The Ickabog was first released digitally in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rowling wrote the children’s fantasy story years earlier while working on the Harry Potter books, then kept it private. In 2020, she published it online in installments for free during the pandemic. Children were invited to create illustrations, and selected artwork appeared in the later print edition.
The story is set in the fictional kingdom of Cornucopia, where rumors about a monster called the Ickabog help dishonest officials maintain power. Unlike the Harry Potter novels, it is a standalone fairy tale rather than part of the wizarding world.
Print editions followed in November 2020. Rowling donated her royalties from the book to her charitable trust, Volant, to support people affected by the pandemic. The title is sometimes mistaken for a Harry Potter companion book because of its fantasy setting, but it has different characters and mythology.