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SPOILER WARNING: This page contains cover excerpts from each of the books
in the Harry Potter series. Some of them refer to events in previous books,
and some key plot points may be revealed. Thanks to Amazon
for the editorial book reviews.
Say you've spent the first 10 years of your life sleeping under the stairs of a family who loathes you. Then, in an absurd, magical twist of fate you find yourself surrounded by wizards, a caged snowy owl, a phoenix-feather wand, and jellybeans that come in every flavor, including strawberry, curry, grass, and sardine. Not only that, but you discover that you are a wizard yourself! This is exactly what happens to young Harry Potter in J.K. Rowling's enchanting, funny debut novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In the nonmagic human world--the world of "Muggles"--Harry is a nobody, treated like dirt by the aunt and uncle who begrudgingly inherited him when his parents were killed by the evil Voldemort. But in the world of wizards, small, skinny Harry is famous as a survivor of the wizard who tried to kill him. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley.
A mysterious letter, delivered by the friendly giant Hagrid, wrenches Harry from his dreary, Muggle-ridden existence: "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" Soon enough, however, Harry finds himself at Hogwarts with his owl Hedwig... and that's where the real adventure--humorous, haunting, and suspenseful--begins.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, first published in England as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, has won the following awards:
- ALA/YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 1999
- ALA/YALSA Best of the Best 100 (Selected from BBYA 1966-99)
- ALA/YALSA Top Ten Books for Teens, 1999 (Ranked #1)
- ALA Notable Children's Books, 1999
- Book Links Lasting Connections, 1998
- Booklist Editors' Choices, 1998
- Booklist: Top Ten Fantasy Novels for Youth
- CCBC Choices, 1998: Fiction for Children
- Publishers Weekly Best Books 1998
- School Library Journal: Best Books 1998
- School Library Journal: One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century
- Parenting magazine: Book of the Year, 1998
- Parenting magazine: Reading Magic Books, 1998
- Voice of Youth Advocates: Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, 1998
- Anne Spencer Lindbergh Prize for Children's Literature
- American Booksellers Association Book of the Year (ABBY)
- CBC Not Just for Children Anymore! List
- International Reading Association: Children’s Choices, 1999
- International Reading Association: Teacher’s Choices, 1999
- National Council of Teachers of English: Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts, 1999
- New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
- Wisconsin Educational Media Association Golden Archer Award (Middle/Junior High), 2000
- Sasquatch Reading Award (Washington), 2000
- Great Stone Face Children’s Book Award (New Hampshire), 2000
- Arizona Young Reader’s Award, 2000
- Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Book Award, 2000
- Nene Award (Hawaii), 2000
- Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s Award (Illinois), 2001
- Michigan Reading Association Readers’ Choice Award, 2001
- Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award, 2001
- Nominated for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature, 1999
- Nominated for Children’s Book Award (Massachusetts), 2000
- Nominated for Children’s Book Award (Utah), 2000
- Nominated for New York State Charlotte Award, 2000
- Nominated for Young Reader’s Choice Award (Pacific Northwest Library Association), 2001
- Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, Gold Medal 9-11 years, 1997
- FCBG Children’s Book Award, Overall and Longer Novel Category Winner, 1997
- Birmingham Cable Children’s Book Award, 1997
- Young Telegraph Paperback of the Year, 1998
- British Book Awards Children’s Book of the Year (NIBBY), 1997
- Sheffield Children’s Book Award, 1998
- Whitaker's Platinum Book Award, 2001
- Commended for the 1997 Carnegie Award
- Shortlisted for the 1997 Guardian Children's Award
- W. H. Smith Book of the Year Award, 1997
- New York State Children’s Choice Award Nominee
Buy Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone from Amazon.com:
Audio CDs | Audio Cassettes
The Collector's Edition (image)
is leather bound with gold foil pages, and includes a sketch of Harry by J.K.
