Bloomsbury have sent over some exciting news this morning. Award-winning artist Jonny Duddle has redesigned the covers of all seven books to reinvent the children’s hardback and paperback editions of Harry Potter. You can see a photo of the new Philosopher’s Stone cover in the gallery. According to the press release:

Along with the brand new artwork and an updated author biography, the editions will also be reset to create a child-friendly reading experience for a new generation of readers. The titles will also contain highlights from Pottermore, the digital platform for Harry Potter. All seven titles will be published on 1st September 2014.

Together with J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury selected Jonny to create front, back and spine artwork for each book. On the honor, Jonny said:

‘I’m hugely excited to work my way through the wonderful books. I couldn’t have asked for more enjoyable subject matter. It’s exciting, daunting and I feel the weight of responsibility, and I’m just hoping that my illustrations faithfully reflect the characters and world created by J.K.Rowling’

Jonny Duddle is best known for his award-winning picture books, including The Pirate Cruncher and The Pirates Next Door (winner of the Waterstones Children’s Prize and shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize). He has a background in the computer games industry and is highly skilled at character development. His work has appeared in Aardman films and Terry Pratchett novels.

Pottermore will publish the eBook editions of all seven books with the Jonny Duddle jackets at the same time. Bloomsbury has also collaborated with Pottermore to highlight how readers can discover more about the world of Harry Potter on Pottermore.com from J.K. Rowling. This information will feature in the back of the new children’s editions.

And, as we posted back in December, Jim Kay’s fully illustrated colour edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will still be published by Bloomsbury (and Pottermore) in Autumn 2015. It will be available in hardback and eBook and the remaining six books will be published annually after that.

They also tease that even more exciting Harry Potter plans will be announced at the London Book Fair in April.

In addition to the news we reported earlier about the upcoming full-color, fully illustrated, Harry Potter books, Bloomsbury have sent over a Q&A with Jim Kay, the artist creating the new illustrations.  The Guardian has also released a photo of Hogwarts, as illustrated by Jim. Below are some questions specifically about his work for Potter. Click more below to see all the questions.

How did you feel when you found out you would be illustrating the Harry Potter novels? Scientists say the Big Bang is to be followed by the Big Crunch, I feel I have firsthand experience of this theory, for hearing the news that I’d got the commission was an explosion of delight, followed instantly by an implosion of brain-freezing terror. From my point of view it is, without doubt, the best commission you can be given – I’m a bit of a control freak, so to be given the opportunity to design the characters, the clothing the architecture and landscapes to possibly the most expansive fantasy world in children’s literature, well lets just say I’m extremely excited about it. However, I am also mindful of the huge responsibility this represents, I just want to make sure I do the best job I possibly can.

Is there a particular character or scene that you are looking forward to illustrating? It’s like trying to choose the shiniest object in Aladdin’s Cave; you pick up one treasure, and another gem catches your eye. I couldn’t even pick a favourite creature at the moment (maybe a Thestral, or a Bowtruckle, but then the goblins are wonderful characters, mind you there are trolls too – you see my problem!). It’s been lovely thinking about creating the characters, but at the moment my favourite task is creating Hogwarts – it’s the first time I’ve thought about building something supported by magic – it’s harder than you’d think.

How do you as an artist approach such a large job? Where do you begin with such a wide range of possibilities? It sounds obvious but you start with the text. The story is everything, and so I want to bring what I can to really show the depth of Rowling’s stories, to their best. Then it’s a case of research, and lots of it. The books have made me look at people differently, I’m always scanning crowds for interesting faces. For an illustrator there’s no such thing as an ugly or odd looking person – they are all interesting. Luckily for me, Kettering is home to some very interesting people indeed. Museums and libraries are my favourite places for inspiration. You might see something, it could be a medieval shoe, an old clock, or a stuffed monkey and immediately it gives you ideas about the characters in the story, the things they would do, the way they walk. The tricky thing I’ve found is my annoying habit of reigning in the more fantastical elements of my sketches when working them up, it’s taken a while for it to sink in that for this commission I can go a little bit crazy. Above my desk, the words ‘It’s Fantasy, Stupid” are now a daily reminder to have a bit of fun.

Are you a Harry Potter fan? If so, what are your first memories of reading the books? I AM a Harry Potter fan, although true to form, I arrived a little late to the party. I actually heard Stephen Fry’s wonderful audio book of Philosopher’s Stone before reading it, initially because I’d sat on a tube train full of school children who were chatting about Potter with great excitement. It was actually the recollections of starting a new school that really connected with me (we moved house when I was young, and I had to start at a big school where I didn’t know anybody). As an adult I’d forgotten how hard school actually was, and it all came flooding back – particularly when reading The Order of the Phoenix – the dread of exams! It’s amazing to think, all of Potter’s world, the streets, the shops, the creatures, the characters, all of these wonderful things come from the brain of one person. To me, that’s magic, some grey matter in someone’s head inspires others to read, play, and create ideas of their own. It’s like a spell that jumps from person to person, recasting itself as it goes. I want to keep that spell going, perhaps adding my own little twist, if possible. I hope over the years we will see lots of different illustrators having a go, in the way that Alice in Wonderland has inspired artists for over a century.

Who is your favourite character from the Harry Potter universe? This is like trying to choose your favourite record, it changes all the time. I have a soft spot for Neville, particularly because of his awkwardness, but you have to admire Hermione, because she puts the hours in at the library, she’s the cement really that holds it all together, well it would be a different story. I want to know more about Severus, there’s so much depth there. Visually, though, it has to be Hagrid; he’s got a wonderful heart, clothed in an enormous, shabby body. Hagrid’s hut is, for me, like an extension of his physique: it makes him a part of Hogwarts, but keeps him at a distance too.

More

Bloomsbury Publishing today announce that all seven of J.K.Rowling’s Harry Potter books will be published for the first time in stunning full-colour editions, illustrated by the award-winning artist Jim Kay. The first in the series Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will be published in September 2015.

Jim Kay, winner of the 2012 Kate Greenaway Medal, will illustrate all seven books in full-colour and design the new book jacket image as well as the inside artwork. A lifelong Harry Potter fan, Jim Kay says: ‘From my point of view it is, without doubt, the commission of a lifetime …to design the characters, the clothing, the architecture and landscapes to possibly the most expansive fantasy world in children’s literature, well let’s just say I’m extremely excited about it. However, I am also mindful of the huge responsibility this represents. I want to make sure I do the best job I possibly can.’

The Harry Potter novels have now sold approximately 450 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 74 languages. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was recently voted the nation’s favourite children’s book in a poll by reading charity Booktrust.

Bloomsbury is in touch with all international Harry Potter publishers and hopes to make the publication a global event. Emma Hopkin, Bloomsbury Children’s MD said of Jim’s selection: ‘Jim is the perfect mix of extremely talented artist and ardent Harry Potter fan, which will bring great spirit to his illustrations of J.K. Rowling’s extraordinary world.’

Bloomsbury has released a statement about the Harry Potter books today, following the announcement that J.K. Rowling will be releasing an adult novel this coming year. They, say:

“We are pleased to announce that as part of our long term strategy for Harry Potter we intend to publish illustrated editions of all seven Harry Potter books in a rolling program from 2013 onwards in addition to our partnership on e-books with the Pottermore website,” the publisher said in a statement.

UPDATE: Previously this post stated that Scholastic would be publishing illustrated versions, it was actually Bloomsbury (I read the press release too quickly)