In an effort to support families during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, is providing free access to audiobooks and ebooks of the first installment, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” for the entire month of April. This initiative aims to offer some comfort to those in lockdown.
Alongside this generous offer, Rowling has unveiled a digital platform named “Harry Potter at Home.” This site will feature a variety of activities, quizzes, and creative tasks every week, including a segment called “Wizarding Wednesdays” where users can learn how to draw a Niffler, one of the magical creatures from the Fantastic Beasts series. Furthermore, families can subscribe to a newsletter that will deliver new ideas and activities to their inboxes every Friday.
The audiobook of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” will be hosted on Audible’s new service, Audible Stories, and will be available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Japanese. The English version is narrated by Stephen Fry, and listeners do not need an Audible account to access it. Additionally, the ebook can be borrowed for free from over 20 languages through local or school libraries, provided by OverDrive via its Libby app.
Neil Blair, founder of Rowling’s agency, The Blair Partnership, added, “The Harry Potter books have always been a refuge, comfort, and escape for readers, and right now, we need reading for pleasure more than ever. While many families may already possess a Harry Potter book at home, I am thrilled that we can now offer free online access to the audio and ebook of the first book in the series through Audible and libraries, as well as a fantastic new digital hub for families with younger children to support them during these challenging times.”
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