Rowling herself. The Mass Market Paperback is the smaller version with artwork
geared toward older readers. The Audio CDs and Cassettes are unabridged, read
by Jim Dale. See Amazon.co.uk
for UK versions of these titles.
It's hard to fall in love with an earnest, appealing young hero like Harry Potter and then to watch helplessly as he steps into terrible danger! And in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the much anticipated sequel to the award-winning Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, he is in terrible danger indeed. As if it's not bad enough that after a long summer with the horrid Dursleys he is thwarted in his attempts to hop the train to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to begin his second year. But when his only transportation option is a magical flying car, it is just his luck to crash into a valuable (but clearly vexed) Whomping Willow. Still, all this seems like a day in the park compared to what happens that fall within the haunted halls of Hogwarts.
Chilling, malevolent voices whisper from the walls only to Harry, and it seems certain that his classmate Draco Malfoy is out to get him. Soon it's not just Harry who is worried about survival, as dreadful things begin to happen at Hogwarts. The mysteriously gleaming, foot-high words on the wall proclaim, "The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware." But what exactly does it mean? Harry, Hermione, and Ron do everything that is wizardly possible--including risking their own lives--to solve this 50-year-old, seemingly deadly mystery. This deliciously suspenseful novel is every bit as gripping, imaginative, and creepy as the first; familiar student concerns--fierce rivalry, blush-inducing crushes, pedantic professors--seamlessly intertwine with the bizarre, horrific, fantastical, or just plain funny. Once again, Rowling writes with a combination of wit, whimsy, and a touch of the macabre that will leave readers young and old desperate for the next installment.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets has won the following awards:
- ALA Notable Children's Books, 2000
- ALA/YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2000
- Booklist Editors' Choices, 1999
- Booklist Top Ten Fantasy Novels for Youth, 1998-99
- CCBC Choices 2000: Fiction for Children
- International Reading Association: Children's Choices, 2000
- International Reading Association: Young Adult Choices, 2000
- Publishers Weekly: Best Books of 1999
- School Library Journal: Best Books 1999
- CBC Not Just for Children Anymore! List
- British Book Awards 1998 Children's Book of the Year (NIBBY)
- Shortlisted for the 1998 Guardian Children's Award
- Shortlisted for the 1998 Carnegie Award
- Nestlé Smarties Book Prize 1998 Gold Medal 9-11 years
- Scottish Arts Council Children’s Book Award 1999
- FCBG Children’s Book Award 1998 Overall winner and Longer Novel Category
- North East Book Award 1999
- North East Scotland Book Award 1998
- The Booksellers Association / The Bookseller Author of the Year 1998
- Whitaker's Platinum Book Award 2001
Buy Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets from Amazon.com:
Audio CDs | Audio Cassettes
The Collector's Edition (image)
is leather bound with gold foil pages, and includes a full-size poster. The
Mass Market Paperback is the smaller version with artwork geared toward older
readers. The Audio CDs and Cassettes are unabridged, read by Jim Dale. See Amazon.co.uk
for UK versions of these titles.
For most children, summer vacation is something to look forward to. But not for our 13-year-old hero, who's forced to
spend his summers with an aunt, uncle, and cousin who detest him. The third book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series
catapults into action when the young wizard "accidentally" causes the Dursleys' dreadful visitor Aunt Marge to inflate
like a monstrous balloon and drift up to the ceiling. Fearing punishment from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon (and from
officials at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who strictly forbid students to cast spells in the nonmagic
world of Muggles), Harry lunges out into the darkness with his heavy trunk and his owl Hedwig.
