Why Do Harry Potter Books Have Different Covers?

Harry Potter book covers have undergone multiple design changes over the years. New editions of Harry Potter come out every few years, and, yes, each comes with new cover art. So, why do Harry Potter books have different covers?

Harry Potter books have different covers because each new edition issues a new design. It’s partially a strategy publishing houses use to increase book sales. Also, some countries make their own cover art. Lastly, different versions for kids and adults have different covers.

Harry Potter books are one of a kind; that can’t be said about their covers, though. This provides an excellent opportunity for fans to find cover art they like, but that’s not the only reason for multiple covers. In this article, I’ll mention all the reasons behind the diverse book designs.

Why Harry Potter Books Have Many Different Covers

Many Harry Potter readers and fans are often confused why there are so many new editions and covers. As soon as they buy one collection, a new one pops up on the bookshelves. Believe it or not, there are a few good reasons why publishers issue new cover art occasionally. Let’s look at some of those reasons now.

Many Countries Make Their Own Covers

Many countries employ artists to design a cover sold only in that country. So, apart from translating the book, they also change their look. And there are some super creative cover designs out there.

Take, for instance, the 2008 Chinese collector’s edition. It combines traditional Chinese art, like the scroll in the background, and illustrations of the scenes in the books.

Then there are some editions with weird illustration styles, like the Italian edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

New Editions of Harry Potter Come With New Covers

Publishers often issue new editions of books because the original text changes in some way. Those changes can include fixing grammatical errors or making semantic changes.

Rowling did change a few things in the Harry Potter books, and new editions reflected that.

With Harry Potter, a new edition means new cover art.

Furthermore, there are UK and US editions that have separate cover artists. Apart from editions issued due to some changes to the text, there are other types of editions. They’re more style-based.

For instance, there are illustrated editions. This means they have new covers and illustrations in the book. A good example is the 2022 illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (done by Jim Kay).

There are deluxe editions of Harry Potter books as well. They may come with Rowling’s signature or in a nice dust cover.

Preference-Based Editions and Their Covers

Some editions are more preference-based, and they include the following:

Children and adult editions
Hardcover and paperback editions
EBook editions

As you can see, these editions come in pairs and are opposite to one another (except the last one). Some people prefer paperback, while others like hardcover books. And they usually come with different covers.

For instance, adult editions of Harry Potter covers might:

Use photographs instead of illustrations
Be darker in saturation
Have black-and-white illustrations

Pottermore offers eBook editions that — you guessed it — have unique covers.

If you’re unsure about the difference between hardcover and paperback editions, check out my article: What Are Paperback Books? (Compared to Hardcover) where I discuss the differences in detail.

Publishers Make New Covers for Special Occasions

Publishers often issue new covers for special occasions, such as anniversaries of individual books or the entire series. For the 20th anniversary (in 2018), Scholastic — US publishers for Harry Potter — presented their readers with a new cover design.

Other countries participated also. Thai’s 20th-anniversary edition is one of the most celebrated even to this day.

It’s a nice gesture that aims to celebrate the massive success of this book series. Also, Harry Potter fans can enjoy new covers that mark an important date.

Issuing New Covers Is Good for Sales

Lastly, the reason why publishers change covers has to do with profit. The strategy is that new covers will bring new customers. Also, if you’re a Harry Potter fan and hate the dust jackets of your current collection, you’ll probably buy the new ones as soon as they come out.

Moreover, some fans buy every collection just because they want to own every edition of Harry Potter.

A study from 2023 suggests that book buyers pick books based on their covers. So, they judge a book by its cover — literally. The study revealed that publishers could predict a book buyer’s satisfaction with a book before buying that book. One of the factors affecting their satisfaction is book covers!

How Many Different Harry Potter Book Covers Are Out There?

It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact number of different Harry Potter book covers because new ones are issued every few years, and the numbers drastically change over time. Also, as I mentioned, many countries have their books with designs explicitly sold in those countries.

So it’s difficult to know the exact number.

On top of that, some Harry Potter books have new covers for only three or four books (instead of all seven). For example, in 2021, MinaLima created an illustrated version of only Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets that included the new cover.

When you add to that that other countries’ design covers for only a few books in a series, it becomes tough to know the exact number.

However, it’s estimated there are over 200 different covers of the Harry Potter books, and there’s no sign of stopping issuing new designs every few years.

If you think 200 is an exaggeration, take only the first book in the series. There have been 41 different covers of that one alone!

Final Thoughts

The most iconic Harry Potter book covers are the 1997 UK edition (the 1st edition) with iconic illustrations and bright colors. Since then, however, there’ve been over 200 different covers for all Harry Potter books.

The reasons Harry Potter books have different covers include:

Some countries have unique covers.
New covers come with new editions.
Special occasions, like anniversaries, come with new covers.
New covers are good for sales and attract customers.