Quentin Blake
Two Legends Collide
In 2008, the literary world witnessed a remarkable moment: a fusion of two titanic worlds of storytelling. On the occasion of HRH The Prince of Wales’ 60th birthday, Random House published The Birthday Book, a beautifully crafted collection of stories and poems celebrating anniversaries and milestones. Among the contributors were some of the most celebrated voices in literature, including Lewis Carroll, Philip Pullman, Malorie Blackman, and, of course, J.K. Rowling.
But what made The Birthday Book especially unforgettable for Harry Potter fans was this: for the very first time, one of the most iconic British illustrators, Quentin Blake, offered his interpretation of the Boy Who Lived.
Blake, best known for bringing Roald Dahl’s characters vividly to life—Matilda, Charlie, the BFG, and Fantastic Mr. Fox among them—was invited to illustrate Rowling’s chosen excerpt from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The result? A brief but magical collision of childhood nostalgia, literary excellence, and visual artistry.
The Moment Chosen
The passage selected by J.K. Rowling for the book was from Chapter 34 of Deathly Hallows: “The Forest Again.” It’s one of the most poignant and haunting moments in the entire series, where Harry, wrapped in his Invisibility Cloak, walks through the Forbidden Forest to willingly meet Voldemort—and death.
In her foreword to the excerpt, Rowling acknowledged that the choice might seem odd for a celebratory book. “Birthdays are often moments for reflection,” she wrote. “Children gleefully contemplate how far they have come, whereas adults look forwards into the trees, wondering how much further they have to go.”
This excerpt, and the illustrations that accompanied it, were less about birthday balloons and candles, and more about the emotional core of growing up—courage, sacrifice, and love. And who better than Quentin Blake to translate that into visual language?
Blake’s Harry
For many fans, the appearance of Quentin Blake’s version of Harry Potter was a surprising and delightful experience. Blake’s trademark sketchy linework, whimsical posture, and flowing ink style were instantly recognizable—and yet he offered something new.
There were two illustrations: one of Harry walking alone in the dark forest, Invisibility Cloak wrapped around him like a shroud; the other capturing the eeriness of the moment as Dementors lurked in the shadows and Harry faced the greatest test of his life. It was simple. It was raw. It was profoundly moving.
Seeing Harry Potter in Quentin Blake’s style—so different from Mary GrandPré, Thomas Taylor, or Jim Kay—was like watching a familiar scene through a new lens. It was as though two parts of childhood had met for the first time: the world of Hogwarts blending with the visual DNA of Roald Dahl’s stories.
This wasn’t just a new face for Harry; it was a reimagining from a master.
The Man Behind the Pen
For those unfamiliar with his name but intimately familiar with his work, Quentin Blake is a British illustrator with a singular ability: he makes ink dance. His drawings are loose but expressive, his characters often captured mid-motion, their emotions barely contained within the lines. Over the decades, his style has become synonymous with whimsy, mischief, and childlike joy.
His work with Roald Dahl gave life to some of the most beloved characters in modern children’s literature. And though he had never before illustrated Harry Potter, his reputation and influence made his involvement in The Birthday Book all the more special.
Blake approached the project with the same sense of character-driven storytelling that made his earlier works so enduring. His Harry is not a photorealistic figure. He is not sculpted with precision. Instead, he is a boy on a journey—vulnerable, brave, and very much human.
A Collector’s Treasure
For collectors, The Birthday Book holds a special place. While it’s still possible to find copies on the secondary market, 500 special edition copies were printed, signed by both Michael Morpurgo (former UK Children’s Laureate and compiler of the anthology) and Quentin Blake himself.
These signed editions are now coveted artifacts—part literary celebration, part visual homage. They are reminders that sometimes the most powerful illustrations come not from elaborate series or years-long projects, but from short, focused moments where two creative minds meet on a shared page.
Illustrating Mortality
Rowling’s choice to feature a chapter in which Harry walks to what he believes will be his death, in a book meant to celebrate life, is a powerful artistic decision. And it was one that Quentin Blake complemented perfectly.
Rather than undercutting the darkness of the moment, Blake leaned into it—subtly and gently. His lines don’t scream, they whisper. They follow Harry not with horror but with empathy. The forest is foreboding, yes, but it’s also quiet, sacred, and full of weight. It’s a place of reckoning.
This is where Blake’s artistry shines. He doesn’t try to recreate the cinematic feel of the films or the grandeur of more detailed illustration. He captures what’s between the words—the inner emotion, the timeless fear, and the bravery it takes to walk forward anyway.
Ink, Memory, and Magic
Quentin Blake’s contribution to The Birthday Book remains a rare and magical detour in the visual history of Harry Potter. It is not a full series of illustrations. It’s not a sprawling body of work. It is two images—and yet they are among the most emotionally resonant ever drawn of Harry.
It’s easy to imagine what a full Harry Potter series by Blake might have looked like: Hogwarts through his scratchy ink lines, Dumbledore with wide-brimmed spectacles, Ron with a crooked grin. And yet perhaps it is the rarity of his contribution that makes it so impactful.
Blake’s Harry doesn’t need pages of explanation. He walks into the forest alone, and we walk with him. No wands, no spells—just courage in its purest form.
In those two illustrations, Quentin Blake gave us not just a picture of a boy wizard, but a portrait of growing up. And for those who grew up on Roald Dahl and Harry Potter alike, it was nothing short of a beautiful collision.