The Ickabog was published digitally in 2020 as a free serial story.
Rowling wrote The Ickabog years earlier but set it aside while working on other projects. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she released chapters online in installments, making the story available free to children and families while many people were spending more time at home.
The book is a standalone fairy tale about the fictional kingdom of Cornucopia and the legendary Ickabog. Its plot addresses fear, propaganda, power, and the consequences of allowing false stories to shape public life, while remaining accessible to younger readers.
A print edition followed later in 2020. Rowling donated her royalties from the book to charitable efforts supporting people affected by the pandemic. The Ickabog is not part of the Harry Potter narrative and does not feature Hogwarts, wand magic, or Harry and his friends.