Harry Potter andthe Chamber of Secrets

* The de-gnoming of theWeasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards havechores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests 'Gerroff me!Gerroff me!'), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), andtossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling'sclever and witty genius. * Harry's first experience with a Howler,sent to Ron by his mother. * The Dueling Club battle between Harryand Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help studentspractice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for theintensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they arestill young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including ticklingand dancing charms.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

* Ron's attempt to use atelephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'. * Harry's firstencounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any otherencounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors isterrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book. *Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney'sDivination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occurwhen she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are,after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft andwizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children. *The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom. * Harry, Ron,and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape.

Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire

* Hermione's disgust at thereception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at theQuidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues aboutgrowing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts startsto change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene inwhich magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump fromthe stands to impress them. * Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--andRon's objection to it. * Malfoy's 'Potter Stinks' badge. *Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the DeathEaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in thechanging dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenlyRowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present inearly books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind asthe students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on largerresponsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.

Harry Potter and the Order of thePhoenix

* Harry's outburst to hisfriends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration overbeing kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much ofHarry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron andHermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being tooold to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part ofthe fight that he knows is coming. * Harry's detention withProfessor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers tobelieve that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for youngwizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of realevil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of willsalone. * Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowlingclearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager. * Harry'sOcclumency lessons with Snape. * Dumbledore's confession toHarry.

Magic,Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling

'I am an extraordinarily lucky person,doing what I love best in the world. I’m sure that I will alwaysbe a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. Thegreatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers.'--J.K. Rowling

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interviewwith J.K. Rowling.



Did YouKnow?

The Little WhiteHorse was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child.

Jane Austen isRowling's favorite author.

Roddy Doyle isRowling's favorite living writer.

A Few Words from Mary GrandPré

'When I illustrate a cover or a book, Idraw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibilityas an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in herwriting--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story ispacked full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood,the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes iteasy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until itfeels right and matches her vision.' Check out more Harry Potter artfrom illustrator Mary GrandPré.

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