Nearly The Ickabog

The idea for The Ickabog came to me while I was however writing Harry Potter. I wrote most of a start draft in fits and starts betwixt Potter books, intending to publish it after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

However, after the terminal Potter book I wanted to have a break from publishing, which concluded upwards lasting five years. In that time I wrote The Casual Vacancy and Robert Galbraith wrote The Cuckoo's Calling. Later on some dithering (and also after my long-suffering agent had trademarked The Ickabog – sorry, Neil) I decided I wanted to step abroad from children's books for a while. At that point, the beginning draft of The Ickabog went up into the attic, where it'due south remained for well-nigh a decade. Over time I came to think of it as a story that belonged to my two younger children, because I'd read it to them in the evenings when they were piddling, which has always been a happy family memory.

A few weeks ago at dinner, I tentatively mooted the idea of getting The Ickabog down from the attic and publishing it for free, for children in lockdown. My now teenagers were touchingly enthusiastic, and so downstairs came the very dusty box, and for the concluding few weeks I've been immersed in a fictional earth I thought I'd never enter again. As I worked to finish the volume, I started reading capacity nightly to the family unit once more. This was one of the most extraordinary experiences of my writing life, equally The Ickabog's first 2 readers told me what they retrieve from when they were tiny, and demanded the reinstatement of bits they'd specially liked (I obeyed).

I think The Ickabog lends itself well to serialisation considering it was written as a read-aloud book (unconsciously shaped, I recall, past the way I read it to my ain children), but it's suitable for vii-ix twelvemonth olds to read to themselves.

I'll exist posting a chapter (or two, or iii) every weekday between 26th May and 10th July on The Ickabog website. The Ickabog is available to read in English (United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland/Usa), French, Italian, German, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese, bank check the website for updates on boosted languages.

The Ickabog is a story nigh truth and the corruption of ability.  To forbid ane obvious question: the idea came to me well over a decade ago, and then it isn't intended to exist read as a response to annihilation that'due south happening in the world right at present. The themes are timeless and could employ to whatever era or any state.

The Illustration Competition

Having decided to publish, I thought how wonderful it would be if children in lockdown, or otherwise needing lark during the strange and hard time we're passing through, illustrated the story for me. There will be suggestions about the illustrations we might need for each chapter on The Ickabog website, but nobody should experience constrained past these ideas. I want to come across imaginations run wild! Inventiveness, inventiveness and effort are the most important things: we aren't necessarily looking for the most technical skill!

In November 2020, The Ickabog will be published in English language in impress, eBook and audiobook formats, shortly followed by other languages. The best drawings in each territory volition be included in the finished books. As publishers in each territory will need to decide which pictures work best for their ain editions, I won't exist personally judging the entries. All the same, if parents and guardians post their children's drawing on Twitter using the hashtag #TheIckabog, I'll be able to share and comment!  To notice out more about the Illustration Competition, go to The Ickabog website.

Covid-nineteen Donation

I'm pledging all author royalties from The Ickabog, when published, to aid groups who've been peculiarly impacted by the pandemic. Farther details volition be available later in the year.

Huge thanks are due…

… to my dear friend and editor Arthur Levine; to the phenomenal James McKnight of the Blair Partnership, who's worked tirelessly to make this project a reality in a very brusk infinite of time; to Ruth Alltimes at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, whose assist has been invaluable; to my peerless direction team, Rebecca Salt, Nicky Stonehill and Marking Hutchinson and to my wonderful agent Neil Blair. I promise all of you not to have any more bright ideas for a few months at least.