Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Specially produced British collectible edition of the second volume in the Harry Potter Series. The first print run (or impression) is reputed to have been only 17,000 copies. First printings are identified by the presence of a full number 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page. Product details: Bright blue cloth-bound boards with gilt lettering, gilt-stamped JK Rowling signature & gilted page-ends; pictorial onlay; full-color harlequin endpapers; sewn-in satin ribbon placemarker; unique typeset, illustrations and paper quality all make this a valuable addition to any collector's library. Ships well-packaged and protected.

What makes the Harry Potter series so successful? Maybe it's the fact that J.K. Rowling doesn't write children's books, she writes children's stories, more in the tradition of the Brothers Grimm than Dr. Seuss. The exploits of Harry and his friends captivate even the shortest attention spans by engaging the imagination with vivid characters and fast-moving action, instead of trying to merely catch the eye with colorful pictures or pop-up effects. Not surprisingly, the Potter tales sound wonderful read aloud, and adapt to the audiobook format extremely well. Broadway actor Jim Dale's impressive vocal range gives each character in the book its own distinctive voice--a considerable task, given the pantheon of witches, warlocks, ghosts, ghouls, dwarves, and elves that Harry encounters in his second outing. And thankfully, since the book is read unabridged, no one's favorite character is omitted. Engaging for children without being childish, the audio version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is worthy addition to the deservedly popular series. (Running time: 9 hours, 7 CDs) --Andrew Nieland