As it turns out, Harry isn't punished at all for his errant wizardry. Instead he is mysteriously rescued from his Muggle neighborhood and whisked off in a triple-decker, violently purple bus to spend the remaining weeks of summer in a friendly inn called the Leaky Cauldron. What Harry has to face as he begins his third year at Hogwarts explains why the officials let him off easily. It seems that Sirius Black--an escaped convict from the prison of Azkaban--is on the loose. Not only that, but he's after Harry Potter. But why? And why do the Dementors, the guards hired to protect him, chill Harry's very heart when others are unaffected? Once again, Rowling has created a mystery that will have children and adults cheering, not to mention standing in line for her next book. Fortunately, there are four more in the works.
Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban has won the following awards:
- ALA Notable Children's Book, 2000
- ALA/YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, 2000
- Booklist Editors' Choices, 1999
- Publishers Weekly Best Book of 1999
- Los Angeles Times Best Book of 1999
- Bram Stoker Award, Work for Young Readers (Horror)
- 2000 Hugo Award Nominee: Best Novel
- CCBC Choices 2000: Fiction for Children
- National Council of Teachers of English: Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts, 2000
- Voice of Youth Advocates: Books in the Middle: Outstanding Titles of 1999
- New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
- CBC Not Just for Children Anymore! List
- Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Platinum Award
- Friends of Libraries USA Readers’ Choice Award, 1999 Locus Award
- Wisconsin Educational Media Association Golden Archer Award (Intermediate), 2001
- Maine Student Book Award
- Whitbread Children's Book Prize, 1999
- Nestlé Smarties Book Prize 1999 Gold Medal 9-11 years
- British Book Awards 1999 Author of the Year
- The Booksellers Association / The Bookseller Author of the Year, 2000
- 1998 FCBG Children's Book Award 1999 / Longer Novel Category
- Whitaker's Platinum Book Award 2001
- W. H. Smith Children's Book of the Year Award
- Nominated for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize
- Nominated for the Carnegie Medal
- New York State Children’s Choice Award Nominee
Buy Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban from Amazon.com:
The Audio CDs and Cassettes are unabridged, read by Jim Dale. See Amazon.co.uk
for UK versions of these titles.
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling offers up equal parts danger and delight--and any number of
dragons, house-elves, and death-defying challenges. Now 14, her orphan hero has only two more weeks with his Muggle
relatives before returning to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yet one night a vision harrowing enough to
make his lightning-bolt-shaped scar burn has Harry on edge and contacting his godfather-in-hiding, Sirius Black.
Happily, the prospect of attending the season's premier sporting event, the Quidditch World Cup, is enough to make
Harry momentarily forget that Lord Voldemort and his sinister familiars--the Death Eaters--are out for murder.
Readers, we will cast a giant invisibility cloak over any more plot and reveal only that You-Know-Who is very much after Harry and that this year there will be no Quidditch matches between Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Instead, Hogwarts will vie with two other magicians' schools, the stylish Beauxbatons and the icy Durmstrang, in a Triwizard Tournament. Those chosen to compete will undergo three supreme tests. Could Harry be one of the lucky contenders?
But Quidditch buffs need not go into mourning: we get our share of this great game at the World Cup. Attempting to go incognito as Muggles, 100,000 witches and wizards converge on a "nice deserted moor." As ever, Rowling magicks up the details that make her world so vivid, and so comic. Several spectators' tents, for instance, are entirely unquotidian. One is a minipalace, complete with live peacocks; another has three floors and multiple turrets. And the sports paraphernalia on offer includes rosettes "squealing the names of the players" as well as "tiny models of Firebolts that really flew, and collectible figures of famous players, which strolled across the palm of your hand, preening themselves." Needless to say, the two teams are decidedly different, down to their mascots. Bulgaria is supported by the beautiful veela, who instantly enchant everyone--including Ireland's supporters--over to their side. Until, that is, thousands of tiny cheerleaders engage in some pyrotechnics of their own: "The leprechauns had risen into the air again, and this time, they formed a giant hand, which was making a very rude sign indeed at the veela across the field."
