MuggleNet Preview: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” Illustrated Edition

by · July 24, 2017

As announced last year, Bloomsbury and Scholastic are publishing illustrated editions of the Hogwarts Library books (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard). First up is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, coming in November this year.

MuggleNet was recently invited to preview the book and is happy to report that it does not disappoint!

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill, has a very different style than Jim Kay’s illustrated editions of Harry Potter. Working as a printmaker, Gill traveled extensively to find as many different examples of the creatures she was illustrating. A taster of Gill’s style can be seen in the images recently released by Pottermore. The book’s layout is much more spacious than the illustrated editions of Harry Potter, with many images taking up multiple pages for a single description while packing all of the information and detail of the first publication.

Gill was on hand at the event and spoke a little about how she approached the endeavor. She hasn’t watched the recent Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film, so you can expect different interpretations from the filmmakers’ creations, as well as a variation from other artwork in the Potter universe. Gill says she is amazed by the Potter fan base and is hopeful that fans will enjoy her new realizations of these creatures.

Make sure to pre-order your copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them before it’s released on November 7 from Scholastic (US) and Bloomsbury (UK), and check out Olivia’s website for more of her amazing drawings.

Are you looking forward to the new illustrated edition? Let us know which beast you’re most looking forward to in the comments!