Just So Stories

Bloomsbury Australia

October 2024

ISBN	9781526677082
Imprint	Bloomsbury Children’s Books

RRP: $29.99

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow.’

Harry’s first Christmas at Hogwarts was always bound to be memorable, given his previous dismal experiences. But the sparkle and warmth and magic of a Hogwarts Christmas would thrill any of us. I know I’d love to be there in the Great Hall with the giant Xmas trees, the exploding wizard crackers and the delicious feast!

This stunning gift book takes the text directly from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Chapter 12, and combines it with the sensational interpretations of illustrator Ziyi Gao. Who knew that someone who studied biochemistry would subsequently find their true calling in art? The illustrations are lively and expressive, and IMO provide a more contemporary look to the characters we know so well [let’s face it, we’re always going to have the actors’ images in our brains]. I’m super impressed with them as they retain what we might consider the essence of each character whilst also giving them a new,, subtly different, appearance.

If you have a Potterhead in your circle, this is a perfect Xmas gift no matter their age. Naturally, it would also be a big hit in any collection. It is going straight into my HP collection of course! Many thanks again to my ‘dealer’ for keeping my addiction ticking over nicely. Needless to say its a magical 5 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 rating!