Pottermore Publishing have collaborated with one of the world’s largest audiobook platforms, Shanghai-based Ximalaya, to create the first ever Chinese recordings of the Harry Potter stories. All seven books are set to be released starting with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which was launched in full on the 21st June 2022, with the rest of the books set to follow in daily, episodic instalments.

Excitingly, these new audiobooks are the first time that the Harry Potter stories have been recorded with sound effects and a specially commissioned musical score. And if that’s not enough, these new versions, created by the critically acclaimed Voice Gem studio in Beijing, feature three voice actors that help to bring the stories to life. With a narrator and one voice actor each for the male and female characters, these are set to be dynamic retellings of these beloved books.

This new project wouldn’t be complete without some stunning artwork either. Design house Daxi have risen to the challenge and created fantastic new jackets for each of the audiobooks. These illustrations have not only incorporated beautiful and traditional Chinese artistic principles but have also stayed true to the stories – as demonstrated in our sneak peek below.

As you can see, the artwork for Philosopher’s Stone includes the iconic Hogwarts Express, the golden trio as well as nods to key details within the book. From flying keys to wizard chess, to the Sorting Hat – there is no doubt that this cover has managed to capture the magic of the first story while maintaining a unique and innovative charm.

It’s set to be an exciting time for Harry Potter fans in China! Following the release of the audiobook version of Philosopher’s Stone, fans can expect the immersive magic to continue with the rest of the stories until early spring 2023.