Long before her fourth installment appeared, Rowling warned that it would be darker, and it's true that every exhilaration is equaled by a moment that has us fearing for Harry's life, the book's emotions running as deep as its dangers. Along the way, though, she conjures up such new characters as Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, a Dark Wizard catcher who may or may not be getting paranoid in his old age, and Rita Skeeter, who beetles around Hogwarts in search of stories. (This Daily Prophet scoop artist has a Quick-Quotes Quill that turns even the most innocent assertion into tabloid innuendo.) And at her bedazzling close, Rowling leaves several plot strands open, awaiting book 5. This fan is ready to wager that the author herself is part veela--her pen her wand, her commitment to her world complete.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has won the following awards:
- Winner of the Hugo Award
- Whitaker's Platinum Book Award 2001
- ALA Notable Children's Books, 2001
- Booklist Editors' Choices, 2000
- CCBC Choices 2001: Fiction for Children
- Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books 2000
- Hugo Award for Best Novel
- Smithsonian Notable Children's Book
- Voice of Youth Advocates: Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, 2000
- CBC Not Just for Children Anymore! List
- New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
- Friends of Libraries USA Readers’ Choice Award
- Scottish Arts Council Book Award 2001
- Children's Book Award in 9-11 category 2001
- Whitaker's Platinum Book Award 2001
- W. H. Smith Children's Book of the Year Award
- New York State Children’s Choice Award Nominee
Buy Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire from Amazon.com:
The Audio CDs and Cassettes are unabridged, read by Jim Dale. See Amazon.co.uk
for UK versions of these titles.
Book five takes the series to a darker, more serious level, as we see Harry's attitude and feelings change dramatically
as J.K. Rowling takes us deeper and deeper into the fight between good and evil. Normally safe at the Dursley's, Harry
suffers an almost fatal dementor attack before being taken to the secret headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, a
special group of wizards united in their efforts to defeat Voldemort and his followers. At the headquarters, Harry runs
into Kreacher, a vile, horrible house elf and also Sirius' mother, who never misses an oppurtunity to scream the house
down. Our hero returns to Hogwarts, where things begin to get ever more perilous as he encouters terrifying dreams, a
teacher with an attitude like venom and corruption of the highest level and all the time, Harry still can't find out
what exactly lies in the Department of Mysteries.
Even more exciting things happen in Harry's fifth year, including a large revelation from Hagrid, and a new subject teacher that tries to land on his four feet (no pun intended!). Harry has to partake in deadly detentions, secret meetings with fellow students and he gets banned from one of the things he loves the most. But it's not all gloom and doom! Fred and George give us a spectacular array of laughs gasps, Ron achieves something he's been wanting to for ages, we find out once and for all what pulls the Hogwarts carriages and Harry gets his first moment of love! We see several new characters, some we hate, some we love and some we suspect. We go to new magical places, see new magical spells and see what it is like to sit Hogwarts OWL tests.
Harry's life becomes ever more perilous as the book goes on, when he finds himself in the Ministry of Magic under direct threat from some of the most feared creatures in the magical world: Voldemort's death eaters. In a showing of bravery, skill and courage, our hero and his friends fight and fight and Harry comes face to face with an extremely dangerous death eater. And if you want to know more, read the book. It's filled with tragedy, happiness, suspense and creativity and should not be missed by any Harry Potter fan.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was awaited by millions of fans for three years. When it hit shelves, it created a worldwide phenomenom and shattered previous pre-order records. Hundreds of thousands of people queued outside book stores on June 20th, 2003 until the clock struck midnight, so that they would be the first to purchase the book they'd been waiting for. It's obvious from the reviews and sales figures that book five is also an exception.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has won the following awards:
- Fiction Prize at WH Smith People's Choice Book Awards 2004
- ALA Notable Book
- ALA Best Books for Young Adults
- Booklist Editor’s Choice 2003
- Booklist Top Ten Fantasy Titles For Youth
- Child “Best Children’s Books of 2003 Awards”
- Oppenheim Toy Portfolio 2004 Gold Medal
- New York State Children’s Choice Award Nominee
Buy Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix from Amazon.com:
The Audio CDs and Cassettes are unabridged, read by Jim Dale. See Amazon.co.uk
for UK versions of these titles.
