The Ickabog by JK Rowling

wiki

Wed, May 27 2020, 8:55 pm

Is anyone else reading JK Rowling's latest children's book, The Ickabog, as it is published in installments online?

(For those who missed this: it's the story that JKR was working on while writing Harry Potter. It started as bedtime stories for her kids. A draft of it sat in her attic for ten years. During quarantine, she and her kids--now older teens--pulled it out and she completed the manuscript. It will be out in print in November, with proceeds to charity and pictures drawn by children who submit entries to online contests, but for now it's coming out in free installments online! See www.theickabog.com

As a millennial who loved Harry Potter in middle school/high school, and always wanted JKR to publish the "political fairy tale for readers younger than Harry Potter" that she once said she was working on, this is the greatest news ever! Especially because my oldest is an early reader and is not yet ready for Harry Potter. We're reading the Ickabog together, and so far she loves it!

My biggest thought so far is, how much did JKR write Trump into King Fred? I know she claims that the characters' resemblance to today is only incidental, but I don't really believe that....

jj1236

Thu, May 28 2020, 12:04 am

I'm loving it so far! I don't see Trump in King Fred though. If she wrote this while writing Harry Potter, how would that be possible?
Anyway, I've read Harry Potter countless times and I was so excited for this. I read that this is meant to be a read aloud for children but I can't imagine reading this to my little kids. My dc is only 4 though so it's probably meant for 8 and up. But for me, I look forward to the chapter I get to read everyday!

wiki

Mon, Jun 15 2020, 9:40 pm

Back when I was a teenager, there were dozens of online message boards where people analyzed the Harry Potter books and had theories about what would happen in the rest of the series. I can't find any place on the Internet where anyone is discussing the Ickabog.

Am I missing something or did this sort of activity all move to social media?

Because I'm wondering who actually thinks the Ickabog is an appropriate story for a 7-year-old. I'm sanitizing a lot of the violence and political cruelty as I read it to my daughter (who LOVES the story--but yeah, I have to do a fair amount of cleanup as I read it!).

jj1236

Mon, Jun 15 2020, 9:52 pm

wiki wrote:

I thought the exact same thing. She says it's supposed to be a read aloud but it is so not appropriate for younger kids. Personally I love the story and although I know (assume/hope) there will be a happy ending, there's so many deaths and treachery I get anxious reading it lol. I just enjoy when the bad guy gets his comeuppance.