Emily Gravett
A Surprise Invitation
Emily Gravett never imagined her journey through the wizarding world would begin with Quidditch Through the Ages. “I wished I’d been chosen for Fantastic Beasts or Beedle the Bard – animals and fairy tales are more my comfort zone,” she admitted. But once she read the text, everything changed. “Every page had something visual in it. I realised almost instantly I’d been handed a dream job.”
This edition of Quidditch Through the Ages, filled with Gravett’s vibrant, handcrafted illustrations, is more than a book – it’s a living scrapbook of wizarding sport. From vintage team badges to broomstick adverts, match-day programs, memorabilia and mascots, her art captures the humour, chaos, and charm of the magical game.
Bringing the Sport to Life
“I’m not a sporty person,” Gravett laughed, “but roller derby and Quidditch became the same sport in my head.” She used her roller derby days as inspiration, drawing Quidditch players with knee pads, wrist guards, and – crucially – diverse body types. “I wanted to show players who looked like real people. It’s a very inclusive sport – after all, you’re sitting on a broom!”
One of her earliest challenges was the Quidditch balls spread. “I thought it’d be dull – just about balls! But I measured the Quaffle in Photoshop and when it was printed, I thought, ‘That can’t be right!’” Her careful research proved otherwise. “I even made sure it was actual size.”
A World of Styles
Gravett approached the book like a museum catalogue. “It reminded me of those glossy books you buy after an exhibition,” she said. This opened up opportunities to play with historical styles and media: a woodblock print, vintage Guinness-style Butterbeer ads, and even a medieval tapestry depicting a Golden Snidget hunt.
The tapestry – inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry – took two weeks to complete. Gravett scanned linen, mimicked stitches in Photoshop, and “sewed” the entire scene digitally. “Bruegel the Elder inspired it. He might be turning in his grave, but I hope he’d have a sense of humour about it.”
Handmade Magic
Gravett didn’t just draw her art – she made it. She created real patches for team uniforms, needle-felted a Kenmare Kestrels leprechaun mascot, and even carved a broomstick from ash in Wales. “I hung it on the woodshed. I think I freaked out a few people!”
Her personal touch extended to team logos and “merchandise,” which she scanned and reworked digitally. Bloomsbury even turned some of them into real patches – exact replicas of her illustrations.
Creating in Freedom
Working with Bloomsbury was, she says, a joy. “They gave me so much freedom. Because this book didn’t focus on known characters, I could really make it my own.” Though the original plan was to share rough drafts, Gravett ended up diving straight into final artwork. “I just couldn’t stop myself!”
She even sneaked in a few extras: “I made up some ads and wrote dialogue for a Snitch comic – but I didn’t change anything in the text. It just felt like my book halfway through.”
An Artist’s House and Heart
Gravett's creative path wasn’t conventional. A former New Age traveller, she spent years living in a caravan and a green bus with her partner Mik. Settling in a cottage with their daughter, she began a career in children’s books that would win her two Kate Greenaway Medals and culminate, unexpectedly, with a spot in the Wizarding World.
Her Hogwarts house? “Ravenclaw, apparently. I’m not sure I deserve it – but I’ll take it.” Her favourite character? “Hagrid. I love that he cares for animals and lives in a cozy hut.”
Quidditch Towns and Real Places
Gravett’s work even sparked real-world celebration. Appleby was named an “Honorary Quidditch Town” after her designs for the Appleby Arrows, complete with a town banner and public ceremony. “It was surreal,” she said, delighted. “Quidditch brings joy to children and adults alike.”
A Dream Job
“I never imagined I’d illustrate anything in the Potter world,” Gravett reflected. “But every morning, I woke up excited to work on this.” From team pennants to ancient maps, from ticket stubs to team photos, Gravett’s Quidditch Through the Ages is a magical feat of imagination and craft – and proof that even the quirkiest corners of the wizarding world can be brought vividly to life with ink, thread, humour, and heart.