THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling. 1998. 320 pp. 0-590-35340-3 (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic Press) $19.95. Harry Potter spends
the first ten years of his orphan life living under the stairs in the home of his horrible aunt and uncle, until one day he receives an invitation to study at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And so the
bestselling adventure begins. . .
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling. 1999. 352 pp. 0-439-06486-4 (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic Press) $19.95. After a summer spent with the horrible Dursely
family, Harry's eagerly anticipated return to school begins on an ominous note when he's warned that if he goes back to Hogwarts, disaster will strike. Of course it does-that's just what readers were hoping for in this
eagerly anticipated sequel.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling. 1999. 448 pp. 0-439-13635-0 (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic Press) $19.95. In this third volume, Sirius Black, a wizard
imprisoned for killing thirteen people with one curse, has escaped from Azkaban prison. The terrifying Dementor guards are hunting Sirius, and Sirius is hunting Harry!
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K.
Rowling. 2000. 734 pp. 0-439-13959-7 (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic Press) $25.95. At 700+ pages, this most recent and (so far) most thrilling volume of the record-breaking Harry Potter series allows enough room for
Rowling to include even more of the lavish detail that makes these books so wonderful. A slightly darker plot, including the death of a student, marks the beginning of a weightier battle between the forces of good and evil.
LIRAEL: Daughter of the Clayr by Garth Nix. 2001. 496 pp. 0-06-027823-4 (HarperCollins Children's Books) $16.95. This amazingly original follow-up to Sabriel is
truly one of the best fantasy novels out there. In Lirael's world of necromancers, magic, monsters, and clairvoyants, librarians go heavily armed and an alienated young girl must save the world. You can read Lirael without
reading Sabriel first-but be prepared for the cliffhanger ending.
THE SEEING STONE by Kevin Crossley-Holland, illustrated by David Klein. 2001. 336 pp. 0-439-26326-3 (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic Press) $17.95.
Arthurian-legend enthusiasts will relish the meticulous research evidenced in this story of a young noble, Arthur de Caldicot, which is interwoven with many of the legends of King Arthur. Set in the year 1199, we are treated to
a glimpse into the reality of life in the Middle Ages as well as an intriguing mystery as the story of the lives of the two Arthurs unfolds.
SLAVES OF THE MASTERY by William Nicholson. 2001. 434 pp. 0-7868-0570-6
(Hyperion Books for Children) $17.99. In this sequel to The Wind Singer, author Nicholson continues the adventures of twins Kestrel and Bowman with even more involved plot lines and character development. Fantasy readers will
be thrilled with this installment and eagerly awaiting the conclusion of this trilogy.
THE WITCHES AND WIZARDS OF OBERIN written and illustrated by Suza Scalora. 2001. 48 pp. 0-06-029535-X (Joanna Cotler
Books/HarperCollins Children's Books) $19.95. Anthropologists discover a mysterious cave in the French Alps. Soon afterwards, the witches and wizards who used to gather there abduct the Frenchman responsible for unlocking their
secret. For all lovers of the mystical and magical.