Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

A facsimile edition of the text required for the Hogwarts' Care of Magical Creatures class offers alphabetically arranged entries detailing the characteristics of such mythical beasts as hippogrifs, blast-ended screwts, dragons, and unicorns.

Grade 4-8-These slim paperbacks are made to look like actual Hogwarts tomes, complete with creased covers and plenty of marginalia scribbled by Harry and other students. Fabulous Beasts, a facsimile of Harry Potter's very own textbook, contains descriptions of 75 magical beasts, written in a wonderfully dry yet droll style by a renowned magizoologist. Quidditch is the facsimile of a Hogwarts library book, which had to be literally pried from the hands of librarian Madam Pince. It gives a comprehensive history of the game and its rules, as well as a rundown of each of the 13 league teams of Britain and Ireland. Harry Potter fans who pride themselves on knowing every minute bit of Hogwarts trivia will devour both books. From Professor Dumbledore's introductions to the price listed on the back cover (14 Sickles 3 Knuts), readers will find a wealth of detailed magical lore and laugh-out-loud humor. Neither book is as gripping as the actual series, of course, but fans who are waiting for the fifth installment will be entertained by these volumes in the meantime.
Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Two new books penned by J.K. Rowling will help tide over Harry Potter fans as they await book five, and raise money for a good cause: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander, an A to Z listing of all beings magical (and required reading for all first-year Hogwarts students), and Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp (a "renowned Quidditch expert"), the official handbook of the wizard's sport of choice, both with a foreword by esteemed Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore. Rowling wrote the books to raise funds for Comic Relief in the U.K., a charitable organization helping poor and disadvantaged people in Africa and the U.K. (not affiliated with the U.S. Comic Relief organization). Many printers and paper suppliers are joining in the effort by donating their services.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Reviewed with J. K. Rowling's Quidditch through the Ages.

Gr. 4-7. Because this is a "Harry Potterless" year, kids in need of a fix may find it in these two volumes. The conceit is that these are Harry's schoolbooks (Fantastic Beasts, by Newt Scamander; Quidditch, by Kennilworthy Whisp), with margin notes by Harry and pal Ron Weasley. The concept breaks down in the introductions: Professor Dumbledore explains that the books are being offered to muggles (because the proceeds of the books are going to British charity Comic Relief, a disclosure that will raise the eyebrows of any reader who undestands the importance of secrecy in the wizard world. Nevertheless, a lot of effort has gone into making these seem like real textbooks. The jackets look torn and faded, the print is (annoyingly) small, and the information is well detailed. Illustrations are in short supply, and not every fan will want to know this much about Quidditch and imaginary beasts, especially when the text is so hard to read. Buy several copies (the money really does go to charity), but expect a few disappointed readers. REVWR
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