‘Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow.’
So begins Chapter 12 of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the story of Harry Potter’s magical first Christmas at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. From the wonder of the Great Hall decked with sparkling, decorated fir trees to cosy evenings by the fire in the Gryffindor common room and the joy of opening presents on Christmas morning, it’s a school holiday filled with warmth, friendship, treats and magical surprises that Harry will never forget.
With text drawn directly from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and luminous artwork by Ziyi Gao, this favourite moment, showing Harry’s very first Christmas amongst friends, is now fully illustrated for the whole family to enjoy. Sure to be treasured by Harry Potter fans of all ages, it’s the perfect gift to put under the tree or read together at Christmas – the beginning of an enchanting new festive tradition.

J.K. Rowling's profile page

Ziyi Gao's profile page

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.
Ziyi Gao was born and raised in Beijing, China. She studied Biochemistry at the University of California, San Diego, before finding her true passion for art and illustration. She transferred to the School of Visual Arts in New York where she earned a BFA, and now lives in Vancouver, Canada. To learn more about Ziyi Gao visit ziyigao.com.