Fantasy

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. — Karin Snelson

A phenomenon like Harry Potter does not come along very often. The young wizard and his eager companions Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley have inspired countless children to delve into reading with a fervor rarely seen, and we have J. K. Rowling to thank for that! Rowling has created a fantastic world of wizards and muggles, ghosts and trolls, and good and evil that has completely revitalized a love of reading in both kids and adults all over the world.

The fifth hefty installment to J.K. Rowling’s renowned Harry Potter series takes a uniquely psychological and intensely dark turn, bringing the boy wizard at odds with his own identity and friendships as he continues to fight He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Now fifteen years old with four Voldemort battles under his belt, Harry feels frustrated about the growing public skepticism about the Dark Lord’s return. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Magic is also voicing its doubt, and all of Hogwarts comes under the watchful eye of an oppressive Ministry representative. Despite the additional problems of looming O.W.L. exams and Hagrid’s inexplicable absence, Harry’s main preoccupation is his vivid dreams that take him to places — and make him witness events — that horrify and intrigue him. These dreams provide a shocking clue to his very existence, and when eventually they lead Harry to confrontation, the wizard must cope with a tragic death and a telling prophecy about his future. Intricate in plot, charged with unease, and deeply fulfilling on every level, Rowling’s continuation won’t fail to leave fans open-mouthed and breathless for what’s to come.

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, continues to win major awards in England. So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children’s Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. This magical, gripping, brilliant book–a future classic to be sure–will leave kids clamoring for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. — Karin Snelson

Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi’s three adventurous Grace children are back — and learning more about Arthur Spiderwick’s field guide from Aunt Lucinda and a band of elves — in the third installment of the popular Spiderwick Chronicles. With mystery and supernatural suspense in every page turn, this entry has Mallory, Simon, and Jared learning more than expected about their book. When they visit Aunt Lucy in the nursing home, she tells them that in her youth, she was wrongly accused of having the field guide and warns them to leave the house and get rid of the book, lest they become harassed and charmed like she has been. The Grace kids suddenly realize that their treasured book has been stolen, and after they find a map in Uncle Arthur’s library, they come face to face with elves who almost capture Jared and hint that Uncle Arthur may still be alive.

Sabuda and Reinhart Studios have created another spectacular pop-up book for George Lucas’s epic STAR WARS movies! Bestselling pop-up artist and engineer Matthew Reinhart has designed a thirtieth anniversary commemorative edition that comes packed with a variety of novelty features — pop-ups, working light sabers, pull tabs, and other interactive looks at the exciting and popular movies. This beautiful book will impress all fans of STAR WARS and gives a whole new perspective to the films.

Three curious kids discover a world of brownies, fairies, and other fantastic creatures in this ultra-enchanting launch to Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black’s Spiderwick Chronicles.
When the three Grace children — Mallory, Jared, and Simon — and their mom move into Aunt Lucinda’s old house, readers know there’s magic afoot. The kids uncover a nest of assembled junk, and on a visit to the secret library via the dumbwaiter, Jared finds a note describing “my secret to all mankind.” After a few mysterious pranks that get blamed on Jared, the boy finally digs up the real prize: Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You. Fortunately enough, the kids meet one of the critters listed in the guide — a brownie named Thimbletack — who makes it all “real” and helps provide the book’s suspenseful conclusion: “‘Throw the book away, toss it in a fire. If you do not heed, you will draw their ire.’”

The fourth episode of Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi’s Spiderwick Chronicles is here and more spellbinding than ever! When the Grace children and their mom attend Mallory’s fencing competition, Jared spies an odd-looking fellow rooting through Mallory’s duffel bag. The problem is, the thief looks just like Jared himself, and when the boy confronts his mysterious double with a knife — iron is known to repel faeries — the “Not-Jared” disappears and Jared winds up almost expelled from school. But when Mallory disappears, a trip to the quarry results in a harrowing meeting with dwarves, a run-in with a googly-eyed “knocker,” a scheme to rescue their sister from a strange sleep, and finally, a startling fight over the book. All may look hopeless for the Grace kids, but thankfully, help is right at home. A page-turning installment that even includes an image of Jared’s expulsion letter, The Ironwood Tree packs the punch that fans have come to love.