(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jim Kay. This substantial and strikingly illustrated new edition invites readers into Harry Potter's third year at Hogwarts. From spot art of a rat to an impressive spread of hippogriffs to a giant werewolf spanning three spreads, Kay's full-color paintings particularly focus on the fantastic beasts in this entry, while also illuminating its darker aspects for both newcomers and returning fans.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill. Wizard Harry Potter's marked-up copy of magizoologist Newt Scamander's compendium of magical creatures was first published in 2001. This larger-size, fully illustrated version (minus the handwritten notes) is beautifully crafted; the sketchbook-like illustrations aid in visualizing these beasts. Six creatures native to North America have been added to this edition. It also features an impressive gatefold for the Ukrainian Ironbelly (dragon). Ind.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jim Kay. An oversize and gorgeously illustrated new edition invites readers into Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts. From spot portraits to double-page spreads of flying cars to pages crawling with spiders, Kay's full-color paintings again give the uninitiated an immersive reading experience while offering the series' many devotees a fresh look.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by MinaLima. British Magizoologist Newt Scamander arrives in 1926 New York with a leather case full of magical beasts that get loose in the city; a sinister magical figure also emerges. The inclusion of stage directions from this 2016 film's screenplay offers further insight into characters' actions. Black-and-white decorative embellishments, some of magical creatures, provide a helpful pause between scenes. A cast and crew list is appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) 4-6 Play by Jack Thorne. This "Special Rehearsal Edition Script" of the 2016 London play includes stage directions and original cast list. Harry's adolescent son Albus and best friend Scorpius Malfoy embark on a mission (using an illegal Time-Turner) to right wrongs in Harry's past. The play is most successful with its characters, indulging the audience's desire to revisit old friends while introducing a new generation of wizards.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2016

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jim Kay. This hefty and handsomely illustrated new edition invites the reader into the wizarding world of Harry Potter from the moment the book is opened to the final pages. Kay's beautiful, slightly off-kilter paintings reinvent the now-familiar characters, giving new readers an all-encompassing reading experience and the already-acquainted a fresh go at the classic.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 1999

(2) 4-6 Presented as folktales from Harry Potter's world, this book works on several levels: the tales themselves; Albus Dumbledore's analysis of each; and the anecdotes embedded in those commentaries. Though spare in style, tone, and character construction (unlike her novels), the stories are filled with the quirky details Rowling's fans expect, offering devoted Potterphiles tidbits of wizarding culture and history.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2009

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. The series ends with a bang. From a hair-raising escape at the book's beginning to the monumental battle at its end, this installment is a straight-up quest adventure. Harry flirts with darkness but is saved by his capacity for love and self-sacrifice. After all the adrenaline, an epilogue gently releases readers. This volume is a triumphant farewell to the boy wizard.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2007

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary GrandPre. Harry, now fifteen, finds himself in the role of outsider as, in the larger world, adult wizards marshal their forces against the returned Voldemort without him; while at Hogwarts, he is shunned by Dumbledore, banned from Quidditch, and--thanks to slanted newspaper reports--regarded as generally unreliable. Despite a flimsy plot, the book--the best since Azkaban--features a wealth of humor and detail, plus some sharp social satire.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2003

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary Grandpre. Year Four at Hogwarts finds Harry enjoined as the surprising fourth contestant in the Triwizard Tournament during which he finds his way through a maze that leads to the dark wizard Voldemort and to the death of one of the other contestants. The emotional impact is disappointingly slight, and the characterization seems to be getting thinner. As a transitional book, however, Goblet of Fire does its job--thoroughly if facilely--and raises some tantalizing questions.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2000

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary Grandpre. In this sequel to the phenomenally popular Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry returns to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year. The atmosphere Rowling creates is unique; the story whizzes along; Harry is an unassuming and completely sympathetic hero. Rowling clearly hit on a winning formula with the first book; the second book--thought still great fun--feels a tad, well, formulaic.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 1999

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary Grandpre. In this third installment in Harry's saga, all the elements that make the formula work are heightened. The characters are particularly interesting, including Harry himself, who in facing the reality of his parents' violent deaths becomes a stronger person and a more complex hero. The Quidditch action is the best yet, the Hogwarts classes are inventive and entertaining, and there's a nifty bit of time manipulation in the exciting climax.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 1999

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary Grandpre. On orphaned Harry Potter's eleventh birthday, mysterious missives begin arriving for him, culminating eventually in the arrival of a giant named Hagrid. Harry learns that his parents died saving him from an evil sorcerer and that he himself is destined to be a wizard of great power. A charming and readable romp with a most sympathetic hero and filled with delightful magic details.

Reviewer: Ann A. Flowers | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 1999