The Ickabog was the J.K. Rowling novel first published online in installments during 2020.
Rowling released chapters of The Ickabog free on a dedicated website between May and July 2020. She described it as a children’s fairy tale that she had originally written years earlier, then revised and shared during the COVID-19 pandemic. Readers were invited to submit illustrations for a related competition.
The story is set in the fictional kingdom of Cornucopia. Its ruler and advisers face rumors about the Ickabog, a legendary creature said to live in the northern marshes. The book explores propaganda, fear, injustice, and the ways authority can distort public belief.
A print edition followed in November 2020, with proceeds donated to charitable organizations supporting people affected by the pandemic. The Ickabog is therefore distinct from The Christmas Pig, which was published the following year and was not serialized online in the same way.