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Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint at Scholastic, will publish a hardcover book based on the special rehearsal edition script for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I & II. The release has been scheduled for 12:01 a.m. on July 31; fans will recognize that this significant date is both Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling’s birthday. Pottermore will publish the eBook edition.

Here’s more from the press release: “It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes darkness comes from unexpected places.”

Jack Thorne, John Tiffany, and Rowling worked on the story for this theatrical production together. Back in October 2015, Rowling announced on Pottermore that this project will serve as the eighth story of her beloved book series. The opening date for the West End show has been set for July 30, 2016.

Warner Bros. Pictures has unleashed a behind-the-scenes video for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The video embedded above features appearances by actor Eddie Redmayne, producer David Heyman, and director David Yates.

This Harry Potter spinoff, scripted by J.K. Rowling herself, will hit theaters on Nov. 18. Follow this link to watch the first official movie trailer.

Rowling has been keeping busy as of late by working on this film, the highly anticipated Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play, and a new essay on three wizarding schools (published on Pottermore). Recently, she was named one of the winners of the the 2016 PEN/Allen Foundation Literary Service Award.

Author J.K. Rowling has revealed new details about several wizarding schools, in a new post on pottermore.com.

For instance, the name of the North American-based school is Ilvermorny and it is likely located somewhere in the North East. Actress Evanna Lynch revealed the new details by reading from Rowling’s latest piece on Pottermore.com at a Harry Potter event held over the weekend.

“I am assured by Pottermore that more will be revealed on Ilvermorny soon,” said Lynch at the event.

The name of the Brazilian wizarding school, Castelobruxo, is also revealed in the new post. This school is guarded by Caipora, small and furry spirit-beings who come out at night. In addition, students at the Japanese wizarding school, Mahoutokoro, are given enchanted robes which grow as they age. And the African school, Uagadou, is carved out of the mountainside and is shrouded in a mist.

Author J.K. Rowling will receive the 2016 PEN/Allen Foundation Literary Service Award.

The award is given annually to authors whose work fights repression and censorship around the globe.

“Since her rise from single mother to literary superstar, J.K. Rowling has used her talents and stature as a writer to fight inequality on both a local and global level,” explains the PEN press release. “Her charitable trust, Volant, supports causes in the United Kingdom and abroad that alleviate social exclusion, with particular emphasis on women and children.”

The Harry Potter author will be presented with the award at PEN America’s annual Literary Gala on May 16 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

PEN will also honor Hachette Book Group CEO Michael Pietsch at the ceremony for his support against censorship. In 2015, Pietsch encouraged American publishers to resist censorship in China.

In the coming weeks, the organization will reveal its selections for the PEN Freedom to Write Award and the PEN/James and Toni C. Goodale Freedom of Expression Courage Award.

Many years ago, Alan Rickman chatted with J.K. Rowling to learn more about Severus Snape, a character he would play for a decade in the Harry Potter film franchise. In a goodbye letter that Rickman wrote to honor the conclusion of the movie series (published in Empire magazine back in 2011), his conversation with Rowling contained “one small clue, persuaded me that there was more to Snape than an unchanging costume.”

In his lifetime, Rickman never divulged the details about that clue. Recently, in light of the actor’s passing, one Twitter user asked Rowling what exactly she told him that convinced him to become the Hogwarts Potions Master. According to Vanity Fair, the Harry Potter series author shared that she told him “what lies behind the word ‘always.'”

People Magazine reports that like so many within the Harry Potter community, Rowling has been mourning Rickman. She posted a message on Twitter to express her devastation and sadness that “we have all lost a great talent.” Below, we’ve collected several relevant tweets in a Storify post embedded below—what do you think? (via International Business Times)

Who has their book? #OurSharedShelf @GloriaSteinem #mylifeontheroad #bookclub pic.twitter.com/ZX3ze6BAc5

— Emma Watson (@EmWatson) January 11, 2016

Earlier this week, Emma Watson announced the launch of a feminist book club called Our Shared Shelf. The actress and United Nations women goodwill ambassador shared a photo on Twitter (embedded above) with the first read for the group: My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem.

