J.K. Rowling’s 2020 children’s novel published online during the COVID-19 pandemic is The Ickabog.
Rowling wrote The Ickabog as a standalone fairy tale and initially published it online in instalments from 26 May to 10 July 2020. The free online release was intended to provide entertainment for children affected by school closures and restrictions during the pandemic.
A print edition followed in November 2020. Rowling donated her royalties from the book to her charitable trust, Volant, to support groups helping people particularly affected by the pandemic. The story is set in the fictional kingdom of Cornucopia and concerns a legendary creature called the Ickabog.
The Ickabog is separate from the Harry Potter universe. It is also different from The Christmas Pig, another children’s novel by Rowling, which was published in 2021. The book’s illustrations were selected through a worldwide children’s illustration competition.