JK Rowling has written a new children’s book, The Christmas Pig, to be published by Hachette Children’s Group. In the UK it will be published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, part of Hachette, and it will be published by the group simultaneously in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and India.
In the US it will be published by Scholastic, while the audio will be published by Audible, part of Amazon. It will also be published in more than 20 other languages worldwide.
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers says: ‘The Christmas Pig is a heart-warming, page-turning adventure about one child’s love for his most treasured toy, and how far he will go to find it. It’s a standalone story, unrelated to any of J.K. Rowling’s previous work, and is suitable for children 8-plus: a tale for the whole family to fall in love with, from one of the world’s greatest storytellers.’
Explaining the story, the publisher says: ‘Jack loves his childhood toy, Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve something terrible happens – DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life… even toys. And Jack’s newest toy – the Christmas Pig (DP’s annoying replacement) – has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost, and to save the best friend Jack has ever known…’
Ruth Alltimes, Hachette Children’s Group, Senior Publisher, said: “The Christmas Pig is a sparkling gem of a story that is destined to find its way into the hearts of children and families across the world this Christmas, and forever after. Not only is it packed with loveable characters, humour, imagination and breathtaking adventure, but it is also a story layered with universal messages of love, loss and hope, beautifully crafted and delivering an unforgettable emotional punch. We can’t wait to introduce the world to this captivating future classic – and the Christmas Pig himself!”
The Christmas Pig is J.K. Rowling’s first children’s novel since Harry Potter, and follows her brilliant return to publishing for children with last year’s fairy tale The Ickabog, which was serialised online for free for children in lockdown and then published with all her royalties donated to her charitable trust Volant to help vulnerable groups impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. She looks forward to re-engaging with younger readers again this winter with publication of The Christmas Pig.
The book will be published on 12 October 2021 – just in time for Christmas.