The Wall Street Journal reports that a new selection will be made on a monthly basis. Thus far, more than 78,000 people have joined this group. Some of the celebrity participants include actress Sophia Bush, soccer star Abby Wambach, and filmmaker Lena Dunham. At this point in time, it is not known if singer Taylor Swift or author J.K. Rowling will also take part.

Over at the Goodreads page for Our Shared Shelf, Watson revealed the origins behind this venture: “As part of my work with UN Women, I have started reading as many books and essays about equality as I can get my hands on. There is so much amazing stuff out there! Funny, inspiring, sad, thought-provoking, empowering! I’ve been discovering so much that, at times, I’ve felt like my head was about to explode…I decided to start a Feminist book club, as I want to share what I’m learning and hear your thoughts too.”

Click here to listen to Watson’s HeForShe campaign speech. (via People)

Emma Watson has decided to launch a feminist book club. The actress and United Nations women goodwill ambassador posted a message on Twitter asking for help on figuring out a name for it.

Here’s more from The Guardian: “After suggestions including ‘Wats Up Fems’, ‘Watson Your Shelf’ and ‘Hermione’s Army’, Watson announced today that she ‘absolutely loved’ Twitter user @emilyfabb’s suggestion: ‘Our Shared Shelf’ and foreshadowed further information about the book club was still to come. Twitter’s response has been enthusiastic: alongside punters, retired American footballer Abby Wambach, actor Sophia Bush, and singer Kate Voegele have all tweeted they would take part in the club, with Watson agreeing to ask Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and singer Taylor Swift to join in.”

Wambach, a world-renowned soccer champion, might have given Watson the inaugural title for the book club: My Life On the Road by Gloria Steinem. Steinem herself tweeted back at Bush, Watson, and Wamback with this proposition: “After we do this digitally we’ll have to do this in person!”

Click on this link to listen to Watson’s HeForShe campaign speech. (via USA Today)

A new feature piece has been published on Pottermore called “The Sad History of Merope Gaunt.” This minor character from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has become well-known as the mother of the antagonist, Tom Riddle (a.k.a. Lord Voldemort).

SPOILER ALERT: If you don’t want to know more, you should stop reading now!

Here’s an excerpt from the post: “It might be argued that Voldemort grew up devoid of love because his mother died for want of it, and that his father’s love was stolen rather than earned. Perhaps if he’d had any understanding of the difference between genuine love and the kind that you compel, Voldemort might have had a better grasp of its power.”

In the past, Rowling has written essays on singing sorceress Celestina Warbeck, the Dursleys, and the symbolism behind Albus Dumbledore and Rubeus Hagrid’s names. Which character from the Harry Potter universe would you like to learn more about?

For some, the day before Christmas will be devoted to last minute gift shopping. If you still need to find a present for the Harry Potter fan in your life, the Pottermore team has created “a visual guide to buying tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”

We’ve embedded the full infographic below for you to explore further—what do you think? The opening date for this London-based theatrical show has been set for July 2016.

Three actors have been cast for the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child show: Jamie Parker will play Harry Potter, Paul Thornley will play Ron Weasley, and Noma Dumezweni will play Hermione Granger. Dumezweni hails from South Africa; many have taken notice that a woman of color will hold the role of the clever muggle-born witch.

Here’s more from The Daily Mail:”In the eight films Harry, Hermione and Ron were played by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, ending with The Deathly Hallows Part 2 in 2011. However, Rowling never made a point of Hermione’s ethnicity, and there’s no textual evidence to indicate that she is, necessarily, white.”

The Guardian reports that the opening date for this two-part play has been set for July 2016. The story takes place nineteen years after the events of the Battle of Hogwarts. Earlier this year, J.K. Rowling revealed at the Pottermore website that this project will serve as the eighth story of her beloved book series. Follow this link to watch a video that showcases artwork. (via BuzzFeed)

Warner Bros. Pictures has unleashed the first trailer for the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie.

