The Ickabog was the children’s fantasy novel J.K. Rowling published free online during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rowling wrote The Ickabog many years earlier, around the period when she was writing the Harry Potter books. She kept the manuscript private until 2020, when she began releasing it chapter by chapter on a free website during the coronavirus lockdowns.
The story is a political fairy tale set in the fictional kingdom of Cornucopia. It follows a feared creature called the Ickabog and explores how rumor, fear, propaganda, and poor leadership can affect a society. The book is separate from the Harry Potter universe and does not continue Harry’s story.
A print edition followed in November 2020. Rowling donated royalties from the book to projects supporting groups affected by the pandemic. Children were also invited to create illustrations for the online serialisation, with selected artwork used in published editions.