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Fairytale launch for Rowling book Fairytale launch for Rowling book
(1 day later)
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has read from her newly-released book of fairytales to about 200 schoolchildren. Harry Potter author JK Rowling has read from her newly released book of fairy tales to schoolchildren in Edinburgh.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard were first mentioned in her last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The Tales of Beedle the Bard were first mentioned in Rowling's previous book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Rowling read from one of the seven original hand-written copies of the book at a tea party at the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh. The book was originally conceived as a limited edition, handwritten "labour of love" to be given to six close friends.
Profits from the tales will be donated to the Children's High Level Group, a charity co-founded by the author. After a seventh copy fetched almost £2m at auction, though, the author decided to publish the collection and give the proceeds to a children's charity.
The National Library of Scotland has borrowed an original copy of the tales from Barry Cunningham, JK Rowling's first editor. "There was quite a lot of feeling from Harry Potter fans that only someone who had £2 million could afford to read the book," she said on Thursday.
Wizardly clues "I thought fair point, so I thought I'll publish it and then the charity can have that money too."
Mr Cunningham was one of only six people to receive an original Beedle, created, illustrated and hand-written by JK Rowling, as a personal gift from the author last year. More than seven million copies have been printed in 28 languages, with some retailers tipping it to become the year's biggest seller.JK Rowling made seven handcrafted versions of the book
The seventh copy was given to CHLG for the charity to auction, and was acquired by Amazon for a winning bid of £1.95m/$4m in December 2007. Reviews have been positive, with the Times describing it as "a perfect Christmas treat ideal to slip in any stocking."
The Tales of Beedle the Bard is the volume of wizarding fairytales left to Hermione Granger by Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the seventh and final book of the Harry Potter series. The Telegraph said the book "would barely satisfy Potter fanatics for more than half an hour" but said it contains "some nice touches".
JK Rowling made seven handcrafted versions of the bookThe tales contained clues that were to prove crucial to Harry Potter's final mission to destroy Lord Voldemort but only one of the five stories, 'The Tale of the Three Brothers', was recounted in the book. Proceeds from its sale will go to Children's High Level Group (CHLG), a charity raising money for vulnerable children across Eastern Europe.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard, published by CHLG on 4 December, reveal the four remaining tales, translated from the original runes by Hermione Granger, alongside notes by Professor Dumbledore and illustrations by JK Rowling. At a tea party held at the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh, Rowling read from one of the seven handwritten copies of the book.
The charity the Children's High Level Group was co-founded by JK Rowling and Emma Nicholson MEP. Crucial clues
Net proceeds from the book will fund the charity's work with vulnerable children across Eastern Europe. The tome had been borrowed from Barry Cunningham, JK Rowling's first editor - one of only six people to receive an original Beedle as a personal gift last year.
To celebrate the launch, children across the UK and those visiting from further afield, will get the opportunity to see one of only seven original copies on display at the National Library of Scotland. "They were people who had been with me all along so it was a great thing to do," the author told BBC Scotland's Pauline McLean.
The month-long Beedle display will take place from 5 December to 4 January. The seventh copy was acquired by the online retailer Amazon for £1.95m when it was put up for auction in December 2007.
Fans attend a special launch in London
The Tales of Beedle the Bard is the volume of fairy tales left to Hermione Granger by Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the seventh and final book of the Harry Potter series.
The tales contained clues that were to prove crucial to Harry's final mission to destroy Lord Voldemort.
Only one of the five stories, The Tale of the Three Brothers, was recounted in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
The published edition includes the four remaining tales, translated by Hermione alongside notes by Professor Dumbledore and illustrations by JK Rowling herself.
CHLG was co-founded by JK Rowling and Emma Nicholson MEP.
"We started this charity because there are a lot of children, and I mean hundreds of thousands of children, shut up in institutions," said the author.
The National Library of Scotland will host a Beedle display containing one of the rare handwritten originals until 4 January.