The video embedded above offers glimpses of Eddie Redmayne as the magical zoologist, Newt Scamander. Fans of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series will recognize that character as the author of a textbook incorporated into the curriculum at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Other actors who have signed on for this project include Colin Farrell as a wizard named Graves, Dan Fogler as a muggle named Jacob and Jenn Murray in a mystery role. This Harry Potter spinoff, scripted by Rowling herself, will hit theaters on Nov. 18, 2016.

TIME has revealed its “Top 10 Everything of 2015″ lists. Four of the lists focus on literary-themed topics: Top 10 Fiction Books, Top 10 Nonfiction Books, Top 10 YA & Children’s Books, and J.K. Rowling’s 10 Biggest Harry Potter Revelations.

The books that claimed the number one spots include The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante, H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald, and Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. Below, we’ve collected free samples of these books for your reading pleasure.

Free Samples of TIME’s Top Books

Top Fiction Book: The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante

Top Nonfiction Book: H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

Top Children’s Book: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Have you ever wondered about how Harry Potter came to choose the middle name of his second son? Fans sent their questions via Twitter to J.K. Rowling in the hopes of learning why Harry chose to honor his former Potions Master by naming one of children Albus Severus Potter.

To the Twittersphere’s delight, Rowling decided to answer these burning questions with a lengthy explanation. Below, we’ve chronicled all of the exchanges in a Storify post embedded below—what do you think? (via Mashable)

Whitney Avalon has posted a new Princess Rap Battle video has been posted on her YouTube page. The video embedded above stars two children’s book heroines pitted against one another: Katniss Everdeen from Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy and Hermione Granger from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

The piece, set at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, also features cameos from headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Capitol escort Effie Trinket, and the Sorting Hat. Which fictional literary characters would you nominate to appear in future rap battles?

J.K. Rowling revealed during an interview with BBC Radio 2’s Simon Mayo that she has been working on a new children’s book. Other than her intention to complete this project, she has not shared any other information.

The discussion that unfolded between Mayo and Rowling primarily focused on the latest Robert Galbraith crime fiction book, Career of Evil. When he asked her whether or not she plans to write under the name J.K. Rowling ever again in the future, she answered affirmatively and unveiled the news.

Here’s an excerpt from Rowling’s response: “Actually, I have written part of a children’s book that I really love so I’m definitely going to finish that and I have ideas for other adult books…I sometimes worry I’ll die before I’ve written them all out. That’s my mid-life crisis.” (via Mashable)

J.K. Rowling has revealed why she took on the pseudonym Robert Galbraith and what it felt like to be discovered in a new interview with NPR.

Rowling explained her act to NPR host David Greene. Here is an excerpt from the interview:

I think that Potter was incredible, and I am so grateful for what happened with Harry Potter, and that needs to be said. The relationship I had with those readers, and still have with those readers is so valuable to me. Having said that, there was a phenomenal amount of pressure that went with being the writer of Harry Potter, and that aspect of publishing those books I do not particularly miss. So you can probably understand the appeal of going away and creating something very different, and just letting it stand or fall on its own merits.

You can listen to Rowling on Morning Edition and in the latest episode of the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast at this link.

We’ve collected the books debuting on Indiebound’s Indie Bestseller List for the week ending Oct. 25, 2015–a sneak peek at the books everybody will be talking about next month.

(Debuted at #1 in Hardcover Fiction) Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham: “Sebastian Rudd is not your typical street lawyer. He works out of a customized bulletproof van, complete with Wi-Fi, a bar, a small fridge, fine leather chairs, a hidden gun compartment, and a heavily armed driver. He has no firm, no partners, no associates, and only one employee, his driver, who’s also his bodyguard, law clerk, confidant, and golf caddy.” (Oct. 2015)

(Debuted at #3 in Hardcover Fiction) Career of Evil by J.K.Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith: “When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman’s severed leg. Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible–and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.” (Oct. 2015)

(Debuted at #15 in Young Adult) Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff: “This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.” (Oct. 2015)