This is J.K.Rowling’s latest book or should I say J.K. Rowling’s latest children's book. It is for kids between 7-12 years. But those of us who grew up with Harry Potter really don't care about the age label.
( Alternatively, you can also scroll down to the end, plug in your earphones and listen to the article in Tamil)
The story talks about an imaginary world called Cornucopia ruled by Fred the Fearless. All is well until a monster from their folklore, Ickabog becomes a reality. The king and his aides go in search of this vile monster that eats sheep and humans too. Do they come in contact with the Ickabog? How does the Ickabog change the fate of the entire country? How Cornucopia becomes a better country because of the Ickabog is what the entire story is about.
Apart from the plot and characters, what you can really look forward to in a J.K Rowling book is the world creation. When you read Harry Potter, you would find yourself craving for the imaginary food in the book. From butterbeer to chocolate frogs, she creates a world that is completely imaginary yet so irresistible. There are no loose ends. Every inch of Hogwarts was created in her mind and ardent readers love the excruciating details in the book. So much so that they get disappointed when some of it is missed out in the movies. (I have personally been to at least 3 harry potter trivia quizzes and taken several more online. That is how much we love the world of Harry Potter.)
For a short children’s book, Ickabog still attempts to create a fascinating world for the kids. Filled with delicious pastries, costumes, forests, marshlands and of course the mystical Ickabog. But when it comes to the Ickabog, the imagery isn’t as vivid as it used to be. And that is a conscious decision too. As soon as the book was completed, an illustration competition was announced for kids up to the age of 12. They were asked to create the Ickabog and various other scenes from the story. The selected illustrations would be featured in the published book.
The language is simple and the imagery very exciting for kids and adults. The theme is universal and timeless. Rowling came up with this story as a bedtime story for her kids 10 years ago. The story was released chapter by chapter on her website during the pandemic to keep children all over the world engaged.
The basic story is about how power can corrupt, how it can make you blind to the suffering of others. It is a good book for children to start understanding privilege and oppression. The message is simple. Be kind to one another and don’t judge somebody by their looks. If you are reading this as an adult, you can’t help thinking about how accurately it captures the current political climate. How disconnected the bureaucrats and common are? The inequalities, how privilege works in our society, why it is important to create a dialogue with the oppressed and understand their needs.
And I have come to realise that sometimes, adults need these lessons more than children. Only when adults understand their prejudices and biases and work towards removing them. They can enable their children to learn, grow and change the world for the better.
If you are an avid reader, you can probably finish it in a couple of hours and the book is available to read on the website only until the 5th of August. If you have children at home, ask them to read it, and then ask them how they feel about the Ickabog, the king, the children Daisy, Bert and Roderick. Discuss every scenario and ask them what they would have done at that moment. This book can open your child to a variety of topics from the importance of friendship, virtues such as honesty, righteousness, privilege, social justice and so on.
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