GrandPré as Harry?

The Washington Post’s kid section today had a neat little article on Mary GrandPré and a short interview. They are also holding a contest on a cover design (the link doesn’t have the address but I’ll find my copy and post it for you guys later). Here’s an excerpt:

Look at her drawings of Harry Potter, and you’ll see a little bit of Mary GrandPré. “Actually, Harry Potter is mostly me,” says the artist behind the American editions of Harry Potter, volumes 1-5. When she’s having trouble getting a certain expression or pose down on paper, GrandPré studies someone as a model. Often, that person is herself. So it’s not too surprising that the dark-haired boy wizard looks a little bit like the woman who draws him…

Ask her if she’s started working on “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” and she can’t even tell you. She’s sworn to secrecy about every detail of the book. But when she does get started, if she hasn’t already, she’ll follow her usual speedy schedule. From reading the novel to sketching the pictures to finishing the jacket, it will take her an intense six to eight weeks. “It’s a rush,” she says.

A rush indeed…UPDATE: Thanks to reader Larua for sending us the link to the contest.