Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will be re-released this summer in stunning House Editions to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the series!
Bloomsbury has announced that four new editions of J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter book will be released June 2017. Each is themed around a Hogwarts House inside and out — “Exciting new extra content will include fact files, profiles of favourite characters and line illustrations exclusive to that house.”
The books are available in both hardback and paperback. “Illustrated by Levi Pinfold, Kate Greenaway Medal winner, the front covers feature the crest for each Hogwarts house in vibrant house colours,” Bloomsbury says. “Levi took his inspiration from traditional heraldry and coats of arms and combined this with typical characteristics of each house to create crests that embody the values of the house.”
Where to buy ’em? If you’re outside of the UK, Amazon is the best place.
Hardback editions:
– Slytherin Edition
– Gryffindor edition
– Ravenclaw edition
– Hufflepuff edition
Paperback editions:
– Slytherin edition
– Hufflepuff edition
– Ravenclaw edition
– Gryffindor edition
Indeed, each of the crests look fantastic. Here are the hardbacks:
The paperbacks are also gorgeous — they go all-in on each of the first Hogwarts Houses’ colors:
Pottermore spoke to illustrator Levi Pinfold to learn more about designing each crest:
In the Hufflepuff crest, for example, there are beech leaves to symbolize tolerance and a little lamb to show gentleness. In heraldry, gold or yellow is seen to represent generosity, which of course is perfect for the Hufflepuffs among us.
The crescent in the Slytherin crest represents glory and honour, and has been used in several coats of arms throughout history, including the Fitzsimmons family, and Trinity Hall College, Cambridge. Slytherin green is for endurance and the dragon-like cockatrice suggests Slytherins are fierce warriors, which we’ve certainly seen to be true.
Gryffindor red is meant to signify military strength, a unicorn is for purity and courage, and the antlers are for strength and agility. We’re sure Harry would like the latter, if his Patronus is anything to go by.
The Ravenclaw crest gets a parchment scroll to symbolise academic achievement, an owl for wisdom, a spearhead for sharpness of wit and a book for knowledge. Owls have cropped up a lot in European heraldry, such as in the Armorial Bearings of the late, great Terry Pratchett.
The books are currently only set for release in the United Kingdom, but orders placed on Amazon.co.uk can be shipped to the U.S. for an extra $9. In other words, Americans should buy them now:
Hardback editions:
– Slytherin Edition
– Gryffindor edition
– Ravenclaw edition
– Hufflepuff edition
Paperback editions:
– Slytherin edition
– Hufflepuff edition
– Ravenclaw edition
– Gryffindor edition