The long-awaited, eagerly anticipated, arguably over-hyped Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has arrived, and the question on the minds of kids, adults, fans, and skeptics alike is, "Is it worth the hype?" The answer, luckily, is simple: yep. A magnificent spectacle more than worth the price of admission, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will blow you away. However, given that so much has gone into protecting the secrets of the book (including armored trucks and injunctions), don't expect any spoilers in this review. It's much more fun not knowing what's coming--and in the case of Rowling's delicious sixth book, you don't want to know. Just sit tight, despite the earth-shattering revelations that will have your head in your hands as you hope the words will rearrange themselves into a different story. But take one warning to heart: do not open Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until you have first found a secluded spot, safe from curious eyes, where you can tuck in for a good long read. Because once you start, you won't stop until you reach the very last page.
A darker book than any in the series thus far with a level of sophistication belying its genre, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince moves the series into murkier waters and marks the arrival of Rowling onto the adult literary scene. While she has long been praised for her cleverness and wit, the strength of Book 6 lies in her subtle development of key characters, as well as her carefully nuanced depiction of a community at war. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, no one and nothing is safe, including preconceived notions of good and evil and of right and wrong. With each book in her increasingly remarkable series, fans have nervously watched J.K. Rowling raise the stakes; gone are the simple delights of butterbeer and enchanted candy, and days when the worst ailment could be cured by a bite of chocolate. A series that began as a colorful lark full of magic and discovery has become a dark and deadly war zone. But this should not come as a shock to loyal readers. Rowling readied fans with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by killing off popular characters and engaging the young students in battle. Still, there is an unexpected bleakness from the start of Book 6 that casts a mean shadow over Quidditch games, silly flirtations, and mountains of homework. Ready or not, the tremendous ending of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will leave stunned fans wondering what great and terrible events await in Book 7 if this sinister darkness is meant to light the way.
--Daphne Durham, www.Amazon.com
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has won the following awards:
- British Book Awards 2006 WHSmith book of the year
- Nickelodeon's 2006 Kid’s Choice Awards Book of the Year
- Anthony Award for Best Young Adult Mystery
- Best Science-Fiction/Fantasy Novel award from Disney Adventures magazine
- ALA Best Book for Young Adults
- New York Times Notable Book
- 2005 Quill Children's Chapter / Middle Grade Book of the Year
- Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Seal
- CCBC Choice
- Publishers' Weekly Cuffie
- Booklist Editor's Choice
- Chicago Public Library "Best of the Best"
- New York State Children’s Choice Award Nominee
- 2006-2007 Indian Paintbrush Book Award Nominee
Buy Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince from Amazon.com:
The Audio CDs and Cassettes are unabridged, read by Jim Dale. See Amazon.co.uk
for UK versions of these titles. UK paperback available June 23, 2006. US and Canada paperback available July 25, 2006.
Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart-- such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues.
The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.
A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience.
--Daphne Durham, www.amazon.com
Buy Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows from Amazon.com:
The Audio CDs and Cassettes are unabridged, read by Jim Dale. See Amazon.co.uk
for UK versions of these titles.
Quidditch Through the Ages--charmingly reproduced as if it were a facsimile of the copy from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry--starts with the history of broomsticks, describes the evolution of Quidditch through the generations, and includes the rules of the game as well as a chapter on modern-day play.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the most complete A to Z listing of magical beasts that exists, and includes their classifications. From Basiliks to Jarveys to Werewolves, this book covers all the magical beasts you've only heard of and will introduce you to a host of new ones you haven't.
Buy the Harry Potter Schoolbooks from Amazon.com:
You can also visit Amazon's Harry
Potter Store.
 
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