J. K. Rowling is the author of the enduringly popular Harry Potter books. After the idea for Harry Potter came to her on a delayed train journey in 1990, she plotted out and started writing the series of seven books and the first, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, was published in the UK in 1997. The series took another ten years to complete, concluding in 2007 with the publication of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The Harry Potter books have now sold over 600 million copies in 85 languages, been listened to as audiobooks for over one billion hours and made into eight smash hit movies. To accompany the series, J. K. Rowling wrote three short companion volumes for charity: Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, in aid of Comic Relief and Lumos, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard, in aid of Lumos. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them went on to inspire a new series of films featuring Magizoologist Newt Scamander. Harry's story as a grown-up was continued in a stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which J. K. Rowling wrote with playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany, and which is now playing in multiple locations around the world. She is also the author of a bestselling crime fiction series, and two stand-alone children's novels, The Ickabog and The Christmas Pig. J. K. Rowling has received many awards and honours for her writing, including the OBE and Companion of Honour, and a Blue Peter Gold Badge. She supports a wide number of humanitarian causes through Volant and is the founder of the international children's care reform charity Lumos. J. K. Rowling lives in Scotland with her family. To find out more about J. K. Rowling visit jkrowlingstories. com.
Peter Goes is a freelance artist and picture book illustrator, living in Belgium. He studied animation at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) in Ghent. Peter combines playful witches, wizards and magical creatures with an incredibly rich level of intricacy.
Louise Lockhart studied illustration at the Glasgow School of Art and is now an independent illustrator and printmaker based in the UK. Louise's style is influenced by her love for vintage print ephemera and bright, bold colours.
Louise Lockhart studied illustration at the Glasgow School of Art and is now an independent illustrator and printmaker based in the UK. Louise's style is influenced by her love for vintage print ephemera and bright, bold colours.
Weitong Mai is a Chinese-Canadian artist now based in London. She has won many awards and is a visiting lecturer at the University of Creative Arts. Weitong uses a soft, rich and unusual palette to evoke simmering potion fumes and shimmering streams of magic.
Olia Muza was born in Uman, Ukraine. After studying graphic design, she discovered her passion for illustrating books and stories. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was first published in Ukrainian when Olia was eight years old and she immediately wanted to be in Gryffindor house. Now she has grown up, she thinks she might actually be a Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw. Olia has always enjoyed escaping to Hogwarts. 'I love Harry Potter for the childhood it gave me. It brought colour and brightness into my world.'
Pham Quang Phuc is a children's books illustrator from Vietnam with a rich and decorative style. With his childhood dream of writing for children, he considers storytelling as a way of balancing his life and hopes young readers will gain interests and dreams from his books. Among other prizes, Quang Phuc was the winner of The ASEAN Children's Book Illustrator; he was awarded 'Best in Fiction' for his 'Everywhere Monsters' illustration series.
Levi Pinfold has been drawing from his imagination for as long as he can remember. He has published many acclaimed books, and is a winner of the prestigious CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal. Born in the Forest of Dean, he has somehow found himself living in Queensland, Australia. He likes paintings, books, music and some cats.
Tomislav Tomic lives with his family in Croatia. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Art in Zagreb. He has always loved making picture books and already had work published when he was in high school. Tomislav creates exquisite and intensely detailed pen and ink drawings.
