Illustration by Jim Kay/ Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2015It may be National Taco Day, but something else happened today that you need to know. A little book called Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Illustrated Edition came out today, and it's gorgeous. This isn't the good old Chamber of Secrets you remember, either. While it's the same story, every single page (no joke) has been illustrated, in color, by artist Jim Kay, Pottermore.com notes. It's really something else, you guys. If you've ever wondered what Harry's world would look like interpreted by an artist, you're in luck. The hardback book is published by Bloomsbury, who describes the new edition; "Prepare to be spellbound by Jim Kay's dazzling full-color illustrations in this stunning new edition of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Breathtaking scenes, dark themes and unforgettable characters – including Dobby and Gilderoy Lockhart – await inside this fully illustrated edition." You sold yet?
Let's be real; you probably didn't need any convincing to buy this. It's Harry freaking Potter after all. They also mention that Kay illustrated the edition using "paint, pencil and pixels," which is pretty awesome if you think about it. Kay told Pottermore, "I think the most fun I've had though is working on Diagon Alley, because that's your chance to let rip and do things that aren't mentioned in the book." This book follows the release of an illustrated version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which came out last year.
Because J.K. Rowling is an angel from the heavens, the word from Pottermore is that she and Jim Kay are blessing us with an illustrated edition of ALL 7 books. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will be out in October of next year. What a time to be alive, right muggles? Especially now that all the Harry Potter movies are coming back to theaters for one week only. We can't make this stuff up. So much Harry, so little time.