transportar a Hogwarts.
Las ilustraciones de Jim Kay que lo acompañan me encantan, pero son las mismas que los libros ilustrados, así que realmente no aporta nada nuevo salvo volver a disfrutar de ellas.
En cuanto a los fragmentos, siento decir que en cierto modo me ha decepcionado un poco. Me ha encantado rememorar momentos de la saga, pero siento que algunos fragmentos no son tan destacables y algunos son muy muy cortos, que casi no aportan nada. Me hubiera gustado que hubieran sido algo más extensos (algunos solo son dos frases y ni siquiera de las más memorables) o al menos escenas más destacadas, aquellas que siempre llevas contigo y que te encanta releer una y otra vez. Aún así ha sido un gustazo leer cada día algo que me volviera a transportar a Hogwarts.
October 10, 2023
Me voy a declarar detractor de los libros fuera de la saga de Harry Potter. Recibí este ejemplar, hermoso, como regalo de cumpleaños, ansiaba leer uno a uno los apartes asignados a cada día del año teniendo la esperanza de despertar nostalgia o recuerdos lindos y la realidad es que solo fue decepción.
Las ilustraciones de Jim Kay son preciosas, amo la edición ilustrada de Harry Potter por esa misma razón, pero este libro solo es una recopilación de ilustraciones de los libros ilustrados y pedazos de texto al azar. No hay congruencia, no hay sentido o lógica en la distribución de los textos, ni siquiera son los mejores textos o frases o escenas de la saga, solo son copy and page de pedazos de los libros.
No gasten el dinero así amigues.
Las ilustraciones de Jim Kay son preciosas, amo la edición ilustrada de Harry Potter por esa misma razón, pero este libro solo es una recopilación de ilustraciones de los libros ilustrados y pedazos de texto al azar. No hay congruencia, no hay sentido o lógica en la distribución de los textos, ni siquiera son los mejores textos o frases o escenas de la saga, solo son copy and page de pedazos de los libros.
No gasten el dinero así amigues.
March 10, 2022
This is a beautiful hardback book. Each day, there is a different piece of Harry Potter writing to read and the pages are filled with beautiful illustrations. You do not need to be a Harry Potter fan to read this but of you are you will love it!
December 31, 2022
Siempre es un placer reencontrarme con el mundo mágico y esta es una forma que me ha acompañado a lo largo del año con las maravillosas ilustraciones de Jim Kay, que hacen de ésta una experiencia mucho más disfrutarble.
December 25, 2025
Elke dag een beetje Harry Potter,wat heeft een mens meer nodig?
2025 wederom elke dag kunnen genieten van Harry Potter.
jaarlijkse traditie.
2025 wederom elke dag kunnen genieten van Harry Potter.
jaarlijkse traditie.
February 21, 2023
Un bon moyen de se replonger dans l'univers. Mais le livre n'apporte rien de nouveau.
November 18, 2023
Yeah this book was a real disappointment to me. The illustrations are not the issue (how could they be? lol), it's just that, I honestly feel that this book was presented very misleadingly. It does have all 366 days, but, the quotes for each day don't necessarily adds up chronologically, rendering the book quite... I can't think of an adjective if "pointless" is a bit too harsh. I'm giving it a 2, only because, I guess, for people who had love for HP but don't have enough love to actually own all of the books, this book may be considered useful for some sort of reference, but it doesn't really add anything. It's a great concept, which really got me excited, but what it turned out to be was just something very... not as thoughtful as I would hope it'd be.
January 10, 2023
A great book for any Harry Potter fan. 5 *'s
Harry Potter A Magical Year, is a filler book while Jim Kay worked on the illustrated version of The Order of the Phoenix. The publishers just put together a collection of his illustrations from the previous books and added quotes and short paragraphs from the Harry Potter series. One for every day of the year.
This book was a quick and enjoyable read and makes me want to read Harry Potter again. I would recommend this book to any Harry Potter collector, or, it would be a nice addition if you didn't purchase any of the illustrated edition to display with your Harry Potter series.
Harry Potter A Magical Year, is a filler book while Jim Kay worked on the illustrated version of The Order of the Phoenix. The publishers just put together a collection of his illustrations from the previous books and added quotes and short paragraphs from the Harry Potter series. One for every day of the year.
This book was a quick and enjoyable read and makes me want to read Harry Potter again. I would recommend this book to any Harry Potter collector, or, it would be a nice addition if you didn't purchase any of the illustrated edition to display with your Harry Potter series.
October 3, 2025
Für mich als Harry-Potter-Fan ist dieses Buch ein absolutes Muss. Die liebevolle Gestaltung, die wunderschönen Zeichnungen und die vielen Zitate oder kleinen Geschichten für jeden Tag im Jahr machen es zu etwas ganz Besonderem. Vieles habe ich dabei neu entdeckt, anderes weckt wunderbare Erinnerungen an die Magische Welt, die mich schon so lange begleitet.
Ich mag besonders, dass man das Buch immer wieder zur Hand nehmen kann – egal ob für einen kleinen Moment Magie im Alltag oder um in Erinnerungen an Hogwarts zu schwelgen. Für mich ist es ein Schatz, den ich sicher noch oft durchblättern werde.
Ich mag besonders, dass man das Buch immer wieder zur Hand nehmen kann – egal ob für einen kleinen Moment Magie im Alltag oder um in Erinnerungen an Hogwarts zu schwelgen. Für mich ist es ein Schatz, den ich sicher noch oft durchblättern werde.
March 29, 2023
Puntaje real: 3.5/5.
Siento que la idea fue buena, y el potencial que había también, pero me quedó debiendo.
Las ilustraciones son hermosas, y a nivel de edición muy bien hecho, pero hubo mucho reciclaje, esperaba más contenido inédito.
En cuanto a las frases, siento que se pasó por alto varias frases épicas y memorables de los siete libros, pero en general estuvo bien.
Siento que la idea fue buena, y el potencial que había también, pero me quedó debiendo.
Las ilustraciones son hermosas, y a nivel de edición muy bien hecho, pero hubo mucho reciclaje, esperaba más contenido inédito.
En cuanto a las frases, siento que se pasó por alto varias frases épicas y memorables de los siete libros, pero en general estuvo bien.
January 7, 2022
I gifted this book to my sister. I have a "shakespeare a day" book myself which I love
This one is so magical and what I love most is reading a quote, guessing what book it is from before checking if you're right 😂
This one is so magical and what I love most is reading a quote, guessing what book it is from before checking if you're right 😂
December 25, 2021
A quote from the Harry Potter books for every day for the year. Beautiful illustrations. Would make a nice gift for a Harry Potter fan.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews