The Best “Harry Potter” Covers from Around the World
June 26 marks the 25th anniversary of the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone publishing date. It is estimated that over 200 different book covers have been made for the Harry Potter series since this first publication, so to honor this amazing milestone, we have decided to share some of our favorites.
The Original American Edition
Let’s first start off with a classic brought to us by Mary GrandPré. The first edition of the Harry Potter book covers from the United States of America are familiar and welcoming. They easily show the highlight of each book with vivid colors and a fair amount of detail. The amount of detail does seem to lessen on each cover, however, with the last three books being relatively plain. This makes sense, though, seeing that as Harry grows up, he focuses less on the beauty of this new magical world and becomes more serious as he faces increasingly dangerous trials.
2002 Ukrainian Edition
Second, we have the Ukrainian Harry Potter covers illustrated by Vladyslav Yerko. These covers are quite action-packed. There is a lot of imagery going on in each cover that constantly draws your eyes from one point to another. These interesting covers show a detailed scene or combination of scenes from a key point in the story in vibrant colors.
1999 Swedish Edition
Next are the Swedish covers illustrated by Alvaro Tapia. These covers are quite intriguing — the art style feels a little darker. With the exception of the first book cover, which understandably is bright and full of wonder, these illustrations have a more serious feel about them. Between the facial expressions and the darker color palette, we get the sense that Harry is becoming aware of the danger in his life.
2008 Collector’s Edition from China
These beautiful covers were the result of a team collaboration from 李里, 王翔, and 于国志 after a competition was held for new Collector’s Editions of Harry Potter books in China. These covers differ from the action-packed ones we’ve seen so far. Instead of being very active and bold, this imagery has a simplicity about them that is quite calming. The colors are paler and the illustrations flow together in a satisfying way.
20th Anniversary Edition from Thailand
Finally, we leave you with this masterpiece by Arch Apolar. The brand new Harry Potter book covers from Thailand are magnificent works of art. All seven of these covers are chock full of beautiful illustrations that tell a story within themselves. Each cover has front and back imagery that features a key character on the back as well. Despite all these details, the cover never appears crowded, which shows us just how talented this artist is. One could stare at these covers for hours and still find more subtle details tying the piece together.
Which Harry Potter book cover is your favorite? Did we mention it in our list? Let us know in the comments.
